Industrial History Online

Industrial History Online

Tower Subway

Description and History of Site:-
Built in 1869 using the new cylindrical tunnelling shield of the contractor, James H Greathead. The engineer of this 6 ft 8 in diameter tunnel was Peter Barlow. This was also the first tunnel to be lined with cast-iron segments. Originally built to carry a cable hauled railway under the Thames it was soon converted to a toll tunnel and became redundant in 1896 with the opening of Tower Bridge. Its use for carrying the mains of the London Hydraulic Power Company is indicated by the inscription on the circular entrance building on Tower Hill built in 1926. The tunnel now carries communications cables.


Further Reading and References:-
HEW 233.
See Denis Smith, 2001, Civil engineering heritage: London and Thames Valley (pages 22 - 23)


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Key Words :- Pedestrian tunnel, service tunnel

Address :- Tower Hill EC3 to Vine Lane SE1, London, Greater London
Grid Ref :- TQ 3341 8058
Co-ordinates :- Lat 51.508409 , Long -0.079033
Local Authority :- City of London
Pre 1974 County :- Greater London Council
Site Condition :- Site in alternative industrial use
Site Dates :- 1869 -
Record Date :- 2 June 2018

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