Award of lots 1 & 3 of 3 year assets and facilities management contract for Heathrow Express, including shafts and tunnels, value GBP11.65 million excluding VAT, to Amey Community Ltd of Oxford, with option to renew for further 7 years. Award of lot 2, value GBP1.078 to Firstco Ltd of London. More from Mark Chestney at Heathrow Express Operating Company in London, tel +44 20875066-00, fax -90, e-mail hex@halcrow.com http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=167525-2009 26/09. ..

JV Sdruzeni Horni Pomoravi II, comprising ZS, Arko Technology and Metrostav, secured the EUR27 million contract for the construction of 26 km of new sewers in the areas of Lostice and Mohelnice, and for the reconstruction and upgrading of sewage treatment plants in Mohelnice. Contact Vodohospodarska zarizení Sumperk, Mr Roman Milek, Sumperk. tel +420 583-317323, fax -214845, e-mail milek@vhz.cz. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=169998-2009. 27/09...

Award of contract E 03 at undisclosed price, including construction of twin track 4.5 km-long Gevingasen tunnel and associated works to Sobstad AS of Heimdal. More from Lisbeth Smedbraten at Jernbanverket in Oslo, tel +47 91655041, e-mail lis@jbv.no http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=164412-2009..

Zitron Nederland BV (Hengelo) has secured the contract, value EUR12.7 million, for supply and assembly of the tunnel ventilation plant for the Salzburg-bound and the Villach-bound tubes (2 x 6,400 m) of the Tauern tunnel on the Tauern motorway A10. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid= 170046-2009 and www.zitron.nl 27/09...

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

Prior information notice for construction works, value EUR24.86 million, for a undergroung cut-and-cover tunnel from Pabellon Moises Ruiz to Plaza de Barcelona, 1,1 km, with 0.8 m-thick base, 1.0 m-thick walls and 1.0 m-thick roof, on Carretera de Ronda, in Almeria. The works will include intermodal station.

Prevention of unauthorised entry into tunnelling sites has never been more important to protect both personnel and equipment as well as the general public from site hazards. The compact I-on16 system from the Scantronic brand of Cooper Security has been introduced for just this purpose. Click here 27/09

A complete line-up of GIA tunnelling equipment comprising two locomotives, four shuttle cars, and a crawler-mounted 9HR/B Haggloader were used by Skanska BS AB for excavation of a 4.2 km-long Slovakian tunnel with a cross section area of just 11.5 m².

The Federal Roads Authority (ASTRA) in Switzerland are investing 68 Million euro to refurbish and improve the Belchen Tunnel. The Belchen tunnel is situated on the A2 Basel-Mittelland motorway and was originally built in 1970. The proposed 4 year work program to bring the tunnel in line with current safety regulations, will see the upgrading and renewal of the ventilation systems as well as better traffic control facilities with increased traffic guidance outside the tunnels. Jet fans will be used to improve ventilation and prevent the spread of smoke in the event of a fire . 26/09

The TBM Gabi I started driving southwards from Erstfeld on 0.12.2007. Some eighteen months later, and half a year earlier than planned, it reached its destination at Amsteg after 7.2 km. Breakthrough of the tunnel was achieved on 16.06.2009 with great accuracy: the deviation of 4 mm horizontally and 8 mm vertically was minimal. The machine will now be dismantled and transported away. By 01.06.2009, the west TBM Gabi II had driven 5,742 m or 80 %. Of the 153.5 km of the tunnel system under the Gotthard, 133 km (or 87%) have now been excavated. According to the construction programme, the final breakthrough between Sedrun and Faido will take place at the beginning of 2011. Click ch/52 and visit www.alptransit.ch and www.agn-amsteg.ch. 25/09.

The A3 western bypass in Zurich, including the Uetliberg Tunnel (2 x 4,430 m) and the Aescher tunnel (2,176 m, 2,142 m), opened to traffic on 04.05.2009. The Knonaueramt, the final section of the western bypass which includes the Islisberg tunnel (2 x 4,955 m), will open on 13.11.2009. Click ch/24 and visit www.uetlibergtunnel.ch. 26/09

The third lot of the ex SS 29 Colle di Cadibona bypass from km 133 to km 138.150, including the Big Mountain (1,480 m) and Vispa (480 m) tunnels, opens today, 22.06.2009, at a cost of EUR39.69 million. The SS 29 was recently reclassified as a road of national interest. Click it/87. Visit www.coestra.it and www.geodata.it. 26/09.

Dates: 18-19 August 2009 Place: Caesar Business Belo Horizonte in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Thermo Fisher Scientific will host it’s 2009 Laboratory Informatics Symposium (LIS) in Brazil. The symposium will focus on the specific data management requirements of the mining industry and will include presentations from leading mining services organization Sao Paolo-based Interfusao.

SANYA, Hainan, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Eight workers who were trapped when a tunnel collapsed Thursday in south China's Hainan Province were rescued after 64 hours on Sunday afternoon. They walked out of the tunnel with the support of rescuers at around 3:55 p.m. and were taken to hospital for medical examination.

PPS guidance systems are designed specifically for TBMs and roadheaders, giving the operator all of the necessary information to keep his machine on course and to return it to the design centreline when necessary. All hardware and software has been chosen to cope with the harshest tunnelling environment, and developed with experience over the years. Graphical presentation is operator friendly, with clearly arranged display, and systems can be tailored to specific requirements.PPS, located in Germany, can supply guidance systems to any part of the world. For more information, visit www.pps-muc.de or e-mail info@pps-muc.de or click here or on the PPS logolink. 25/09.

For Normet Group, one of the worldwide leading manufacturers of mining and tunnelling machinery, 2008 was the best year in its history. Its turnover reached 107 million euros, representing a growth of 38% and an increase in the value of the orders of 43% compared to 2007. With 83% of sales outside Europe, the company's reorganisation in 2007 proved to be a success. The number of employees increased by some 30%, and at year-end just exceeded 450 people.

It has been announced that Arup and Atkins as part of aj oint venture will design the underground tunnels as part f the Crossrail project in London.

Last week, in Rome, the transport ministers of Austria and Italy signed a definitive agreement on the construction of the 56 km-long Brenner rail tunnel through the Alps, a project that will reduce lorry traffic across the Brenner Pass and Tyrol by 2022. Until recently, there were doubts whether construction would go ahead due to financing problems in Austria and Italy, despite the EU picking up 20% of the bill. The new agreement activates the treaty signed between the two countries five years ago, since when much preparatory work for the base tunnel has been completed and high-speed rail connections have been developed. Visit tunnelbuilder archive at/16 for history of the project, and enter “Brenner” into archive search for backup rail projects. 22/09.

A 2005 vintage MHI 6.44 m-diameter EPB that has tunnelled less than 3.2 km is available in the US for immediate sale, together with trailing gear and most accessories. Click for details. Contact sam@tunnelbuilder.com 21/09.

The deadline for the submission of abstracts for the International Water Mist Conference 2009 is on the 29th of May. Interested parties should submit abstracts no later than this date. The acceptance letters will be sent out until the 26th of June, 2009.

The IWMA Conference will be held this year from September 23 - 24 in London, United Kingdom. The conference is open to anybody and will offer an opportunity for those responsible for selecting fire protection as well as researchers/scientists to be updated on the current state of water mist technology for fire protection. This conference will be held in cooperation with independent member institutions which will provide full technical support.