Construction of the tunnels for London Underground’s Northern line extension project, which will extend the line from Kennington to Battersea, is underway.

Two permanent shafts have been dug close to Kennington Underground station from which the tunnelling programme has set off.

The £1.2 billion Northern line extension is the first addition to the Underground network since the Jubilee line and will result in new stations being built at Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms.

Although TBMs will be used to construct much of the extension, tracked excavators supplied by Schaeff are being used initially to excavate the tunnels around the Kennington loop, where the new line meets the existing railway.

Built by NFM Technologies, the TBMs are currently being transported to London and are expected to be in the ground early next year.

Tunnelling will be completed by the end of 2017 and the extension itself is due to be finished in 2020.

London Underground’s Martin Gosling, head of the Northern line extension, said: “The tunnelling works at Kennington represent a significant milestone in the construction of the Northern Line Extension which will bring Battersea and surrounding areas to within 15 minutes of the West End and City.

“Construction is now well underway in Kennington and involves a lot of complex, highly skilled construction work. It’s a significant step forward in the project which, once complete, will help us to support jobs, homes and growth in this area and keep pace with the capital’s rapidly rising population.”

Photo: Transport for London.