HS2 TBM Progress

[MartinaLooksAt]

Welcome to the forum. Your first post I see.

Hello. I have looked on here before for research but not posted.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Uhh I didn't mean to imply that the 2nd Bromford TBM had launched, only that Mary Ann was underway and that the 2nd TBM had arrived. Unless you're going by the footage itself in which case you know more than me.

Yoo it's the man himself! We're big fans over here. Your videos are routinely posted.

 

[route101]

Do people who live above the TBM feel anything?

 

[chris2]

@MartinaLooksAt Really helpful videos on the Birmingham end of HS2 - thanks for all your good work putting these together.

 

[jfowkes]

Do people who live above the TBM feel anything?

I imagine it depends a lot on TBM depth and the type of soil/rock between the cutting head and the surface. Both of those will affect how much vibration reaches the surface.

And some people are probably more sensitive than others too.

 

[Fazaar1889]

2nd TBM for Bromford Tunnel to begin tunneling in the new year, name is yet to be announced

A team of 90 specialist engineers have completed the assembly of HS2’s giant tunnel boring machine (TBM) which will start digging the second bore of the 3.5 mile Bromford Tunnel into Birmingham in the new year. In one of the most impressive assembly operations to move sections of the machine into a 12 metre deep launch pit, two 600 tonne cranes lifted the huge new cutterhead into place at the front of the 125 metre long machine in the pit bottom. The first TBM, named ‘Mary Ann’ after Mary Ann Evans – the real name of Victorian writer George Eliot who was born in Nuneaton – started digging the first bore from the east portal site near Water Orton in August this year. It has already built more than 500 tunnel rings, which is 0.6 miles of the 3.5 mile long tunnel between North Warwickshire and Washwood Heath in Birmingham. The name of the second TBM will be revealed before it launches in Spring next year. ‘Mary Ann’ is set to break through at the end of 2024, with the second TBM planned to complete its journey in the middle of 2025.

 

[vic-rijrode]

2nd TBM for Bromford Tunnel to begin tunneling in the new year, name is yet to be announced

I suggest that (not that I watched much of it) after his performance on I'm a Celebrity, the name for that borer should be Nigel.

 

[snowball]

Surely this is the same TBM that has already completed both bores at Long Itchington Wood under the name Dorothy?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It is.
But I believe it has been largely modified for Bromford which might justify a new name.
The TBM startup dates have evidently shifted back.

 

[Yindee8191]

It is.
But I believe it has been largely modified for Bromford which might justify a new name.
The TBM startup dates have evidently shifted back.

Is Bromford one of the tunnels with a slightly smaller diameter due to lower speeds? If so I guess there’s a new shield and cutter head.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Is Bromford one of the tunnels with a slightly smaller diameter due to lower speeds? If so I guess there’s a new shield and cutter head.

Yes there is that.
I think Chiltern and Long Itchington have the largest diameter, with the others being somewhat smaller..
The geology will be different too.

 

[Fazaar1889]

I think Chiltern and Long Itchington have the largest diameter, with the others being somewhat smaller..

Is there a reason for this or is it just due to the geology of the land?

 

[stuu]

Is there a reason for this or is it just due to the geology of the land?

Speed - you need wider tunnels for higher speeds, because of the airflow.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The TBM updates from HS2 Ltd, for 18/19 December, look likely to be the last before the extended break over Christmas/New Year.

In your area map - HS2

Search our interactive In Your Area Map to find information about current or planned HS2 construction works taking place across the route.

www.hs2.org.uk

As usual the Chiltern pair are going well, and look likely to complete their drives in February - Florence has only 762m to go, or about 40 days work.
Mary Ann at Bromford has done 22% of its drive towards Washwood Heath.
But everything at the London end seems to be stopped, with no progress for weeks.
Shushila hasn't moved for 3 months, Caroline for 2.
Even Lydia at OOC, which only has 116m of its 753m drive to do, was seemingly stopped for December.

Perhaps this, along with the later start-up times for the remaining TBMs, reflects revised HS2 Ltd plans for more economical completion of the tunnelling works.

 

[chris2]

Thanks for the update, it’s great to know the progress and when they’re likely to be finished. It’s curious about the London drives…I’m wondering if deliveries of tunnel segments have also been paused? If six trains a week are still running they’re going to run out of room at some point!

 

[Snow1964]

HS2 have tweeted Final segment for Chiltern tunnels has been cast allowing Florence and Cecilia to complete the tunnel next year

https://twitter.com/HS2ltd/status/1738530001148944516?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

 

[Fazaar1889]

When abouts will the tunnel be completed? They said it would next year...

 

[Benjwri]

When abouts will the tunnel be completed? They said it would next year...

Chiltern tunnels dug by Florence and Cecilia will be completed next year, the others I don't believe have been stated by HS2 for certain, although very likely Lydia will finish the access tunnel next year.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Chiltern tunnels dug by Florence and Cecilia will be completed next year, the others I don't believe have been stated by HS2 for certain, although very likely Lydia will finish the access tunnel next year.

