TBM Sushila - HS2 Northolt Tunnel West
West London, UK (Old Oak Common to Ruislip) · 2022-2025 (Started October 2022, completed March 2025) · £87.7bn - £102.7bn (HS2 project total, 2025 prices)
The judgement call
Account action unavailableTBM Sushila took two years to bore its section of the Northolt Tunnel. It was one of four TBMs used for the Northolt Tunnel. Named after Sushila Hirani, a local teacher.
Key engineering challenges
Tunnelling under densely populated urban areas. - Managing ground movements and settlement. - Excavating 34 cross passages.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- HS2 Ltd.
- Lead contractor
- SCS JV (Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture)
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- Tunnel length: 13.5 km (8.4 miles) twin-bore tunnel; Drive length: 8km (5 miles)
- Disciplines
- civil; structural; mechanical; electrical; systems; tunnelling; geotechnical
- Standards & frameworks
- UK railway standards, CDM Regulations (implied).
Sources: GEplus.co.uk (https://www.geplus.co.uk/news/hs2-first-tbm-ends-northolt-tunnel-bore-in-reception-can-23-12-2024/) - LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/british-tunnelling-society_hs2-tbm-retrieved-after-building-london-tunnel-activity-7308049798354337792-axew) - Tunnelling Journal (https://tunnellingjournal.com/hs2-lifts-out-second-northolt-tbm/) - HS2.org.uk (https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/update-atlas-road-logistics-tunnel-works/)