Last week HS2 Ltd celebrated the start of the next phase of tunnelling on the enormous infrastructure project, launching the first of six tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will dig over 26 miles of tunnels under the capital.
HS2 Ltd’s CEO, Mark Thurston was joined by a local teacher, Sushila Hirani, after whom one of the tunnel boring machines at the West London site is named, as it begins on its five-mile journey.
“Sushila” is the fourth of 10 HS2 tunnel boring machines to be launched. The milestone highlights the progress being made on building Britain’s new high-speed rail network, creating jobs and providing contracts for businesses now.
Later this year a second TBM, named after 18th-century astronomer Caroline Herschel, will also be launched from the West London site to build the second of HS2’s twin-bore tunnels towards central London.
Each weighing over 2,000 tonnes and measuring 140 metres in length, both TBMs will bore five miles non-stop for 22 months, except Christmas Day and bank holidays, to Greenpark Way in Greenford, where they will be dismantled and lifted from the ground.
Separately, two other equally massive tunnel boring machines will set off towards Greenpark Way from HS2’s Victoria Road site in 2023 to build a further 3.4mile twin-bore tunnel. Together the quartet of TBMs will build 8.4miles of twin bored tunnels between West Ruislip and the new high-speed rail super hub station at Old Oak Common. Another 4.5-mile twin-bore tunnel extending from Old Oak Common to Euston will complete HS2’s journey to its London terminus.
Local school children from Dairy Meadow Primary School in Southall and Brentside Primary Academy helped name the TBMs after participating in workshops about the tunnelling work. The TBM launched today is called Sushila after local schoolteacher Sushila Hirani, Head of Department and Lead for STEM at Greenford High School. The Willow class at Dairy Meadow Primary School in Southall suggested the name due to her inspiring work and passion for getting more women and young people from BAME backgrounds into STEM subjects.
With a background in product design, Sushila has been a teacher for nearly 30 years. Her involvement in local infrastructure and development projects, including the Waterside housing development in Southall, and drive to attract girls into STEM subjects as a path towards Engineering at A Level, apprenticeships, and degrees, has inspired many in the local area.
Speaking about having HS2’s first London tunnel boring machine named after her, Sushila said: “I was very surprised that the Willow class pupils at Dairy Meadow chose to put my name forward for this honour. When I met the pupils, I was very impressed by how much work they had already engaged in relating to design and technology and STEM, led by their teacher Prabhjot Uppal, who is the design technology lead at the school. I have always had a passion for industrial design and engineering, and if this event helps young people connect with engineering and inspire them to pursue this path, then my small contribution here has been worthwhile.”