Ah thanks, do we not know when during next year? Like spring, summer....?

 

[Snow1964]

Ah thanks, do we not know when during next year? Like spring, summer....?

I think Florence has less than 2 months work (but might be stopped over Christmas and New Year).

Because the TBMs need specialist crews, they are often timed so next one is set up and ready to go with crew transferring over.

Also they are often paused few metres short for week or two, if there is a PR and media breakthrough day booked.

 

[Benjwri]

Ah thanks, do we not know when during next year? Like spring, summer....?

One of the directors of the venture working on the Chiltern tunnels said 'early next year' a few days ago, no more specific than that. The Chiltern drives just managed to pass 90% before Christmas so I would say Spring or even Winter for completion.

 

[Fazaar1889]

I think Florence has less than 2 months work (but might be stopped over Christmas and New Year).

Because the TBMs need specialist crews, they are often timed so next one is set up and ready to go with crew transferring over.

Also they are often paused few metres short for week or two, if there is a PR and media breakthrough day booked.

One of the directors of the venture working on the Chiltern tunnels said 'early next year' a few days ago, no more specific than that. The Chiltern drives just managed to pass 90% before Christmas so I would say Spring or even Winter for completion.

Thanks

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Florence has 762m to go.
The rates when working are usually between 15m and 25m per day, and 762/20 (average) gives c40 days.
Cecilia is currently about 400m behind, so will take another 20-odd days.
The final portal area might be slower, with more broken ground, and there will no doubt be a media event.
So assuming progress resumes in early January, I'd expect Florence to finish in mid-Feb and Cecilia a month later.

Whether the three TBMs being readied for work in the new year (that's the two at Northolt East, plus the second one at Bromford) will have started by then is unknown.
The Chiltern crews might then transfer to the other working TBMs (although the TBM contracts are with three different subcontractors).
The tunnel segment factory at Hyde will be winding down, but an adjacent facility is still producing the segments for the Colne Valley Viaduct.

 

[Benjwri]

The tunnel segment factory at Hyde will be winding down, but an adjacent facility is still producing the segments for the Colne Valley Viaduct.

The tunnel segment factory there is now entirely complete, and is being shut down.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The first update for the new year is now visible on the TBM progress map.

In your area map - HS2

Search our interactive In Your Area Map to find information about current or planned HS2 construction works taking place across the route.

www.hs2.org.uk

On January 8, the Chiltern pair (Florence and Cecilia) are at 15468m and 15001m respectively.
This looks like steady progress if we take out the holiday stoppage period (Dec 22-Jan 3).

Nothing yet on the other TBMs.
There is a report and map on the Northolt West TBMs for December which doesn't yet match the map positions, but that may change this week.
The map also shows the location of cross-passages and where monitoring instrumants have been installed.

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tunnelling-in-Hillingdon-December-2023.pdf

The TBMs are currently undergoing routine maintenance whilst they are within our South Ruislip Vent Shaft site (behind the Victoria Retail Park). See the map overleaf for key dates (under the current programme) and locations once tunnelling is resumed

 

[chris2]

The progress on Northolt west is MUCH slower than the Chilterns - broadly, the chiltern TBMs have done a little under 500m per month, the Northolt TBMs less than 200m. At this rate they have more than 2 more years of tunnelling to go. Although if they could hit the chiltern rate, they’d be done by Christmas this year.

I guess the other half of the tunnel hasn’t been started yet, but I’d have thought getting it done quicker rather than slower would be cheaper?

 

[Benjwri]

The progress on Northolt west is MUCH slower than the Chilterns - broadly, the chiltern TBMs have done a little under 500m per month, the Northolt TBMs less than 200m. At this rate they have more than 2 more years of tunnelling to go. Although if they could hit the chiltern rate, they’d be done by Christmas this year.

I guess the other half of the tunnel hasn’t been started yet, but I’d have thought getting it done quicker rather than slower would be cheaper?

Worth remembering the Chiltern TBMs have had the advantage of having tunnel sections manufactured on site, whereas the Northolt ones are manufactured in Kent and delivered, however can’t say obviously if this is actually the limiting factor in progress.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Worth remembering the Chiltern TBMs have had the advantage of having tunnel sections manufactured on site, whereas the Northolt ones are manufactured in Kent and delivered, however can’t say obviously if this is actually the limiting factor in progress.

The Northolt West TBMs certainly had some logistics issues at startup over segment supply and spoil removal, and had to make TBM modifications after early ground breeches.
But after 8/13 weeks stopped for maintenance at South Ruislip there's probably now a stockpile of segments waiting to be installed.
Another stockpile (sourced from Hartlepool) is also starting to build up at OOC for the Northolt East TBMs about to start.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Good. I am pleased. Was starting to get slightly worried.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Chiltern TBMs continue to storm onwards:
On Jan 15: Florence 15648m, Cecila 15167m, both moving close to 25m/day.
They have 412m and 893m left respectively to reach the north portal.

Of the other TBMs, nary a word since the pre-Christmas update on December 19.