The HS2 lifted Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Sushila’ is out of the ground at the Green Park Way site in Greenford, West London following its 5-mile drive underneath the capital. The cutterhead, front and middle shield, weighing 850 tonnes, were lifted from the vent shaft in one piece using a 750 tonne gantry crane.
The TBM – with a cutterhead spanning 9.48 metres in diameter – was launched from West Ruislip in October 2022 and completed its journey in December 2024. Sushila excavated over 1.2 million tonnes of earth and installed 4,217 tunnel rings and was used to construct part of the Northolt Tunnel – an 8.4-mile tunnel being built by four TBMs which will take HS2 trains from Old Oak Common Station to the outskirts of the capital.
