When did Marc Brunel patent the tunnelling shield used for the Thames Tunnel?
Marc Brunel patented the tunnelling shield in January 1818. This device supported unlined ground to prevent collapses during excavation and weighed over one ton per frame.
Questions about Thames Tunnel
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many people died when the Thames Tunnel flooded on the 12th of January 1828?
Six men died when the tunnel flooded again on the 12th of January 1828. These victims reached the main stairwell while the actual escape route remained sealed shut until contractor Beamish broke down a locked emergency exit door.
What was the width and height of the original Thames Tunnel structure?
The entire system measured roughly 70 feet in diameter and stood 60 feet high. The final structure measured 21 feet wide by 24 feet high but remained unused for carriages.
On what date did the first train run through the Thames Tunnel after its conversion?
The first train ran through the tunnel on the 7th of December 1869. Sir John Hawkshaw served as the line's engineer during conversion efforts before goods services continued until 1962.
When did London Underground schedule long-term maintenance work to begin on the Thames Tunnel?
London Underground scheduled long-term maintenance work to begin on the 24th of March 1995. Work reopened much later than anticipated in 1998 following a legal victory that protected the Grade II* listing from shotcrete concrete plans.