http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21715329





Major accident averted I think... If a tube train had hit that drill at speed people would have died.

Yep, you would think when drilling that deep they would know where underground tunnels are !!!!

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Lets be careful out there !

i used to work for a co that did this sort of stuff,we always had maps of the area,one just hoped they were accurate
one time we did stop our van and go over to someone drilling near st johns wood and pointed out to him the mound he was starting to drill on was the top of a "cut and cover" line

I have to say, it is a little scary to think that this can happen, but despite the recession, there is a hell of a lot of construction work going on in London. Just count the tower cranes. A contractor did the same above Wanstead tube a few years ago when a new road was being built. They knew the line was there but though it was deeper. LU engineers had been fully involved in that job and they still broke through

Wow!! Mind you, amazing it doesn't happen more often.

I often wonder how watertight the lines going under the Thames are ?

Wouldn't take much to flood the system. All we've got is an iron tube which is probably going/gone rusty on the outside and is considerably weaker than when first installed?

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Lets be careful out there !

First was completed in 1843..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Tunnel

Never realised there were so many tunnels and the varying uses they are put too!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnels_underneath_the_River_Thames

Same could be said for the northbound bore of the Blackwall tunnel which was also built in the late 1800's (this is the one with the height limit and the odd bends within it).

When the tube was first cut they had to divert around plague pits in the City which contained the remains of those who died in the black death. There was a real worry they would release the virus if they opened the pits.

I seem to remember an automated underground train system operated by the Post Office.

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When a crash seems inevitable, try to hit the softest, cheapest object in the vicinity as slowly and gently as possible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Post_Office_Railway

Friend of mine used to work on it.

There is so much tunnelling in London at the moment it's quite incredible

On top of The super sewer under the Thames & crossrail running under Oxford st!!!, the £700million Victoria station upgrade involves a huge tunnel from the station, under the bus depot and under the Billy Eliot theatre (can't remember it's name!). Then a huge relief ticket hall is to be built underground in Bressenden place with two staircase shafts coming out nearby (one close to Cardinal place shopping centre).

Some tunnels will be built within within 3m of the circle line and between power, sewage and gas mains. At the moment, around 7000 holes are being drilled by compact drilling machines. The holes are filled with grout - a weak concrete - in order to stabilise the ground to stop any subsidence. It's all very fascinating stuff, but lets hope that - contrary to the engineers at this near tube train disaster in Moorgate - they have done their sums right in SW1!