PLY2AYS
Member
I agree, however I’m just going by the timings and distances of the Northolt Tunnels.
Of course it’s a slower start before it speeds up, but I was merely comparing past tunnelling (perhaps naively I admit)
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HS2 TBM Progress
- Thread starter LNW-GW Joint
- Start date
Of course it’s a slower start before it speeds up, but I was merely comparing past tunnelling (perhaps naively I admit)
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R
RailUK Forums
If you look back at post #706 https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/hs2-tbm-progress.240683/post-7642534 I did a quick back of the envelope based on the HS2 expected progress map:
"I just did some further back of the envelope based on the map in the pdf based on expected dates for the 2 intermediate locations:
Based on the map initial pace for the TBMs is slowish at 95m/week or 13.6m/day for the 1st ~2km, then 220m/week (31.4m/day matching the highest pace for short period to the west of OOC) over this summer for 1.75km of straight tunnel - this is is dead straight and the tunnels are widely horizontally spaced, then 76m/week (10.5m/day) for the last 45% with lots of curves, tunnels moving to above and below each other for the last ~1km and plenty of complexity (and presumably a long break at Christmas and New Year).
The average pace hides lots of variation..."
Mark W has since said the tunnelling window is 15-18 months and June 2027 completion was based on suitably pessimistic assumptions for 17 months. So if all goes well it could be April 2027 or not so well July 2027. They are also planning a long Christmas/New Year break which will also allow the segment deliveries to catch up.
Pace in the first 2 weeks is about a quarter of the average pace they reckon till the first marker on the map.
PLY2AYS
Member
Legendary. Thanks for that! Makes me feel a touch more optimistic!
Legendary. Thanks for that! Makes me feel a touch more optimistic!
To be honest no need to worry about the speed of tunneling. The tunnels will stay empty for years anyway. So whether they finish in July of 2027 or some time later it doesn't really matter.
What matter is that the tunnels are being build.
WWTownEnth
Member
- Joined
- 21 Mar 2014
- Messages
- 697
I heard a rumour that the second TBM will launch w/c 2 March. Anyone know more?
1. Investor confidence in the Euston station (including NR rebuild)To be honest no need to worry about the speed of tunneling. The tunnels will stay empty for years anyway. So whether they finish in July of 2027 or some time later it doesn't really matter.
What matter is that the tunnels are being build.
2. A potential spoil removal route via conveyors for digging out the Euston station HS2 site, it will need digging out to 20m+ below existing track level (which makes spoil removal by rail tricky in the later stages)
Snow1964
Established Member
Might be, they did indicate second TBM would start about month later.
They are normally staggered as TBMs create a certain amount of ground vibrations, so to avoid loose lumps of dirt falling by other cutterhead, they are not run side by side
The distance for Madeleline is shown in Metres and the finished tunnels is shown in Kilometres, it is easy to confuse M for Miles when it is actually Metres. Another update from 20 Feb is 63 Meters is now dug
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themiller
Established Member
That just shows why I must pay attention! I’m going to claim that I was over-tired.
alf
On Moderation
A relative has windows looking out onto the WCML opposite the old Primrose Hill station.
He tells me at around Noon today a class 66 came noisily past on the down fast.
It hauled 12 dark blue wagons loaded up with chunks of London Clay. A dead clas 66 was at the back end.
The first fruits of the boring machine from OOCommon & not at night as was predicted.
He tells me at around Noon today a class 66 came noisily past on the down fast.
It hauled 12 dark blue wagons loaded up with chunks of London Clay. A dead clas 66 was at the back end.
The first fruits of the boring machine from OOCommon & not at night as was predicted.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
What was the destination?
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Would it have been this one? (Just a guess from RTT).
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
6B65 Euston to Forders Sidings
Although I can't decode MBR at Euston from the sectional appendix.
And why would a loaded spoil train, which presumably starts from Willesden Euroterminal, need to visit Euston station?
Realtime Trains | 6B65 1121 London Euston to Forders Sidings Gbrf | 03/03/2026
Real-time train running information for 6B65 1121 departure from London Euston to Forders Sidings Gbrf on 03/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Although I can't decode MBR at Euston from the sectional appendix.
And why would a loaded spoil train, which presumably starts from Willesden Euroterminal, need to visit Euston station?
Elecman
Established Member
Would it have been the HS2 siding between the old platform 17/18?
Would it have been this one? (Just a guess from RTT).
6B65 Euston to Forders SidingsRealtime Trains | 6B65 1121 London Euston to Forders Sidings Gbrf | 03/03/2026
Real-time train running information for 6B65 1121 departure from London Euston to Forders Sidings Gbrf on 03/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Although I can't decode MBR at Euston from the sectional appendix.
And why would a loaded spoil train, which presumably starts from Willesden Euroterminal, need to visit Euston station?
It is the former P17.
Empty from Willesden to Euston then loaded with spoil as there is lots of digging to do in and arround Euston
E6007
Member
MBR is Material by Rail, a hang over from earlier in the project when we at TfL were putting pressure on HS2 to move material by rail (in and out) instead of putting it all of Euston's on the local roads
Snow1964
Established Member
Yes recently restarted, near the Granby Terrace overbridge area.But is any digging ongoing at Euston? I thought they are still thinking what to build
Anyway, nothing to do with the TBMs...
