HS2 TBM Progress

[GRALISTAIR]

My guess is late spring early summer.

As others said, TBM crews will most likely move from other TBMs to the Euston ones.

One Northolt TBM has already finished so some crew is already released, or should be soon if they still have some tasks to perform, the next TBM should finish in 3 months or so so we'll get another crew available.

We don't have to worry about dismantling TBMs as it will be done by different teams, it shouldn't hold crew availability for the Euston TBMs. I think the main holding issue is preparation of the TBMs themselves and all the support infrastructure like conveyor belts etc.

All good news then I suppose!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

With the HS2 works "not synchronised" it will be instructive how the project reset goes.
While the tunnelling is "late" on the original schedule, it may turn out (bar Euston) to be ahead of the wider project.
The railway installation, only recently contracted, has not yet begun to impact the schedules.
Crossrail's problems were largely with fitting out the deep station boxes, OOC being the obvious HS2 parallel.

 

[stuu]

Crossrail's problems were largely with fitting out the deep station boxes, OOC being the obvious HS2 parallel.

There's no real comparison, OOC is effectively a greenfield site from the point of view of building the station

 

[absolutelymilk]

Might Birmingham Curzon Street also cause issues or is it that much simpler than OOC that it should be straightforward despite starting construction later than OOC?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Might Birmingham Curzon Street also cause issues or is it that much simpler than OOC that it should be straightforward despite starting construction later than OOC?

Can't see any foreseeable issues, it's a wide open site with relatively easy access. It's also all above ground (much of it elevated).

Metro works are advancing well, unsure if they will look to complete the section that goes under the elevated platforms prior to the station going vertical in the area or wait. So shouldn't cause any issues.

Viaducts were started at the station end and worked outwards so again no conflict in space.

 

[absolutelymilk]

So what is likely to be the key bottleneck to phase 1 opening in 2029?

 

[stuu]

So what is likely to be the key bottleneck to phase 1 opening in 2029?

The Treasury. The whole route is being built slower than originally planned, to keep down expenditure per year. That's why the track contract was signed two years later than planned etc.

 

[absolutelymilk]

The Treasury. The whole route is being built slower than originally planned, to keep down expenditure per year. That's why the track contract was signed two years later than planned etc.

I presumed that now the railway installation contract has been signed, then the vast bulk of the money has already been spent, or at least committed to be spent in a certain time frame?

 

[zwk500]

I presumed that now the railway installation contract has been signed, then the vast bulk of the money has already been spent, or at least committed to be spent in a certain time frame?

Committed to be spent, far more likely.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There's a chance the railway contracts are better structured than the civils contracts now in progress - they will have had a lot more scrutiny.
But until the project does a full reset, which it seems will take all of 2025, actual spend will be limited by the short-term caps imposed.

 

[Bald Rick]

So what is likely to be the key bottleneck to phase 1 opening in 2029?

Cashflow

 

[Snow1964]

HS2 has issued a notice of building cross passage 7 near Hanger Lane (by Western Avenue and Manhatten Business Park). 3rd to 24th February

There is a plan of its location on attached pdf

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2409-ANL-Notice-of-cross-passage-7-construction-in-your-area-22-Jan-final-.pdf

 

[marko2]

HS2 has issued a notice of building cross passage 7 near Hanger Lane (by Western Avenue and Manhatten Business Park). 3rd to 24th February

There is a plan of its location on attached pdf

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2409-ANL-Notice-of-cross-passage-7-construction-in-your-area-22-Jan-final-.pdf

"Noisy works between 7am and 10pm Monday to Sunday", yet the work is under an industrial estate. Or are the houses off across the other side of a railway line and Western avenue the ones they're worried about?

 

[Geogregor]

So what is likely to be the key bottleneck to phase 1 opening in 2029?

Potentially a lot of places. Construction hasn't even started in some spots. For example Birmingham Interchange station. The main contractor there is yet to enter the site. Wendover green tunnel is just starting and there are I think still some unresolved issues there which need signing off.

Basically there are plenty of spots where things can go pear-shape.

There is zero chance for 2029 opening. If they even start testing this side of 2030 I'll be happy.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Hopefully Wendover green tunnel won't cause issues, but presumably they could start running services without Birmingham Interchange being complete as long as trains can go through it safely?

 

[mythnormadman]

So what is likely to be the key bottleneck to phase 1 opening in 2029?

You might find this graphic for Curzon street of interest, published in December 2024. Piling is planned to finish in spring 2025, based on that I have assumed that the "year boxes" represent the start of the year. As others have said money is the main inhibitor to project velocity.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Another rapid update for the Northolt East TBMs (4 days Jan 27-31):
Emily is at 3671m (+92m), Anne at 3517m (+139m).
These are very good rates, 23m and 35m per day respectively.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Wow -35 m per day is very good indeed. Excellent.

