Retrieval of S693

Following its breakthrough 2 weeks ago, the cutterhead of the final Herrenknecht TBM was lifted out of the retrieval shaft at Tai Seng Facility Building (junction of Airport Road & Bartley Road East) a day before New Year's Eve. This is the last TBM for the Downtown Line to be retrieved, with the shields of the remaining 4 machines to be abandoned in-situ upon docking.

Cutterhead being lifted up - viewed from the Bartley Viaduct

December Tunnel Progress

Nov 29

S761 has just completed excavation of the Expo Bound tunnel between UPC and XPO, marking the end of its second and final drive.

Dec 5
After a long and arduous drive, the BP bound machine from the prison shaft has docked at Bedok Reservoir at last. The machine will begin to dismantle while the cutterhead and essential electrical components within the backup gantry be brought back to the surface to be reused for the second drive to Tampines West. It will join its sister machine to be the final TBM launch of the entire Downtown Line, estimated in February 2015. 6 tunnels remaining.

We thank Karthik & Sankar from KTC & Tritech for the consistent updates.

DTL3 Tunnel Progress as of 13 December. 4 tunnels remaining.

Dec 12
The final Herrenknecht TBM along the entire Downtown Line has just docked at the completed Tai Seng Facility Building this morning. S693 (TBM2) completed a 1445-ring drive (2.0km) from the Ubi launch shaft to TSFB for the Reception Track 6, tunnelling one of the longest drives along the DTL. This is Nishimatsu's final breakthrough within C929A as the tunnel contract wraps up.

This is also the DTL's final breakthrough for a single-driven TBM, with the remaining 5 TBMs along DTL3 executing or preparing their second drive.

With great thanks to the tunnelling team from Nishimatsu for the frequent progress updates.

Dec 13
The Expo Bound TBM from the Stadium Shaft has docked into Tampines Central Station. 4 tunnels to go.

Herrenknecht, Nishimatsu and LTA C929A team gracing the breakthrough of S693 at Tai Seng Facility Building

November Tunnel Progress

November 13

TBM2 docked into the Upper Cross Street retrieval shaft earlier today. The completion of this Expo bound tunnel structurally links the network of DTL tunnels from Gali Batu to Bedok Reservoir on both bounds.

November 23

The BP Bound TBM has just launched at the Stadium Shaft towards Tampines Central. This is also the final TBM launch out of the Stadium Shaft. Breakthrough is estimated around Chinese New Year 2015.

For the month of December, we can look forward to the
- Breakthrough of Expo Bound TBM between Stadium Shaft and TPC (926)
- Breakthrough of BP Bound TBM between Prison Shaft and BDR (926)
- Breakthrough of Expo Bound TBM between UPC and XPO (923)

DTL3 tunnel progress as of Nov 23

C929A UBI Launch Shaft

Nov 13 - Breakthrough of C937 TBM2 at Upper Cross Street

C929A Bracing for CP Excavation

September Tunnel Progress

September 15
Earlier this morning, the night shift team at Nishimatsu led S687 to breakthrough the d-wall at Kaki Bukit station, completing the BP bound tunnel between UBI and KKB. This is the third out of 4 TBMs to breakthrough under C929A.

September 20

TBM has launched at Tampines East C&C for the BP drive to Tampines Central station.

September 25

S758 has completed excavation of the Expo bound tunnel from Jalan Besar to Bencoolen station. The TBM will begin to dismantle within the tunnel.

September 25 - Completion of Expo bound tunnel

Tunnel Chart as of September 25

C925 TBM launches for the second and final drive to Tampines Central

September 22 - BBQ Celebration for S687 Breakthrough at 929A 

S687 Breakthrough at Kaki Bukit Station

Mined Cripple Siding at Bedok Reservoir

TBM arrives at Kaki Bukit

Early this morning at about 3.00am, TBM S-686 successfully brokethrough into Kaki Bukit station. The machine has bored about 900m from the launch shaft next to Ubi station along the Expo bound track. Here's a video showing the machine gnawing away the soft eye of the diaphragm wall at Kaki Bukit.

S686 Breakhroughs

With thanks to Chalermdech Wattanakijyingyong