Carla, the machine used to drill the DLR tunnels
Work to bring the Docklands Light Railway to Woolwich Arsenal reached a significant milestone on Monday 23 July when the second cross-Thames tunnel broke through.
Contractors have been using a huge tunnel boring machine, nicknamed Carla after their site receptionist. It completed one tunnel in December last year and was then set back to build one going the other way.
Carla cost £5 million and has removed around 104,000 cubic metres of material (enough to fill 1,100 double-decker buses or 40 Olympic size swimming pools).
Line opens early 2009
The twin tunnels are now complete, although the line will not open until early 2009.
The £180 million, 2½ km extension will link Woolwich with the King George V DLR station in North Woolwich — one stop away from London City Airport.
Boost for the borough
Peter Brooks, Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Regeneration said: "We all know that the Council and its partners are working hard on the regeneration agenda, but it’s great to see something so tangible as this.
"The DLR will be a big boost to the whole borough, and Woolwich in particular, creating new and quick links across the Thames."
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3 August 2007