The British Library has 5 basement levels, the lowest of which is 25 metres underground. The construction of these subterranean levels was from the top down, with lower levels being excavated from beneath the floor slab of the one above. 119 steel columns with brackets to support each basement floor slab were installed. The columns were 21 metres long and each weighed 15 tonnes, the largest Universal Columns produced by British Steel. Shafts 2 metres wide and 20 metres deep were sunk to accommodate these columns and backfilled with gravel. This images shows those shafts being drilled and at the far left one of the columns being lowered into position.
This image was catalogued as part of the Breaking New Ground Project in partnership with the John Laing Charitable Trust in 2019-20.
This is part of the Series: JLP01/09 John Laing Photographic Collection Black and White Negatives 1974-1994; within the Collection: JLP01 John Laing Photographic Collection
© Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection
Late 20th Century Public Library, Late 20th Century Reference Library, Construction
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