HS2 Chiltern tunnel TMBs reach four-mile point
The Tunnel Boring Machines excavating HS2’s Chiltern tunnels have completed the first four miles of their drive.
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The Tunnel Boring Machines excavating HS2’s Chiltern tunnels have completed the first four miles of their drive.
HS2 has completed the first of thirty-eight underground connections between the northbound and southbound tunnels under the Chilterns.
HS2 have reached a major milestone as they begin work on the UK’s longest railway viaduct on the outskirts of London.
HS2 have revealed designs for the north portal, which cuts noise from trains entering and exiting the Chiltern Tunnel at speeds of up to 320km/h.
Two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) excavating HS2’s longest tunnels have completed the first stage of their drive up to the first ventilation shaft at Chalfont St Peter.
HS2 has begun production on 1,000 concrete segments that will form the deck of the Colne Valley Viaduct, the UK’s longest railway bridge.
The 2,000 tonne Tunnel Boring Machine, Florence, has surpassed the one-mile mark during construction of the first tunnels for Britain’s new high-speed rail link between London, Birmingham and the north.
HS2 has unveiled the first plans for the final ‘barn design’ headhouses, as construction has begun to provide emergency access to the 10-mile-long Chiltern tunnel.
HS2's second tunnel boring machine, 'Cecilia', will operate alongside an identical machine, named ‘Florence’, to excavate separate northbound and southbound tunnels.
In a landmark moment for the project, HS2 Ltd will launch the first tunnel boring machine from HS2’s South Portal site on 13 May 2021.
HS2's Colne Valley Viaduct will span the length of 3.4 km and be supported by 56 piers, and work has now begun to sink the required 292 piles.
The two 170m-long TBMs – the largest ever used on a UK rail project - will start to be assembled on site ready to begin digging the 10-mile-long Chiltern tunnels.
HS2's innovative onboard robot will boost safety and efficiency by removing the need for personnel to work in a potentially hazardous area.
Prior to the arrival of the two tunnel boring machines, HS2 has completed the high headwall and ground reinforcement at the Chiltern tunnel site.
Preparation of the launch site is the first step in HS2's efforts to deliver the Chiltern tunnels and Colne Valley Viaduct project.