The Department for Transport (DfT) says HS2’s journey into central London is a stop closer, after a huge tunnel boring machine began its journey from Old Oak Common to Euston station today (27 January).
DfT called the launch a “key milestone in the Government’s commitment to deliver the new, high-speed rail line to the city centre.”
In a statement, it said that taking HS2 to Euston was essential to unlocking the project’s full economic potential. Estimates from Camden Council reportedly suggest a mix of new homes and commercial development at Euston could add £41 billion to the economy by 2053 and support 34,000 new jobs.
DfT added that the commencement of tunnelling in Old Oak Common was part of wider progress on HS2, and followed the completion of 23 miles of tunnels, 19 bridges, and two viaducts along the rail line’s route from central London to Birmingham.
The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, and the Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, visited Old Oak Common station alongside the Chief Executive Officer of HS2 Ltd, Mark Wild, and Transport for London Commissioner, Andy Lord, to switch on the 1,624-tonne tunnel boring machine, which will excavate a 4.5-mile tunnel between the two stations.
The machine works by both excavating and constructing the tunnel as it goes, slotting concrete segments into place. Named Madeleine, after the former president of the Women’s Engineering Society, Madeleine Nobbs, it is the first of two tunnel boring machines that will construct the two parallel tunnels to Euston.
Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said: “It was brilliant to switch on the tunnel boring machine at Old Oak Common today – not just because it’s an engineering marvel – but because it brings HS2’s journey to Euston another step closer to reality.
“We’re putting HS2 back on track, and taking the railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to deliver more jobs, more homes, and a long-term boost to the whole British economy.”
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, said: “There’s nothing boring about tunnel boring. Today’s launch was a brilliant moment for the UK’s railways, building on six major rail tunnel and road milestones completed ahead of schedule last year.
“We’re boosting the links between our big cities across the country to create more opportunities for people to trade, meet and socialise with each other, turning the corner on years of decline.”
HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Wild said: “On my first day at HS2, I unveiled the Euston TBMs as they were being prepared to build the Euston Tunnel. Just over a year on, we’re beginning to excavate the tunnel – a show of confidence that HS2 will be built into central London and kickstart economic growth.
“Over the past 12 months, I have been leading a comprehensive reset across HS2 to get it back on track and I am confident that we’re on the right path to delivering HS2 safely and efficiently. The start of tunnelling here today is a part of the strong foundations we can build upon to completing HS2 and deliver better journeys for rail passengers.”
With over 33,000 people currently working to build the high-speed railway, it is estimated that HS2 will add £10 billion to the west London economy over the next decade, including 22,000 more homes, and almost 19,000 new jobs. The DfT said that once complete, HS2 would mean “faster, better train travel for passengers between London and Birmingham and beyond.”
Andy Lord, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “Today marks a significant milestone in the journey towards bringing high speed services into Euston, unlocking faster journeys and delivering greater connectivity, as well as supporting growth in jobs and homes in the heart of the capital.
“At TfL, we’re working closely with our partners to ensure the best possible experience for customers interchanging between London Underground, London Buses, HS2 and National Rail services at Euston.”
Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor, Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, said: “Today is an important and exciting milestone for HS2 as this much-needed new high-speed rail line into central London gets another step closer to completion.
“It will boost the UK economy by £41 billion and support 34,000 new jobs, while delivering 22,000 more homes for Londoners over the next decade.
“The Mayor and I will continue working closely with Government and partners to unlock the full economic potential of our transport network as we build a better, more prosperous London for everyone.”
Today’s launch comes as HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Wild leads what DfT called a “comprehensive reset of HS2”, to ensure the new railway is delivered safely between London and Birmingham at the lowest reasonable cost.
The delivery of the Government’s plans for Euston will be taken forward by a new body, the Euston Delivery Company. Once established, the company will lead delivery of an affordable and integrated transport hub – including the new HS2 station, the redevelopment of the existing station, and upgrades to the London Underground station – along with commercial development across the Euston campus.
DfT said that more broadly, the Government was delivering landmark legislation to overhaul the railway and bring it together under Great British Railways, a new body which will be owned by the public and deliver for the public. It added that it was also making fares cheaper through the first fare freeze in 30 years.
Commenting on the start of tunnel boring from Old Oak Common to Euston, Railway Industry Association (RIA) Chief Executive Darren Caplan said: “Today’s announcement is a welcome step forward in HS2’s route from Old Oak Common to Euston. RIA has long argued that Euston must be the terminus for the new line because of the economic and social benefits it will deliver. The UK rail supply chain has made a significant contribution to the project so far and I very much hope that this new step drives further impetus in moving HS2 forward to the next phase.”
Leader of Camden Council, Cllr Richard Olszewski, said: “Euston holds a once-in-a-century opportunity to boost the national economy, build much-needed affordable homes, and create new jobs for people in Camden and beyond.
“The start of tunnelling brings us a step closer to that future, adding new momentum and even-greater confidence in Euston’s potential to be a driver of national growth.
“In Camden we stand ready to lead the next chapter of Euston’s vibrant history through a new, locally led development corporation – working with the GLA and Government to make Euston a place that delivers for the country, the capital and our communities.”
Richard Adams, Managing Director of Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture said: “We are delighted to be commencing our final TBM drives to build the two 4.5 mile tunnels to Euston. During this work our TBMs will remove over 1.5 million tonnes of excavated material and place more than 8,000 pre-cast rings, built in a dedicated facility in Hartlepool.
“Our tunnel segments and excavated material will all be transported by rail and managed through our state of the art logistics hub. This will remove over 70,000 lorry journeys the local road network, emphasising our commitment to being a good neighbour and greener construction.
“SCS JV has already driven 8.4 miles of twin bore tunnels under London, from West Ruislip to Old Oak Common, and our expert teams on site will work 24/7 to deliver these final HS2 tunnel drives with the highest levels of safety and productivity.”
Ed Richardson, Transport Programme Director at BusinessLDN, said: “The start of tunnelling between Old Oak Common and Euston is a significant milestone and a timely reminder of HS2’s potential to unlock growth by boosting capacity and connectivity across the UK. To ensure the project is kept on track, it is now vital that this progress is followed by the timely publication of the comprehensive reset of the HS2 programme. That must include a clear and credible plan for Euston as the London terminus.”
TSSA General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust said: “Clearly the fact we are now seeing the start of tunnelling across London into Euston station is a vital move forwards for HS2.
“HS2 will be the main driver of local, regional and national economies and the only means of mass transport able to combat climate change.
“However, we have long made the case that HS2, far from being scaled back, should have been built all the way to Scotland. In truth we need further clarity about the timetable of delivery for what is planned at present and will be asking Ministers to provide more detail as soon as possible.”
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