Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE ROTHERHITHE TUNNEL. 63 lengths between the river and the land shafts at each end could be driven simultane- ously. One shield pursued its southerly way, the other bored northwards on a right- handed curve in the direction of the Commercial Road. Thanks to the precautions taken by the contractors, no hitch or stoppage took place. All the tunnelling was com- pleted by August 1907, and after the concrete lining, roadway, and tiling had been finished, the tunnel was opened for traffic by the Prince of Wales on June 12, 1908, a year sooner than had PUTTING IN THE CONCRETE LINING TO THE TUNNEL. been anticipated. A visit to the tunnel is interesting to any one who lias not had previous experience of traversing such a tunnel on foot. As he ap- proaches the top of one of the river-bank shafts he becomes aware of a rumbling noise, which gradually increases to a roar, like that of some great subterranean waterfall. Enter- ing the dome covering the shaft he sees, far below him, lorries, cabs, omnibuses, and other vehicles, which emerge in turn from the tunnel, add their quota to the general din, and dis- appear again. A spiral staircase leads him down many feet into the depths. Far TILING THE TUNNEL. away in both directions stretch the gleaming triple rows of incandescent electric bulbs, which, thanks to the white glazed tiles lining the tunnel, give a very satisfac- tory general illumination. In- spired with, the wish to walk under a river, he starts off through the echoing tunnel towards the farther shaft. Noises spring into being sud- denly, and involuntarily he turns his head, expecting to see a vehicle close behind him, and is surprised to find that the nearest is a hundred yards away. Owing to the