PETER BERMINGHAM | OBITUARY


PETER BERMINGHAM


Peter Bermingham, a true great of the tunnelling world, died earlier this year, which brought many to reflect on his life, leadership and major contributions to many successful projects.


Peter Bermingham was, in many ways, a giant of the tunnelling world. Best known as a Tunnel Superintendent, he worked in the industry for 50 years, up to his retirement in 2014. Peter had a passionate love of tunnelling and its people, and he could talk easily to executives and dignitaries as well as those constructing the works. He always seemed to get the best out of those that


worked for him and with him. He had an outstanding knowledge of all things tunnelling in all formats, be it hand, TBM, or NATM. Tunnelling was both his career and his hobby. He had


a particular ability to bring the right people together and could be very diplomatic, but he didn’t suffer fools lightly. Early in his career, Peter worked on UK projects


including the Victoria Line and Tyne & Wear Metro. In 1968, working for Charles Brand on a 10ft-diameter multi-service tunnel under Lowestoft Harbour, in 2 bar of compressed air, in ground that had been frozen, Peter was in the tunnel when he noticed the air begin to mist: a tell-tale sign of falling air pressure. The gang furiously tried to plug a hole in the top left of the face. The shield driver’s quick thinking got the shield sufficiently advanced to plug the hole, preventing a flood. Peter was very relieved and his career did not end during that scary incident. In the 70’s and 80’s he worked overseas, including


Hong Kong, Singapore, Denmark and Australia. Alan Myers was a good friend and as young men they worked together, in 1972, at Green Park where Peter was a very young General Foreman. In HK, they both worked on a Kier Lilly JV. Peter loved socialising and arranging events, bringing


people together, including visits to bars, organising tug-of-war competitions across a swimming pool, with sometimes miners against the army, and there were BBQs on his apartment balcony, and dressing up as Father Christmas for the children. His larger-than-life personality drew people to him and got tunnels built as well. In the late 80’s he started on the Channel Tunnel,


perhaps where his reputation was truly forged. Peter was initially on the Land Tunnels, Tom Gorman the two running tunnels and Frank Cardiff the remaining works. All giants in the tunnelling world. Peter went on to manage all underground works. In 1992, he was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to British Tunnelling. His son Dan recalls that his dad was immensely proud of this award.


He always looked out for his men, if they worked


hard for him, he worked hard for them. He’d ensure the working conditions were the best they could be, and that they’d all be well paid for a good day’s work. He was passionate about getting “that next ring built,” frequently marching onto the TBM and urging everyone on. Many spoke of his sense of humour - including a


party trick of popping his glass eye into drinks of the unsuspecting. More formally, taking dignitaries to a pit bottom they all spotted, written in dust on segments, “Birmingham is a one-eyed so-and-so”. Peter strode over and angrily corrected: “It’s Bermingham.” He worked on the Jubilee line Extension (JLE)


Contracts 107 and 110, the Channel Tunnel Rail Link followed by Crossrail. Contracts included Elstree to St Johns Wood, and CTRL 320 (Swanscombe), together with Lower Lea Valley Cable Tunnels (Olympic). A claim to fame was tunnelling under the Thames ten times. In the BTS 50th Anniversary book, he said: “I look back


with great pride and few regrets. The hours were long, the money was good, the craic was mighty, and few things match the exhilaration of getting the maximum ring bonus!” He looked for innovations in tunnelling and ways to


improve things. His ability to inspire and connect with people and get things done were invaluable in making change happen. He took great pleasure in the career progress of younger engineers. A great supporter of the BTS, Peter always looked


forward to the Annual Dinner accompanied by his wife, Margaret, and their great friends, George and Sue Taylor. He met Margaret when they were both in their teens


and they were together almost 70 years, having three children - Karen, Dan and Robert. Both lads followed their dad into the industry, as also did their nephew Martin Morris. Peter’s health deteriorated in the last few years; he died aged 81, having left an indelible mark upon the tunnelling world.


Above: Peter Bermingham October 2025 | 9


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