Thames Tunnel OpeningIn 1843, the Thames Tunnel in London, the world's first tunnel under a navigable river, was opened for pedestrians between Rotherhithe and Wapping. Work had started on 2 Mar 1825. Excavation was engineered by Marc Brunel, for which he used a tunneling shield to reduce the danger of collapse while digging through soft sediments. Beginning his own engineering career, his son Isambad K. Brunel assisted. Together they persevered through 18 years, dealing with floods, human disasters, and delays caused by financing difficulties. Planned ramps for use by carts and freight traffic were never added due to cost. A railway line through the tunnel opened on 7 Dec 1869, and it remains in use as the oldest part of the London Underground.« |
