NEWS |
HS2 Euston Tunnel TBMs in preparation for launch
CREG TBMs for water
transfer project CHINA - Three hard rock TBMs have been designed and manufactured for the Yangtze-to-Hanjiang River Water Diversion Project by China Railway Engineering Equipment Group (CREG). The three machines are two single
shields and a double shield. The former are: 12.23m-diameter TBM ‘CREC 1463’, which is the first hard rock machine for the project; and, TBM ‘CREC 1466’, of the same diameter. The 11.93m-diameter double shield TBM,
‘CREC 1468’, was the second machine to roll off the production line for the project. A further three TBMs are to be supplied
by the company for the water transfer project, which has includes 123km of tunnelling. It is planned to use 10 hard rock TBMs on the project, which has alignment characteristics of high overburden, long tunnels and large diameter excavations. Geological challenges are expected to
Above: Assembly underway for the HS2 Euston Tunnel TBMs PHOTO CREDIT: HS2
UK - Assembly has been underway in a sprayed concrete excavations for the large diameter TBMs that are to bore the 7.5km-long Euston Tunnel for the HS2 rail project in London. The Herrenknecht TBMs will
launch from an underground box at one end of the project’s Old Oak Common station. They are expected to take around one-and-a-half years to pass through central London and reach the HS2 southern terminus, at London Euston station The 190m-long TBMs each weigh
1,250 tonnes. In mid-2024 they were lifted and placed in the underground station box using a 750-tonne crane. They are now being reassembled at the eastern end of the station in preparation of launch to bore toward Euston station. The 8.53m-diameter cutterheads
have been optimised for London Clay. The TBMs are expected to make average daily advance of 16m when constructing the 7.55m i.d. segmental lining for the tunnels. The approach to Euston will be
completed by sprayed concrete lined tunnels which will then transition into three tunnels for trains to travel to and from platforms. One of the machine’s is named
8 | March 2025
‘Karen’ after Karen Harrison (1960- 2011), the first female train driver in the UK, who was based out of Old Oak Common depot. The other is named ‘Madeleine’, after Madeleine Nobbs (1914-1970), a former president of the Women’s Engineering Society. HS2’s London tunnels contractor
is Skanska Costain Strabag (SCS) joint venture. Costain recently won a major
contract to deliver the design, supply, manufacture, installation, testing and commissioning of HS2’s tunnel and lineside M&E systems during construction. The seven- year contract is worth a minimum of £400m to Costain and is getting underway. There is option for additional contract extensions. The M&E systems installation
will include services in the tunnels, together with cross passages, low voltage power services and distribution on the open part of the route. Costain will also design, supply, install, test and commission the tunnel ventilation systems. Costain has delivered M&E
systems in road, rail and water projects, including Crossrail and London Power Tunnels.
include rockburst, mud and water intrusion, large faults, soft rock deformation, high temperatures and potentially harmful gases. The Yangtze-to-Hanjiang River Water
Diversion Project is a follow-up water source project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Route Project, which diverts water from the Three Gorges Reservoir to the Danjiangkou Reservoir.
Power grid tunnel TBM set for North Wales UK - With tunnel boring machine (TBM) components arriving on site in North Wales over recent month the preparations are underway for boring of the power grid tunnel for the Eryri Visual Impact Provision (VIP) scheme Around 27 deliveries from Germany to
the jobsite started in late November. The Herrenknecht TBM when assembled will be 166m-long TBM and weigh 436 tonnes. Tunnelling is to start soon and is due for completion in mid-2026. Contractor is Hochtief UK. The new National Grid tunnel will carry 400kV electricity cables to replace the existing 3km of overhead lines, which across the Dwyryd Estuary from Minffordd to Llandecwyn. The visual improvement scheme is to relocate the element of the power grid to be underground. The tunnel works are to include
constructing two new head houses, which will provide access to the tunnel, along with a sealing end compound to connect the underground cables.
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 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53