This area is all being dug out as a big trench ahead of TBMs arriving.
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LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Looking on RTT at the departures from Willesden Euroterminal yesterday, there were two of HS2 interest.
6R93 (cancelled) was booked to run to New Bilton, Rugby, which is one of the sites where HS2 spoil is tipped. This runs direct down the WCML (via Northampton).
There is also a 4E52 (also cancelled yesterday) to Hartlepool, presumably being the return empties of the HS2 Euston Tunnel segments flow.
This works via Gospel Oak and Harringay and down the ECML (via Spalding).
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
6R93 (cancelled) was booked to run to New Bilton, Rugby, which is one of the sites where HS2 spoil is tipped. This runs direct down the WCML (via Northampton).
There is also a 4E52 (also cancelled yesterday) to Hartlepool, presumably being the return empties of the HS2 Euston Tunnel segments flow.
This works via Gospel Oak and Harringay and down the ECML (via Spalding).
Realtime Trains | Departures from Willesden Euroterminal all day on 03/03/2026
Train information at Willesden Euroterminal all day on 03/03/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Snow1964
Established Member
The in your area map, had update for TBM Madeline on 6th March
7059metres remaining
www.hs2.org.uk
7059metres remaining
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
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
It's still only about 3m/day.
I wonder why they don't post distance from the start of the drive (141m), as they did for previous TBMs.
I wonder why they don't post distance from the start of the drive (141m), as they did for previous TBMs.
Snow1964
Established Member
And the first part of the drive is a relatively shallow depth below the surface, the tunnels initially slope down from the sub surface station.
The second Euston TBM has started digging:
mediacentre.hs2.org.uk
Article in New Civil Engineer:
www.newcivilengineer.com
And blog post from site visit:
Including ride through the logistics tunnel:
HS2 launches final giant tunnelling machine towards Euston station
Two female train drivers marked the launch of TBM Karen - named after a UK rail industry pioneer The 1,624-tonne machine will travel 4.5 miles to build the second bore of the Euston tunnel Bringing HS2 into Euston is critical for the regeneration of the area, with the potential to contribute £41...
Article in New Civil Engineer:
‘It’s a magic job for us’: HS2’s final TBM launches to bore Euston tunnel to central London | New Civil Engineer
The 198m long TBM, named Karen after Karen Harrison – one of the UK’s first female train drivers who worked from Old Oak Common depot – began its
www.newcivilengineer.com
And blog post from site visit:
Inside the giant machine digging HS2’s railway tunnels to Euston station
Nearly 200 metres long and weighing over a thousand tonnes, HS2’s final tunnel boring machine is an underground factory digging a railway to Euston.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
Including ride through the logistics tunnel:
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WWTownEnth
Member
- Joined
- 21 Mar 2014
- Messages
- 697
Good news…….The second Euston TBM has started digging:
HS2 launches final giant tunnelling machine towards Euston station
Two female train drivers marked the launch of TBM Karen - named after a UK rail industry pioneer The 1,624-tonne machine will travel 4.5 miles to build the second bore of the Euston tunnel Bringing HS2 into Euston is critical for the regeneration of the area, with the potential to contribute £41...
Article in New Civil Engineer:
‘It’s a magic job for us’: HS2’s final TBM launches to bore Euston tunnel to central London | New Civil Engineer
The 198m long TBM, named Karen after Karen Harrison – one of the UK’s first female train drivers who worked from Old Oak Common depot – began its
And blog post from site visit:
Inside the giant machine digging HS2’s railway tunnels to Euston station
Nearly 200 metres long and weighing over a thousand tonnes, HS2’s final tunnel boring machine is an underground factory digging a railway to Euston.www.ianvisits.co.uk
Including ride through the logistics tunnel:
Snow1964
Established Member
The In your area map has been updated
Madeline 20 Mar 7059m remaining (unchanged since 10 Mar update)
Karen 20 Mar 7180m remaining (first update since starting)
www.hs2.org.uk
Madeline 20 Mar 7059m remaining (unchanged since 10 Mar update)
Karen 20 Mar 7180m remaining (first update since starting)
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
Snow1964
Established Member
In your area map has been updated 27 March
Madeline 7050m remaining. (just 9m in a week)
Karen 7163m remaining (17m in a week)
seems to be very slow progress, just few rings
www.hs2.org.uk
Madeline 7050m remaining. (just 9m in a week)
Karen 7163m remaining (17m in a week)
seems to be very slow progress, just few rings
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
In your area map has been updated 27 March
Madeline 7050m remaining. (just 9m in a week)
Karen 7163m remaining (17m in a week)
seems to be very slow progress, just few rings
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.
At that rate, it'll take Madeline over 15 years to complete her tunnel - they might even have finished Euston by then!
In your area map has been updated 27 March
Madeline 7050m remaining. (just 9m in a week)
Karen 7163m remaining (17m in a week)
seems to be very slow progress, just few rings
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.
All the public activities (visits by dignitaries and media crews) due to start of the second TBM must have disrupted progress somehow. Also, they are still just starting, so threading carefully.