HS2 TBM Progress

[LNW-GW Joint]

Not bad - presumably there was a pause or at least slowdown over Easter?

It's always hard to judge that one, but it's more likely now they are in capped cost mode.
No update from the other TBMs, and "Elizabeth" is not yet even on the map at Bromford despite starting a month ago (March 5).
"Anne" was supposed to start at Victoria Road in "March" too, but there's been no announcement.

Edit Apr 8:
The Northolt East TBMs have been updated today.
Emily is still at 176m (not moved since March 25).
Anne has its first report at 15m, after being launched in "March", and its graphic is now on the map.
If the graphics are in the right position, Emily is boring the south/west bore (ie the Down tunnel), and Anne is boring the north/east tunnel (the Up tunnel).
Ignoring the Euston tunnels, all the Phase 1 TBMs are now operational, though we still need a first position for Elizabeth at Bromford.

 

[chris2]

HS2 announcement launch of Anne 4th TBM in London

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

HS2 announcement launch of Anne 4th TBM in London

But with no specific date quoted, just "March".

Update today for Mary Ann at Bromford, at 1980m, or +4m in 15 days since March 25, which does suggest a break over Easter.
Still no sign of Elizabeth on the map graphic.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

An update today from the Northolt West TBMs (Apr 5-16):
Shushila is at 4717m (+171m), Caroline at 4379m (+73m).
So it's Shushila's turn to forge ahead, and Caroline's to slow down a bit.
Both of them are now close to adjacent residential property on the surface.

Edit Apr 22:
The recently-launched Northolt East TBMs have been updated today (17 days from Apr 5):
Emily is at 205m (+19m), Anne is at 53m (+18m).
These represent progress of about 2m/day, in what must be difficult early conditions.
The overhead videos of the Victoria Road shaft show some really complex engineering for removal of the spoil up to the surface conveyor system.
Emily is now located below the ex-GWR OOC-Northolt line, which it will follow to the Greenford Way shaft.

Northolt West TBMs were also updated later today (6 days from Apr 16):
Shushila is at 4740m (+23m), Caroline at 4399m (+20m).
These show very modest progress of 3-4m/day.

 

[absolutelymilk]

A load of TBMs have updated with minimal progress, e.g. Sushila (Northolt Tunnel West) +23m in 6 days

 

[cuemaster]

Some news regarding works above ground near current Northholt West tunnelling.. which may have impacted progress in recent weeks.

The Farmlands Estate borehole decommissioning - HS2

What we are doing We recently wrote to you at the beginning of April about starting works between 15 and 26 April 2024, to remove an existing borehole. Getting the necessary third-party consent and approvals delayed the start of these works. We apologise for the delay in completing these works...

www.hs2.org.uk

What we are doing​

What we are doing
We recently wrote to you at the beginning of April about starting works between 15 and 26 April 2024, to remove an existing borehole. Getting the necessary third-party consent and approvals delayed the start of these works. We apologise for the delay in completing these works and any inconvenience this may have caused.

These works will now be completed between 29 April and 17 May 2024. Once this is completed, we will then fill in the borehole.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Better progress figures from the Northolt East TBMs today, only 4 days after the last update.
Emily is at 291m (+86m), Anne at 87m (+34m).
They seem to be picking up speed now.
One thing that seems to elude HS2 Ltd is a regular TBM progress update at the same date across the piece.

 

[Benjwri]

One thing that seems to elude HS2 Ltd is a regular TBM progress update at the same date across the piece.

Not really surprising though given they are run by different Joint Ventures, and syncing TMB updates to the public is fairly low on the list of priorities.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Not really surprising though given they are run by different Joint Ventures, and syncing TMB updates to the public is fairly low on the list of priorities.

On the contrary, HS2 needs all the positive PR it can get with news and progress updates,.
I'm sure their paymasters need it, not to mention us taxpayers.

Good news from Bromford today.
Mary Ann is at 2148m (+168m since April 9), and new TBM Elizabeth (launched March 5) is now on the graph at 120m.

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

So all 6 remaining TBMs are now at work, with the potential of chewing away an aggregate of 100m of tunnel a day between them.
At present rates of progress of 7-8m/day, 3 of the TBMs should complete in Q1 next year, with the 3 recently started finishing up to a year later.
That excludes the Euston tunnels from OOC, whose future is yet to be decided.

 

[Benjwri]

On the contrary, HS2 needs all the positive PR it can get with news and progress updates,.
I'm sure their paymasters need it, not to mention us taxpayers.

I agree that updating the public is important, and updating the maps regularly is relatively important, however updating every TBM at the same time is far less important, and doesn’t really justify the effort. I’m not sure if it’s updated by the JVs or HS2, but either way it’s far better to update the information whenever it’s available rather than delay publication so the others can be published at the same time.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I agree that updating the public is important, and updating the maps regularly is relatively important, however updating every TBM at the same time is far less important, and doesn’t really justify the effort. I’m not sure if it’s updated by the JVs or HS2, but either way it’s far better to update the information whenever it’s available rather than delay publication so the others can be published at the same time.

I'd like to think that, in the 21st century, there is an HS2 office somewhere with a big screen showing the real-time positions of its laser-measured TBMs, for a snapshot to be taken at any time...
After all, it's where a torrent of public cash is being spent.

 

[Benjwri]

I'd like to think that, in the 21st century, there is an HS2 office somewhere with a big screen showing the real-time positions of its laser-measured TBMs, for a snapshot to be taken at any time...
After all, it's where a torrent of public cash is being spent.

Even the newest TBMs are not constantly connected to the internet, doing so would be a massively unnecessary waste of money. They will obviously have this data in the control room on the TBM, but anyone not on the TBM does not have live updates on the location of it.

 

[Geogregor]

Even the newest TBMs are not constantly connected to the internet, doing so would be a massively unnecessary waste of money. They will obviously have this data in the control room on the TBM, but anyone not on the TBM does not have live updates on the location of it.

Maybe they don't have live and up to the centimeter location but I would hazard a guess that they do have daily updates on TBM progress. Seems like basic piece of data.

 

[Benjwri]

Maybe they don't have live and up to the centimeter location but I would hazard a guess that they do have daily updates on TBM progress. Seems like basic piece of data.

Yes the updates are more frequent than the website, but again what is the point of updates at any more than weekly frequency? It’s a small amount of time, but it’s still another thing that someone has to do, which has to be paid for. Is that a justifiable cost?