Balfour Beatty has laid the first section of track for Network Rail's Crossrail infrastructure project.

The firm has removed 20,000 tonnes of earth, imported 10,000 tonnes of ballast and drove in over 1000 piles as part of its £132 million Crossrail South East Section contract.

Jeremy Lunn, Balfour Beatty Project Director, said: "I am incredibly proud of the Balfour Beatty team in laying the first ever Crossrail tracks.

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"This is a culmination of a lot of hard work and determination by our Civils and Rail Systems teams who have overcome a number of complex technical challenges and delivered an impressive operation next to a live line."

Matthew Steele, Crossrail Programme Director at Network Rail, said: "Completing this section of track on time is important because it means that Crossrail can get on with the job of fitting out the new tunnels."

The 62 mile project will open in 2018.

(LM)