A tunnel boring machine, the first of two, has begun its journey from Old Oak Common
The HS2 Euston tunnel will be the fifth tunnel built for the project, and will be 4.5 miles long.
This is the last tunnel needed to complete the 140-mile long route for the High-Speed railway.
The machine was turned on by the rail minister
Both Lord Peter Hendy, the rail minister, and chief secretary to the PM Darren Jones, activated the tunnel boring machine to begin its journey from Old Oak Common station.
The machine, weighing 1,624 tonnes, will complete half of the journey to the centre of the capital. The machine, by Herrenknecht AG, has been in the UK since 2024, and has spent the last year being prepared by Skanska Costain STRABAG engineers to prepare for this dig.
The machine will excavate the ground ahead of it and install concrete ring segments behind it to create the tunnel walls, then grout them into place, moving at a pace of 16 metres per day.
Rail minister Lord Hendy said: “It was brilliant to switch on the tunnel boring machine at Old Oak Common today – not just because it’s an engineering marvel – but because it brings HS2’s journey to Euston another step closer to reality.
“We’re putting HS2 back on track, and taking the railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to deliver more jobs, more homes, and a long-term boost to the whole British economy.”
Work is tireless on HS2
Over the Christmas break, two key viaducts near Water Orton, Warwickshire, were slid into place. These viaducts form the Delta Junction, a large triangular intersection built specifically for HS2 near Birmingham.
When finished, the junction will comprise more than two miles of track to allow trains to travel up to 223mph. These two viaducts are at the northernmost end of the junction, allowing southbound trains to join the spur into Birmingham.
Sam Hinkley, HS2 Ltd’s senior project manager, said: “It’s great to see the Water Orton viaducts in place across the railway and I’d like to thank everyone who gave up their Christmas to help us reach this important milestone and I’d like to thank passengers for their patience.
“These precast segmental viaducts form a key part of the Delta junction – one of the most complex parts of the HS2 project and I look forward to seeing more progress in the year ahead.”
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