The contract for the first two giant tunnelling machines for London’s HS2 tunnels has been signed with Skanska–Costain STRABAG JV
These first two London tunnel boring machines (TBMs) will be launched from a portal at West Ruislip and will travel 5 miles east, creating the western section of the Northolt Tunnel.
Once they arrive at Green Park Way in Greenford the machines will be extracted from the ground and the site will then be used as a vent shaft.
The 8.4-mile tunnel will be completed with a 3.4-mile tunnel drive from Old Oak Common using two further TBMs which are yet to be procured. A second tunnel between Euston and Old Oak Common will complete the remaining 4.5 miles of London tunnel between the two HS2 stations.
Once the first new TBMs have been built, they will be transported by sea before being delivered to site at the end of 2021.
The London tunnels for HS2 are twin bored, and will be 13 miles each way, and with a combined total of 26 miles, our London tunnel’s will be the same length as Crossrail.
Giant machines facts:
- They will run for 22 months non-stopexcept for Christmas day and bank holidays
- Each machine will be 140 metres in length, one and a quarter times the length of a football pitch
- The cutter head will be 9.84m in diameter, slightly smaller than the machines boring through the Chilterns
- They each weigh approximately 2,050 tonnes, roughly the weight of 20 blue whales
- 2 million cubic metres of excavated material will be removed, weighing 2.46 million tonnes
A major milestone
Malcolm Codling, client director at HS2 Ltd, said: “HS2’s London tunnels will help ensure many homes and habitats in the capital remain undisturbed.
“This is a key part of our commitment to deliver Britain’s new high-speed railway in the most environmentally-friendly way and minimising disruption to our neighbours.
“Building HS2 will showcase Britain’s world-class capabilities in tunnelling. The procurement of these incredible machines is an exciting step towards the construction of the London tunnels, which will involve them working 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
James Richardson, managing director of Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV), said: “As the construction partner responsible for the majority of tunnels on the HS2 project, our contract for the first two TBMs is a major milestone for us.
“This partnership with Herrenknecht has brought together leading expertise in both our organisations and together we are constructing some of the most advanced TBMs in the world to efficiently drive the tunnels under London.
“Work is already well underway to prepare for the first tunnel launch in 2022.
“Throughout these and all our activities, we are committed to involving local communities and stakeholders and supporting social development and employment through the 4,500 jobs that will be created.”
David Salameh, head of project management traffic tunneling at Herrenknecht, added: “We feel honored to be part of the epoch-making HS2 project and especially to work with the SCS Joint Venture.
“Our two Herrenknecht machines will be specially and innovatively designed for this project, excavating the Northolt Tunnels West.”
