Tunnel Boring Machines Prepared for HS2 to Euston

Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs), named Karen and Madeleine, are being assembled at Old Oak Common to excavate the final 4.5 miles of the HS2 line to London Euston. Each TBM weighs 1,250 tonnes and is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete the tunneling, starting in 2025. The machines have been named in honor of prominent women: Karen Harrison, the UK's first female train driver, and Madeleine Nobbs, a former president of the Women’s Engineering Society. The project aims to enhance transport capacity and stimulate regeneration in the Euston area, creating new homes and jobs. Mark Wild, the new CEO of HS2, will oversee the transition from construction to operations, emphasizing cost control. This development follows a period of uncertainty and halted construction due to funding issues.