Collins Earthworks has completed excavating the north portal site of  the twin tube Long Itchington Wood tunnel (1.61 km/1mile length, 9-10 m diameter) , ready for the launch of the TBM that will dig under the ancient woodland in Warwickshire.  

The company - contracted to HS2’s main works contractor BBV Joint Venture (Balfour Beatty Group and VINCI Construction), which is responsible for building the northern section of HS2 as it heads into Birmingham - has excavated 300,000m3 of soil, with the topsoil and subsoils stored and separated with a layer of straw, so they can be put back in the same way after the tunnel has been built.

The yet-to-be named 2,000 t TBM  is currently arriving at the prepared site in pieces from the  manufacturer Herrenknecht, and will be reassembled ready to start digging the tunnel in the summer. It will take 5 months to dig the first bore of the tunnel, then it will be extracted at the south portal before being transported by road back to the north portal to commence the second bore.  

Next month, people in Warwickshire County will be invited to suggest names for the TBM that will then be shortlisted for a national vote during the summer. 

At the peak of construction on the whole of Phase One, ten TBMs (2200 t weight, 160 m length) will work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, advancing up to 15 m per day.  

For further information on the project please click here and uk/65 for the tunnelbuilder archive. Visit https://www.hs2.org.uk/. 08/21.