Sinking of 9 m-diameter subvertical shaft passed 360 m mark at rate of 3 m/day on target to reach 800 m final depth by February, 2000. Completed shaft will have 6,000 t/day capacity using 5MW winder to hoist 80 t skips. August 1999. Open invitation to tender, deadline 27th April, 2001, for lot 360 comprising two 6 km-long tunnels with sections 60 sq m to 140 sq m to be advanced simultaneously in both directions from base of completed 800 m-deep Sedrun shaft, which is accessed by 1 km-long gallery at surface. Contract includes 1.7 km-long multi-function station and other galleries together with crosspassages between main tubes. Start July, 2002 for completion June, 2012. Telephone queries to K Aerni +41 226 0634, or contact via www.electrowatt.ch Notice posted at http://ted.eur-op.eu.int November 2000.   The TRANSCO Gottardo consortium, including Batigroup, Frutiger, Bilfinger + Berger, and Pizzarotti has been awarded contract 360 for SF1.25 billion. Includes two 6.2 km tunnels in Sedrun through very tricky geology and a 800 m-deep shaft. The contractors will enlarge the second shaft from 4 to 7 metres to remove bigger volumes of muck. Mucking-out and the lowering of heavy equipment and construction materials will take place in separate shafts. Work to begin in April, 2002. Visit www.batigroup.ch and www.alptransit.ch 52/01.  Thyssen Schachtbau, in jv with Ostu Stettin and Murray & Roberts RUC of South Africa, reports that it will use a type HG 330-SP Wirth raise borer to drill the 1.8 m-diameter pilot hole, and then ream it to 7 m-diameter using a Wirth VSB V1 shaft borer for the 800 m-deep Sedrun II shaft. During the construction phase of the Gotthard base tunnel, the shaft will be used for ventilation and transport of heavy plant and materials. Boring is expected to be completed by June 2003. Visit www.thyssen-schachtbau.de and www.wirth-europe.com 30/02.