An
HS2
tunnelling
gang


in
Warwickshire
has
celebrated
the
breakthrough
of
tunnel
boring
machine
‘Dorothy’
as
the
cutterhead
broke
through
the
wall
of
the
Long
Itchington
Wood
Tunnel.

It’s
taken
four
months
for
the
2,000
tonne
TBM
to
complete
its
1500m
second
bore,
from
north
to
south.
Long
Itchington
Wood
is
the
first
twin-bore
tunnel
to
be
completed
on
HS2.

After
completing
the
first
bore
of
the
tunnel
in
July
2022,
the
125m
TBM
was
dismantled
and
returned
to
the
north
portal
where
it
was
reassembled,
ready
to
start
its
second
journey.

Staff
from
Balfour
Beatty
VINCI
were
on
the
site
to
see
the
cutterhead
break
through.
It
has
taken
three
years
to
complete
both
bores.

Rail
minister
Huw
Merriman
said:
‘This
is
yet
another
ground-breaking
moment
in
the
delivery
of
HS2
and
the
transformation
of
journeys
and
communities
across
Britain.

‘With
the
help
of
Tunnel
Boring
Machine
Dorothy,
these
tunnels
are
paving
the
way
for
HS2
trains
while
preserving
ancient
woodland
on
the
land
above.
These
tunnels
help
ensure
that
we
deliver
this
transformative
project
while
protecting
the
natural
environment.’