Our Projects
Steve Cowell Consulting Ltd. provides consulting expertise for complex, technically challenging tunnels and underground space solutions.
Our capability is underpinned by 36 years of industry experience in tunnelling and civil engineering.
In addition to our underground focussed core business we also have considerable experience in estimating, planning and construction of general civil engineering projects.
SCC Ltd. has undertaken a variety of projects as expert consultants to project sponsors, joint ventures, main contractors, subcontractors and design consultants.
These projects have encompassed the water, utilities, energy and transportation sectors so we are familiar with the needs of a wide range of ultimate clients.
Lower Thames Crossing
Client: Dragados (Dragados Hochtief BemoJoint Venture)
Ultimate Client: National Highways
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 8km of 16m diameter tunnels driven by slurry TBM. Temporary works for TBM launch and reception. Cross passage construction. Dewatering, ground treatment, earthworks, approach structures, road deck construction, HV power supply and associated civil works.
Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP)
Client: Dragados (Dragados Acciona Venture)
Ultimate Client: United Utilities
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 49km of treated water tunnel at 3m to 3.5m i.d. and with tunnel lengths of up to 16.5km. The tunnels will be driven by multiple TBM types in difficult ground conditions at depths of up to 325m. Shafts to 15m i.d. and 50m depth. Ground water pressures in excess of 15 bar are anticipated. The remote nature and steep topography of many of the working sites necessitate extensive bulk earthworks requiring drilling & blasting in rock.
Metrolink (Dublin Metro)
Client: London Bridge Associates
Ultimate Client: Metrolink
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for the TBM driven tunnels and eleven deep stations for the Metrolink project. 13km of TBM driven tunnels, intervention shafts, cross passages, diaphragm walling, secant piling, ground treatment, dewatering, extensive temporary and permanent propping, complex station internal fit out, surface works, surface buildings and M&E works.
A303 Stonehenge
Client: Dragados (Dragados Hochtief Joint Venture)
Ultimate Client: National Highways
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 6km of 12m diameter tunnels driven by slurry TBM. Temporary works for TBM launch and reception. Cross passage construction by SCL techniques. Ground treatment, earthworks, approach structures, highway construction, HV power supply and associated civil works.
Coire Glas Pumped Hydro
Client: Dragados (Dragados Bemo Joint Venture)
Ultimate Client: Coire Glas Pumped Hydro
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 25km of tunnels from 3.5m i.d. to 75m2 XSA driven by road-header, drill & blast and double shield TBM. Shafts to 12m diameter and depths approaching 600m by raise boring and drill & blast with in-situ secondary lining. Deep underground cavern construction with XSA to in excess of 800m2. 60,000m3 of complex in-situ concrete works to deep caverns. Temporary works for shafts and tunnels. Dewatering, ground treatment and HV power supply works.
Metrolink (Dublin Metro)
Client: London Bridge Associates
Ultimate Client: Metrolink
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for the eleven deep stations in the central section of the route. The works include diaphragm walling, secant piling, ground treatment, dewatering, extensive temporary and permanent propping, complex station internal fit out, surface works, buildings and M&E works.
Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP)
Client: Mott MacDonald
Ultimate Client: United Utilities
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Estimating, planning and technical consultancy for 49km of treated water tunnel at 3m to 3.5m i.d. and with tunnel lengths of up to 16.5km. The tunnels will be driven by slurry, single and double shield TBM’s in difficult ground conditions at depths of up to 325m. Ground water pressures in excess of 15 bar are anticipated. The remote nature and steep topography of many of the working sites necessitate extensive bulk earthworks requiring drilling & blasting in rock.
SAL0018 UID
Client: Mott MacDonald
Ultimate Client: United Utilities
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Estimating, planning and technical consultancy for 1km of 2.85m i.d. of sewer tunnel driven with an EPB TBM, secant piled and segmental shafts, shaft internal works, secant piled retaining walls, an outfall structure adjacent to the Manchester Ship Canal and external surface works.
White City Underpass
Client: Rorcon
Ultimate Client: Imperial College London
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Estimating, planning and technical consultancy for 30m of 6m x 4m internal jacked box beneath a live Network Rail route. The concrete box structure will be cast as a single unit and jacked into position on a 24 hour per day, 7 day per week basis. The works also include steel sheet piling, propping and approach structure works in a very confined urban location.
London Power Tunnels Phase 2 - Packages 2 & 5
Client: Hochtief Murphy Joint Venture
Ultimate Client: National Grid
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Estimating, planning and technical consultancy for 32km of 3m i.d. HV power supply tunnels driven by EPB and open TBM’s with tunnel lengths of up to to 11km. Deep shafts, diaphragm walling, secant, bored & sheet piling, ground treatment, SCL, segmental shafts, shaft internal works, head house structures, M&E and external surface works. After an extensive bidding process Hochtief Murphy Joint Venture were awarded Package 2 in late 2019 and Package 5 in late 2020.
Snowdonia Visual Improvement Project
Client: Bouygues Murphy Joint Venture
Ultimate Client: National Grid
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Estimating, planning and technical consultancy for 5.3km of 3.5m i.d. of HV power supply tunnel driven with a slurry TBM, deep shafts, drill & blast excavation, secant & bored piling, ground treatment, SCL, segmental shafts, shaft internal works, head houses, M&E, HV cable installation and external surface works.
Lower Thames Crossing
Client: Mott MacDonald
Ultimate Client: Highways England
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 7.6km of 14.6m i.d. segmental dual three lane road tunnel constructed beneath the River Thames with two Mixshield TBM’s. The works also include jet grouted treatment blocks for TBM launch, SGI and SCL cross passage construction with ground support by freezing and grouting, installation of the PCC highway deck, road construction, diaphragm walled approach structures with concrete internals, temporary TBM recovery pit with soil nailing, tunnelling facilities, on site PCC segment and highway deck factories, HV power supply to the site and associated civil works.
