Thames Water has brought Dutch technology in the shape of a massive tunnelling machine to progress work on a £5.5 million trunk scheme –the first time the machine has been used in England.

Part of this £5.5 million scheme requires two cast iron trunk mains to be re-lined between Raynes Park and New Malden railway station – a distance of around 1,700m each. Located in a large trench, the machine is capable of producing a staggering 100 tonnes of thrust, which will push new trunk main pipes through the century-old Victorian ones.

Secured in a large trench, the machine is capable of producing a massive 100 tonnes of thrust, which will push new trunk main pipes through the century-old Victorian ones.

Project manager Ben Connis from Thames Water alliance eight2O explained: “Modern techniques allow us to slide the new plastic pipes inside the old ones. This reduces the need to excavate large trenches and, as a result, improves safety while reducing cost.”

The pipe pushing machine drives 12 metre lengths of 710mm PE SDR11 – high density polyethylene pipes – inside the old Victorian mains from Raynes Park to the rear of the railway station, a distance of 1,200m, with the remaining 500m being slip-lined through. The machine is so efficient that it can push a 12m length quicker than the time needed to fusion weld the next length onto the run.

The huge machine, commissioned from Dutch company Gebr. van Leeuwen Boringen BV, was lifted out of its trench by crane on Tuesday and is now returning home to Holland. It is highly likely to return for Phase 2 of the project, which is in the planning stages.