[VIDEO] HS2 Bromford tunnel reaches halfway point

The halfway point has been reached in HS2’s Bromford tunnel in Birmingham, set to be three and a half miles long

The Bromford tunnel, which goes between Water Orton and Washwood Heath in Birmingham, will be 3.5 miles long upon completion.

Jules Arlaud, tunnelling director for Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Reaching the halfway point on this complex stretch of the HS2 route into Birmingham is a great milestone for our 180-strong tunnelling team. We’re looking ahead now to delivering the final stages of tunnelling, and celebrating the breakthrough of both TBMs at Washwood Heath next year.”

The ‘Mary Ann’ is digging the tunnel

A tunnel boring machine (TBM), named the Mary Ann, is digging the Bromford tunnel. The machine weighs 1,600 tonnes, and is 125m long.

The machine has excavated 1.75 miles of the first bore, having started in an underground box in Water Orton last year.

40m below ground, the machine has dug below the Park Hall Nature Reserve and River Tame, and is currently passing below the Castle Vale.

From there it will travel below the M6 and through Washwood Heath.

The Bromford tunnel is due for completion in 2027

From here, a second TBM, names Elizabeth, started the Bromford tunnel’s second bore in March 2024, and will finish her journey towards the end of 2025. HS2 will travel through the tunnel before raising onto viaducts

The ventilation shaft for the tunnel is due to be finished in 2027, completing the structure.

Steve Powell, HS2’s head of delivery said: “We’re now at peak construction in the West Midlands, and it’s great to celebrate the halfway point for the ‘Mary Ann’ tunnel drive into Birmingham. By the end of next year, both of these tunnels will be built, marking a significant step in HS2’s construction in the region.

“Around 31,000 people are working on HS2, with around a third of these in the West Midlands including 615 apprentices and over 1,650 people who were previously unemployed, providing a unique opportunity for local people to learn new skills while delivering the UK’s largest construction programme.”

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