Construction of a 5km tunnel underneath the River Humber, described as an extraordinary feat of civil engineering, is complete.
National Grid and its specialist contractors have delivered the pipeline to support the UK gas network, with the embedded structure stretching from Paull in East Yorkshire to Goxhill in North Lincolnshire, 30m underneath the ‘Energy Estuary’.
Completion was celebrated with Humber-crossing loving fundraiser Graham Boanas being given an exclusive walkthrough, making history.
The 6ft 9in Hull businessman has raised £160,000 for charity, having walked across at low tide and swam, as well as used the bridge.
He said: “I’m thrilled that National Grid’s River Humber pipeline project has given me this once in a lifetime experience. It’s fantastic that I’ve had the opportunity to experience the otherworldly environment of the tunnel, walking through it side by side with the team that built it.
“I now must also hold the world record for the number of ways I have crossed the Humber. I’ve crawled and waded across it at low tide, swam through the high tide in a special suit and walked over the Humber Bridge, but walking beneath the Humber through the tunnel was by far the most unique experience. I’d like to thank everybody involved from National Grid and its partners who made this experience possible for me - it’s been absolutely fantastic.”
He was granted the opportunity ahead of the tunnel being completely flooded with water prior to pipe insertion.
“In spring 2020, we’ll push our 5km gas pipeline through the tunnel. This will be a world record breaking event, with our project being the longest hydraulically inserted gas pipeline in the world. On completion, we will have a vital pipeline which can provide up to a quarter of Britain’s gas supplies.”
As reported, in September ‘Mary’ the tunnel boring machine completed its 18-month journey through the bed of the Humber.
The work, which will be finished by the end of 2020, will help ensure reliable and resilient energy supplies in the years ahead to North Lincolnshire, East Yorkshire and the rest of the UK, replacing a trench-laid pipe which had become exposed.
