BTS & BTSYM | CHAIRS’ CORNER


a winner. Gathering your thoughts, committing to paper, crystalising your learning, are invaluable tools. It was wonderful to see almost 200 people at the


BTS’s January’s evening meeting. I am very thankful to our speakers, Xavier Torello Ciriano, Michael Greiner and Dominik Hoerrle, who spoke about the six-year journey they underwent, to design prop-less tunnel opening on the HS2 Northolt Tunnels contract. Many thanks also to Costain, Strabag and Skanska for sponsoring both the bar and the sausage and chips. Which reminds me, when John Scholey put himself up in 1994 to join the Committee one of his pledges was to reinstate sausage and chips after the meetings - a tradition that continues to this day. November’s talk was on carbon management for the


Copenhagen Metro, a project that is ground-breaking in its desire to achieve net zero. I was very impressed with the carbon management tools that they have developed, explaining that it is not just about reducing carbon and steel, you need to assess the whole-life of the infrastructure you are building. December’s talk saw Colin Eddie and Henry Pairaudeau


requirement for then you have responsibility, you care,


and your driving goal is to succeed. This then colours all your actions, what you say, your interactions with others, and what you think. This year’s bi-annual Harding Lecture, in November, will


be along the lines of a similar theme: how to construct major infrastructure successfully, and give confidence to government decision-makers, that tunnels, and equally important, the subsequent fit-outs, can be constructed efficiently, with known programme and financial outcomes. I am delighted to say that this year the BTS has received


eleven entries to this year’s Harding Prize Competition, and the three shortlisted will present at the BTS’s 19th March evening meeting. For me, anyone who enters a paper is


speak about constructing tunnels using a worldwide- patented extruded concrete tunnel lining. No precast segments, just insitu concrete pumped around the tailskin area of the TBM. I look forward to February’s talk by Hyuk-Il Jung, from


Arup, to focus on a segmentally-lined tunnel in South Korea, which, in 2020, suffered a catastrophic collapse during cross-passage construction in soft ground. This will be a combined meeting with The Institution of Materials, Minerals and Mining (Min South). November’s annual BTS Health and Safety course was


extremely successful, with some very positive feedback from the 60-plus attendees. We have recently introduced an evening social. For the 2026 course we plan to add a session on TBMs and to include more interactive sessions. Many thanks to all the excellent presenters, and to those who assist in organisation, including Rod Young, Roger Bridge, Donald Lamont and Alex Vaughan. This year’s BTS annual Design & Construction course,


from 6th to 10th July, is being held at Warwick University. The course is an entertaining mix of industry-leading figures presenting on their specialised subject, together with evening sports and social activities. The BTS website is now open to take bookings. This year’s dinner will be on Friday 8th May at the


Brewery. I am very much looking forward to our speaker, Sir Tony Robinson. The website i open for bookings. I would like to thank all members of the Committee for


the great work they continue to do, all entirely voluntary. Well done to the new Chair of the BTSYM, Asil Zaidi, who has taken on this role with great energy and enthusiasm. Also a special mention to the Technical Subcommittee and their Chair, Bethan Haig. The “Sprayed concrete lining design guide” has been published. I encourage any of you who are not BTS members, to


join. I can say, from personal experience, it opens many new doors and is very rewarding. Opportunities also come to join the Committee. Wishing you all a very happy, safe and successful 2026.


28 | February 2026


Top:


The irrepressible John Scholey


Centre:


Spreading the word on ‘BTS at 50’ book, presenting to Dr Prakash at the University of Exeter (Mike McConnell on the left)


Bottom: BTS H&S course, Nov 2025, at Arup’s offices in Fitzroy St, London


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45