View source for Heathrow Cargo Tunnel

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{No footnotes|date=May 2010}}
{{Infobox tunnel
| name         = Heathrow Cargo Tunnel
| image        = 
| caption      = 
| location     = [[Heathrow Airport]], [[Greater London]], [[United Kingdom]]
| coordinates  = {{coord|51.464|-0.456|display=it|type:airport_region:GB-HIL}}
| route        = 
| status       = 
| start        = 
| end          = 
| startwork    = 
| opened = {{start date|df=yes|1968|12}}
| close        = 
| owner        = [[Heathrow Airport Holdings]]
| operator     = [[Heathrow Airport Holdings]]
| engineer     = [[Sir William Halcrow and Partners]]
| traffic      = Vehicular
| character    = Restricted access freight and passenger
| toll         = 
| vpd          =
| construction = 
| length       = {{convert|885|m|yd|abbr=on}}
| lanes        = Two (one in each direction)
| speed        = 
| hielevation  = 
| lowelevation = 
| height       = {{convert|16|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
| width        = {{convert|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} each lane
| grade        = 
}}

The '''Heathrow Cargo Tunnel''' is a road tunnel in the [[London Borough of Hillingdon]], London, UK that serves London [[Heathrow Airport]].

==History==
In December 1968, the tunnel first opened, to connect Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to the newly opened [[London Heathrow Airport#Terminal 4|cargo terminal at Heathrow]], and it cost £2 million to build. The tunnel is not open to the public; it is used only by vehicles with security clearance to drive airside. It is used for cargo movements, and transfer of passengers to and from Terminal&nbsp;4 (In 1986, Terminal&nbsp;4 was built next to the cargo terminal). From 1972, a [[London Transport Executive (GLC)|London Transport]] bus service (route 82) operated through the tunnel. In 1986, when Terminal 4 opened, a number of other bus routes then also passed through the tunnel. This was an unusual situation, because anyone could board the bus, and travel "airside" without going through any security checks. In 1989, in the interests of security, all public bus services were withdrawn from the tunnel. All public buses now enter the central area through the main tunnel.

==Design and construction==
The cargo tunnel is bi-directional; it has one bore, carrying one lane in each direction. Each lane is {{convert|12|ft|abbr=on}} wide, with a clear height of {{convert|16|ft|6|in|abbr=on}}.  The tunnel consists of approximately {{convert|625|m|yd|abbr=on}} of circular bored tunnel plus {{convert|130|m|yd|abbr=on}} of rectangular cut-and-cover tunnel at each end. Its total length is {{convert|885|m|yd|abbr=on}}.

The bored tunnel segments are precast concrete, with a {{convert|33|ft|9|in|abbr=on}} internal diameter and {{convert|12|in|cm|abbr=on}} thick. The segments are expanded directly against the ground, which is [[London Clay]]. The bored section of the cargo tunnel is notable among tunnelling engineers, for having been constructed with a remarkably thin cover of solid clay above it (minimum cover {{convert|1.2|m|abbr=on}} clay beneath the Terrace gravels).

There is one [[sump pump|sump]] system in the tunnel, at a low point about {{convert|300|m|yd|abbr=on}} north of the south portal.

The tunnel is one of the few in the United Kingdom that is ventilated by a fully transverse system – it has an air supply duct in the invert of the tunnel, and an air extract duct in the crown of the tunnel. Extraction and supply fans are sited in underground chambers at the north end and the south end of the tunnel, at the [[Tunnel Boring Machine]] (TBM) launch and retrieval chambers.

Consulting Engineer for the works was [[Halcrow Group Limited|Sir William Halcrow and Partners]], with Hoare Lea & Partners advising on electrical and mechanical services. The tunnel was built by [[Taylor Woodrow|Taylor Woodrow Construction]], with E&M fitout by Halliday Hall and Aerex.

The cargo tunnel was the only privately operated road tunnel in the United Kingdom until March 2005, when the [[Heathrow Airside Road Tunnel]] was opened to airside traffic next to it.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* ''Above Us The Skies: The Story of BAA'' – 1991 (Michael Donne – BAA plc), p.&nbsp;15
* Muir Wood,&nbsp;A.&nbsp;M. & Gibb,&nbsp;F.&nbsp;R., ''Design and Construction of the cargo tunnel at Heathrow Airport, London,'' Paper 7357, ''Proc. Instn. Civ. Engnrs.,'' Vol 48, 1971
* "Discussion of paper 7357", ''Proc. Instn. Civ. Engnrs.,'' Vol 48, 1971

==External links==
* {{gbmaprim|TQ 0739 7506|Maps showing Heathrow Cargo Tunnel}}
* [http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1002876/ Photo Cargo Tunnel entrance 1973]
* [http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1000923/ Photo Egyptair Il-18 from  public no. 82 LT bus entering cargo tunnel airside 1972]

{{London Heathrow Airport}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures at Heathrow Airport|Cargo Tunnel]]
[[Category:Road tunnels in England]]
[[Category:Transport in the London Borough of Hillingdon]]
[[Category:Tunnels completed in 1968]]
[[Category:Tunnels in London]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Transport at Heathrow Airport|Cargo Tunnel]]