The Detailed Design for the new passenger tunnels on the Elephant & Castle Station Capacity Upgrade Project has now been completed. DRAGADOS is delivering the works for Transport for London, with AECOM and Dr. Sauer & Partners working together as the integrated design team for the tunnelling and ground engineering elements.
These new tunnels, approximately 135 m in length, will provide the primary passenger link between the future Integrated Ticket Hall, currently under construction within the Delancey Town Centre development, and the existing Northern line platforms.
From a tunnelling and ground engineering perspective, this remains one of the most technically complex elements of the scheme:
i) SCL tunnelling throughout, including a section constructed using squareworks techniques,
ii) interfaces with sensitive existing London Underground assets, live utilities, and the new Delancey station box in very close proximity,
ii) detailed finite element modelling undertaken to represent the staged construction sequence and validate design assumptions,
iv) a comprehensive instrumentation & monitoring regime developed to manage ground movement and safeguard neighbouring assets,
v) temporary works measures—pipe-roof canopy, targeted ground improvement, and a carefully sequenced excavation methodology—engineered to mitigate ground risk.
The project is now progressing through design assurance ahead of tunnelling works commencing in 2026, with continued support from the design team through the Designer’s Representative on Site role.
