HS2: UK’s ‘Madeleine’ TBM Begins 7.2km Euston Tunnel Drive

HS2’s ‘Madeleine’ TBM begins its 7.2km Euston tunnel drive, excavating over 1.5 million tons. This critical link completes the final London approach for high-speed rail.

January 29, 2026 8:39 am

🛑 Key Takeaways:

HS2’s first Euston Tunnel Boring Machine, ‘Madeleine’, has begun its 7.2 km journey from the Old Oak Common station site.
The 1,624-ton Herrenknecht TBM will excavate over 1.5 million tons of material at an average rate of 16 meters per day.
This marks the start of the final tunnelling section for Phase One, a critical link required to connect the high-speed line to its central London terminus.

LONDON, UK – The first of two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) for the High Speed 2 (HS2) project’s Euston tunnel began its 7.2 km (4.5 mile) journey on January 27. The 1,624-ton machine, named ‘Madeleine’, was officially commissioned at the Old Oak Common station site in west London. The tunnelling work is being executed by the Skanska Costain Strabag (SCS JV) consortium, marking the final major boring drive for the London-Birmingham route.

Category	Specification / Detail
Project Segment	HS2 Euston Tunnel (Old Oak Common to Euston)
TBM Model	‘Madeleine’ by Herrenknecht
TBM Weight	1,624 tons
Tunnel Length	7.2 km (4.5 miles)
Avg. Advance Rate	~16 meters per day
Key Stakeholders	HS2 Ltd., SCS JV, UK Dept. for Transport, Euston Delivery Co.
Total Excavation	>1.5 million tons
Concrete Segments	48,294

Operational & Technical Details

The German-manufactured TBM will operate 24/7. Its integrated systems will excavate soil, install the 48,294 concrete ring segments, and grout them into place as it advances. The operation follows 12 months of on-site assembly and preparation by SCS JV engineers after the machine’s components were shipped to the UK earlier in 2024.

Logistical support is provided by a separate 853-meter logistics tunnel, completed in January 2024. This ancillary tunnel enables the efficient transport of crews and materials to the TBMs and the removal of excavated spoil. With this drive, HS2 has now commenced the final section of its approximately 44.3 km of deep-bored tunnels, with around 37 km already complete.

Market Impact Analysis

The launch of the Euston TBM drive is a critical operational milestone for the HS2 project. It directly addresses the construction of the final London approach, which is essential for achieving the full network capacity and economic benefits cited in the project’s business case. The initial operating phase for HS2 will terminate at Old Oak Common, making the completion of the Euston link a prerequisite for a central London terminus.

The UK government’s establishment of a dedicated Euston Delivery Company underscores the complexity of the terminus site. This new entity will coordinate the HS2 station build with the redevelopment of the existing Network Rail station and London Underground facilities. This integrated approach aims to de-risk the delivery of the transport hub and associated commercial development.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What is the main value of this contract?

A specific monetary value for the tunnelling contract is not provided in the source materials. The contract’s strategic value is the construction of the final 7.2 km twin-bore tunnel section required to connect the HS2 line to its planned central London terminus at Euston.

When is the expected completion date?

An official completion date for the tunnel has not been announced. However, based on the stated average advance rate of 16 meters per day for the 7,200-meter journey, the boring process for this single tunnel would take approximately 450 days.