The first tunnel boring machine (TBM) has begun work in London for the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project.
The TBM named Sushila, after a local science teacher Sushila Hirani, will bore an 8km tunnel from West Ruislip to Greenpark Way over the next 22 months.
Later this year a second TBM will be launched from the same site and bore the second of HS2 London tunnels. The TBM, named Cecilia after 18th century astronomer Caroline Herschel, will go from West Ruislip towards central London.
Both TBM’s weigh 2,000 tonnes, are 140 metres long and have cutter heads with a 9.84 metre diameter. A total of six TBMs will be used across London for the HS2 project and in total will dig more that 41km of twin bored tunnels under London.
Sushila is the 4th of ten total TBM’s that will be launched across the entire HS2 project. Between London and the West Midlands, the 10 TBMs will create a total of over 100km of tunnel.
Speaking about the launch of the TBM, last week, HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Thurston said: “The launch of the tunnel boring machines on the longest section of tunnels through London is a significant moment for HS2. The construction of 170 miles (274km) of new high speed railway between London and Crewe is now in full swing, supporting 27,000 jobs, nearly 1,000 apprenticeships and contracts for over 2,500 businesses.”
