Underground Railway (04:55)

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Underneath London, more than 10,000 engineers are building Crossrail. The London Underground is the world's first metro system, and is vital to keeping London's population of 8 million on the move. The first line was opened in 1863.

Boring Under London (06:14)

Crossrail program director Andy Mitchell discusses the challenge of digging a massive rail tunnel beneath London. Construction manager Steve Parker has been building tunnels for 25 years, and oversees two tunnel boring machines (TBMs)—one of which will bore through a narrow gap between existing infrastructure.

Building the Underwater Station (05:43)

At Canary Wharf, builders are constructing a unique station for Crossrail because of limited dock space. Phil Duffy is in charge of supervising construction of the station's elaborate garden roof.

Protecting Historic Sites (05:44)

The TBM nears the critical gap at Tottenham Court Road station. Engineers monitor potential sinking due to tunneling. Simon Levy monitors laser prisms to detect any unusual ground movement around London's historic buildings.

Digging Below the Thames (05:29)

The train tunnels for Crossrail need to pass under the Royal Docks on the River Thames. Engineer Linda Miller's project is to rebuild the old Connaught Tunnel to accommodate modern trains.

Crossrail's First Breakthrough (02:31)

Deep below the roof of Canary Wharf station, engineers prepare for one of the TBMs to break through, into the station. Project manager Peter Main discusses the necessary precision.

Shoring Up Soho (03:33)

In Soho Square, robotic laser monitors detected a dangerous shift in the ground. The Charity and Chapel House of Saint Barnabas is at risk of serious damage if engineers cannot stop the sinking.

Connaught Tunnel (07:58)

Miller needs to expand the 19th century tunnels beneath the Royal Docks, but the lack of earth above the tunnel poses a serious problem. To prevent flooding, Miller must figure out how to drain the channel overhead; the original builders faced the same problem.

Tottenham Court Road (05:54)

The TBM passes through the narrow gap between the existing tunnel and escalators above. Parker oversees the passage of the boring machine above the busy railway tunnel in the heart of London.

Finishing Canary Wharf Station (03:09)

Duffy's team has almost completed the roof's timber lattice. Roy Butcher leads a crew of mountain and rock climbers in the installation of the garden's inflatable covers.

London's Super Tunnel (00:58)

Crossrail's 10,000 employees put in over 100 million working hours. The train is slated to open in 2018, but teams still need to lay the tracks and build the trains.

Credits: Super Tunnel (00:51)

Credits: Super Tunnel