HS2 2b Long Eaton Value Management Study
Client: Aecom Capita Ineco Joint Venture
Ultimate Client: HS2
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Review of the estimates and programmes underpinning the HS2 2b Long Eaton Value Management Study. Detailed review of the assumptions, outputs and resource costs used in the HS2 VMS estimates. Preparation of first principles estimates for 9.7km of 8.8m i.d. bored tunnels and portal works. Review of the HS2 programmes for viaduct and bored tunnel options. Contribution to the ACI report for submission to HS2.
Rishton & White Ash Tank UID’s
Client: Fineturret
Ultimate Client: United Utilities
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Estimating, planning and technical consultancy for two UID projects. The works comprise large diameter caisson shafts, pipe jacks, open cut pipelines, chambers, complex shaft finishing works, connections to existing sewers, sewer abandonment and surface works.
Swanage STW, Stroud Sewerage & Cadent
Client: J. Murphy & Sons
Ultimate Client: Wessex Water & Cadent
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
The works include EPB TBM driven tunnels, pipe-jacking with slurry MTBM’s, secant, bored & sheet piling, ground treatment, segmental shafts, deep open cut pipelines, chambers, complex shaft finishing works, connections to existing sewers, sewer abandonment and surface works.
Counters Creek Flood Alleviation Scheme
Client: Mott MacDonald
Ultimate Client: Thames Water
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 5km of 4m i.d. sewer tunnel and associated works. Development of costed alternative construction options. Valuation of risk and opportunity. Creation of new estimates from first principles for tunnelling and catchment wide drainage schemes. Integration of historic and future client, consultant and framework contractor costs. The works include marine logistics, EPB TBM driven tunnels, pipe-jacks, large diameter deep shafts, SCL, square works, ground engineering, open cut pipelines, concrete chambers, MEICA and complex shaft internal works.
Bakerloo Line Extension
Client: Mott MacDonald
Ultimate Client: Transport For London
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Review of the existing TfL estimate for 18.5km of TBM driven running tunnels, 1.6km of SCL running tunnel, a 0.2km SCL stepped junction cavern and all associated tunnel fit out civil works. Preparation of a report summarising the findings of the exercise to a standard appropriate for TfL governance.
Kelvingrove Sewer, Glasgow
Client: OTB Engineering
Ultimate Client: Scottish Water
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Appointed to review the project proposals and estimated costs for the base scheme and potential alternative proposals. The works include TBM driven segmental tunnels, pipe-jacks, secant and sheet piling, segmental shafts, open cut pipelines and concrete chambers.
Trym Relief Sewer
Client: J. Murphy & Sons
Ultimate Client: Wessex Water
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for 5.5km of 2.85m i.d. of sewer tunnel driven with an EPB TBM, deep bored pile drop shafts, deep segmental shafts, shaft internal works, sheet piled cofferdams, open cut pipework, chambers, connections to exiting trunk sewers, M&E and external surface works.
Thames Tideway Central
Client: J. Murphy & Sons
Ultimate Client: Thames Tideway
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Estimating and technical consultancy for the ECI exercise. The works include backhoe shield driven tunnels, large diameter deep shafts, diaphragm walling, secant, bored & sheet piling, ground treatment, SCL, segmental shafts and complex shaft internal works.
Thames Tideway Central
Client: OTB Engineering
Ultimate Client: Thames Tideway
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Technical and estimating lead for J. Murphy & Sons. Management of all aspects of the bid for works including diaphragm walling, secant piling, ground treatment, SCL, segmental shafts & tunnels, square works junctions and complex shaft internal works..
Vinh Son Song Hinh Hydropower Tunnel
Client: OTB Engineering
Ultimate Client: HydroChina & China Railway 18th Bureau Group.
Planning & Technical Consultancy
Tunnelling advisor to the expert witness appointed on behalf of solicitors to review the technical aspects relating to a 16.5km rock tunnel in Vietnam driven by Robbins gripper TBM and drill & blast.
High Speed 2 Washwood Heath, Birmingham
Client: OTB Engineering
Ultimate Client: AXA Equity & Law
Planning & Technical Consultancy
Expert witness appointed on behalf of solicitors to review HS2 plans and underlying construction engineering assumptions for a proposed depot, regional logistics hub and adjacent 2.8km x 8.2m i.d. twin running tunnels.
Farnworth Tunnel Project
Client: J. Murphy & Sons
Ultimate Client: Network Rail
Estimating, Planning & Technical Consultancy
Instigating, planning and enabling a significant change in the construction methodology to reduce risk, duration and cost. Design management, key procurement, construction methodology, planning and estimating activities. Acting as the Contractors Responsible Engineer with overall responsibility for design integration and engineering management.
Northern Line Extension To Battersea
Client: OTB Engineering
Ultimate Client: Transport For London
Technical Consultancy
Project management and construction engineering support for detailed design of SCL overrun tunnels, launch tunnels, running tunnels, cross passages including SGI opening sets, and the temporary and permanent works (SCL, timber headings and SGI) for the step plate junctions at Kennington.
Camden Town Station Upgrade
Client: OTB Engineering
Ultimate Client: Transport For London
Estimating & Technical Consultancy
Technical and estimating lead for J. Murphy & Sons. Management of the estimating and engineering functions of the bid for works including diaphragm walling, secant piling, compensation grouting, SCL, square works, underbridge, overbridge and platform junctions.