We were part of the team employed by Bouygues TP to carry out the replacement of the water damaged cladding in the Northbound Tunnel, the contract duration was from June 2024 and completed July 2025.
- Task overview: The tunnel lining was degrading due to water ingress and needed to be replaced, TT2 the operator engaged Bouygues TP the original installer of the tunnel lining to remove the old cladding and install a water diversion channel and replace the lining with a new system.
- Technical obstacles: The tunnel is filled with environmental monitoring systems, fire suppression systems, lighting and ventilation systems.
- Traffic disruption: The tunnel was closed to traffic from Friday night and re-opened Monday morning with all traffic being diverted in a contra-flow in the Southbound bore of the tunnel to ease traffic congestion.
- Sequence of works: All of the Tyne tunnel is covered by a Fogtec Fixed Fire Fighting Water Mist System that activates when there is a fire in the tunnel. Kirklands Group were engaged to remove 25mtr sections at a time, and all of the associated pipework, we then clearly label and store the parts to enable them to be re-used when the cladding works are completed for that section.
- Lighting: As part of the works, Kirklands would remove and relocate the existing lighting from the work zone and re-fix it outside of the affected area to provide adequate lighting whilst the tunnel was open. We used any components that were serviceable and replaced ones that were not.
- Jet Fans: Kirklands removed Jet Fans supplies and made them safe to allow the fans to be removed by others where the cladding was to be replaced around them. Once completed we would re-install the supplies, test and commission the fans to ensure that they were in good working order.
- Commitment to Program: Kirklands employed a team of 20 engineers to ensure that they had adequate resource to fulfil attendance requirements to carry out this very involved task throughout the 12 months duration.
- Safety: Kirklands had zero safety incidents throughout the contract period.