Lucille, a 540-tonne tunnel boring machine (TBM), has made a successful breakthrough in Belfast after tunnelling through almost a mile-long section of the city’s deepest tunnel.
The breakthrough signals the completion of the longest stretch of the Belfast Sewers Project, a £100 million upgrade of Belfast’s existing 19th century sewer networks, which is being carried out by infrastructure services company, Morgan Est and joint venture partner Farrans (Construction) Ltd for Northern Ireland Water.
It is recognised as one of the largest civil engineering infrastructure projects in the UK boasting a six-mile, four metre-wide stormwater drainage tunnel and will be completed in 2009.
Morgan Est and Farrans (Construction) Ltd have been contracted to design, build, test and commission around 9.4km of tunnels under Belfast City Centre, terminating at Duncrue Wastewater Treatment Works. The project also includes the construction of a 16m³/s capacity terminal pumping station – the largest of its kind anywhere in Northern Ireland – at the wastewater treatment works, a 9,000m³ stormwater tank and marine outfall.
Paul Ronicle, Morgan Est project manager, says: “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone on the Stormwater Management Works project. When complete, the modernisation of the sewer system in Belfast will improve water quality as well as reduce the risks of sewer flooding in the greater Belfast area and pollution to the River Lagan.”
Ends
Photos: Tunnel boring machine Lucille has made a successful breakthrough in Belfast after tunnelling through almost a mile-long section of the city’s deepest tunnel.
Notes to editors:
Morgan Est is a leading UK provider of infrastructure services across the public and private sector. The business which specialises in the design and delivery of complex engineering projects, provides specialist and innovative tunnelling, utilities, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical services to the water, gas, electrical, transport and rail sectors. It is part of top five UK construction and regeneration group Morgan Sindall plc which operates through five specialist divisions of fit out, construction, infrastructure services, affordable housing and urban regeneration.
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Liz Coyle-Camp / Lyndsay Scanlan
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