Breakthrough for HS2 as first Birmingham tunnel section dug

Large tunnel boring machine Mary Ann smashed via at Washwood Heath as we speak, marking the tip of a 652-day drive beneath the M6, River Tame, and demanding Nationwide Grid infrastructure – all accomplished with out disruption.

The 125m-long TBM was launched in July 2023 by Balfour Beatty Vinci.

Its crew of 450 specialist tunnellers labored across the clock to steer the 1,600-tonne machine via complicated floor circumstances at depths of as much as 40m.

At peak, Mary Ann superior 30m per day, putting in practically 3,000 concrete rings made up of segments forged at BBV’s Avonmouth manufacturing facility.

BBV tunnelling director Jules Arlaud mentioned: “It’s been a difficult drive beneath crucial reside infrastructure. I’m extremely pleased with our complete crew, whose dedication made this attainable.”

Round a million tonnes of spoil has been reused on HS2’s Delta Junction viaduct complicated, serving to minimize lorry actions through devoted haul roads.

HS2 CEO Mark Wild stands in entrance of the TBM Mary Ann at breakthrough in Birmingham

HS2 chief govt Mark Wild mentioned: “At this time’s breakthrough is a major milestone for the undertaking. Washwood Heath is ready to turn out to be some of the vital websites on all the HS2 community.”

The positioning will home HS2’s practice depot and Community Built-in Management Centre. It’s additionally on the coronary heart of a wider £10bn wave of regeneration and funding throughout the West Midlands.

Greater than 10,000 individuals within the area are actually engaged on HS2, together with 710 apprentices and 1,870 beforehand unemployed recruits. Over 400 native companies are supplying the undertaking.

Second TBM Elizabeth is now advancing via the parallel bore, as a result of full later this 12 months.

Tunnelling crew at work

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Steve Rocke on his closing tunnelling mission earlier than retirement

Tunnelling apprentice Jevon Lynch from Birmingham

Gavin ‘Huge Gav’ Davis on the wheel of the electrical supply car contained in the tunnel

Gary Jones, Ringbuilder

Household tunnellers: Father and son Greg and Dylan Kehoe

Josh Knight pictured contained in the decompression chamber

Jules Arlaud, BBV’s Tunnelling Director

Pilot Harsh, skilfully navigates the tunnel boring machine underneath the River Tame

Glenn Race, PLC Technician, works alongside the pilot to maintain the TBM operating