New Project Win: Barking Riverside Extension, HS1 Tunnel Monitoring

Barking Riverside is a new mixed-use development in East London which will feature 10,800 homes, leisure and shopping facilities, schools and a railway station. The Barking Riverside extension will add 1.5km to the existing London Overground Gospel Oak to Barking line, lengthening the line from Barking to the new station at Barking Riverside. Capable of operating four trains per hour, this regular service will significantly reduce journey times to central London, reaffirming Barking Riverside as an attractive East London location. 

Along the majority of its length, the proposed Barking Riverside extension follows the same alignment as the Tilbury Loop and runs parallel to the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) tunnels. East of Renwick Road, the extension will diverge and head south where it will cross the CTRL twin bore tunnels on a new elevated viaduct, continuing towards Barking Riverside. Development of the viaduct has the potential to induce ground movements associated with deep piling works.

Transport for London has contracted SOCOTEC Monitoring UK – previously ITM Monitoring - to monitor the CTRL tunnels during the construction of the new viaduct, to understand and manage any potential effects on this asset. The proposed system will involve automated monitoring of the running tunnels, track and cross passage. Manual verification surveys will be conducted at six-monthly intervals to corroborate the automated monitoring data and provide an opportunity for ongoing visual condition inspections. All project monitoring data will be provided through SOCOTEC Monitoring UK’s Calyx™.

Installation of the monitoring equipment will begin in early 2019, ahead of any piling works to provide baseline readings. The monitoring will continue from the start of the piling works and will remain operational throughout the duration of construction and for a period of time during the running of the service.