 

[zwk500]

Wow -35 m per day is very good indeed. Excellent.

I hope you mean '~' Minus 35m a day wouldn't be very good at all!

 

[Chris125]

Hopefully Wendover green tunnel won't cause issues, but presumably they could start running services without Birmingham Interchange being complete as long as trains can go through it safely?

Wendover Green Tunnel has already caused issues, EA concerns about the aquifer IIRC? I'm not sure it's fully signed off yet, hence the delay.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Wow -35 m per day is very good indeed. Excellent.

I wonder if that's an error in the previous figure or have they just started really cracking on?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I hope you mean '~' Minus 35m a day wouldn't be very good at all!

I will work on my punctuation good sir!

 

[zwk500]

I will work on my punctuation good sir!

Not at all, it gave me a bit of a laugh. 20 and 30m+ rates are very welcome in the current climate.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

More good progress from Northolt East (7 days 31 Jan-7 Feb):
Emily is at 3841m (+170m), Anne at 3693m (+176m).
This continues the fine progress of 25m/day for both TBMs.
Both TBMs are now past the 2/3 point of their drives.

The HS2 map graphic with TBM positions marked has been tidied up a bit.
TBMs drives that are completed are now shown in red, with live machines in blue.

Interactive route map

Use HS2’s interactive map to explore the entire route of Britain’s new high-speed railway. Find present and upcoming works, tunnels, station locations and community updates — all in one easy-to-navigate map.

www.hs2.org.uk

 

[GRALISTAIR]

More good progress from Northolt East (7 days 31 Jan-7 Feb):
Emily is at 3841m (+170m), Anne at 3693m (+176m).
This continues the fine progress of 25m/day for both TBMs.
Both TBMs are now past the 2/3 point of their drives.

The HS2 map graphic with TBM positions marked has been tidied up a bit.
TBMs drives that are completed are now shown in red, with live machines in blue.

Interactive route map

Use HS2’s interactive map to explore the entire route of Britain’s new high-speed railway. Find present and upcoming works, tunnels, station locations and community updates — all in one easy-to-navigate map.

www.hs2.org.uk

As you say, very nice steady and consistent progress which is very welcome indeed.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Bromford also updated for Feb 10 (14 days from Jan 27):
Elizabeth is at 2924m (+184m), so 13m/day.
No update for Mary Ann yet.

Edit: Feb 17:
The usual weekly update for Northolt East TBMs, for 7 days Feb 7-14:
Emily 3940m (+99m), Anne 3854m (+161m).
The two TBMs are now less than 100m apart, with about a mile to go to Greenford Way (3 months work?).

 

[absolutelymilk]

Bromford also updated for Feb 10 (14 days from Jan 27):
Elizabeth is at 2924m (+184m), so 13m/day.
No update for Mary Ann yet.

Edit: Feb 17:
The usual weekly update for Bromford East TBMs, for 7 days Feb 7-14:
Emily 3940m (+99m), Anne 3854m (+161m).
The two TBMs are now less than 100m apart, with about a mile to go to Greenford Way (3 months work?).

I think you meant Northolt east not Bromford East in your latest update?

 

[TBMEngineer]

I wonder if that's an error in the previous figure or have they just started really cracking on?

We were passing underneath a critical asset which was the Brent Valley Sewer, essentially needing to fly through the ground to ensure minimal settlement to the very old and very ruined BVS - for euston tunnels. current expected launch is end of 25 for one machine and early for the other. OFC things change, but those dates are fairly reliable.. any other questions shooot!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Feb 2025 ==

We were passing underneath a critical asset which was the Brent Valley Sewer, essentially needing to fly through the ground to ensure minimal settlement to the very old and very ruined BVS - for euston tunnels. current expected launch is end of 25 for one machine and early for the other. OFC things change, but those dates are fairly reliable.. any other questions shooot!

early 26** sorry

 

[GRALISTAIR]

We were passing underneath a critical asset which was the Brent Valley Sewer, essentially needing to fly through the ground to ensure minimal settlement to the very old and very ruined BVS - for euston tunnels. current expected launch is end of 25 for one machine and early for the other. OFC things change, but those dates are fairly reliable.. any other questions shooot!


early 26** sorry

Thanks for the inside information and welcome to the forum. Looking forward to your regular contributions.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I think you meant Northolt east not Bromford East in your latest update?

I did indeed! Brain-fade.
I checked Bromford as well and once again there is no update (nor for Caroline at Northolt West).


Edit Feb 25:
Bromford TBMs were updated today for Feb 24:
Mary Ann (4 weeks from Jan 27) is at 4888m (+308m), with only 712m to go.
Elizabeth (2 weeks from Feb 10) is at 3058m (+134m).