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Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Elizabeth arrived at Washwood Heath on 13^th October 2025, 19 months after she set out from the Warwickshire village of Water Orton.

Main contractor for this section of the line is Balfour Beatty Vinci Joint Venture.

Two identical machines were used to dig the 3.5-mile long Bromford tunnel that will carry trains under the M6 and eastern outskirts of the city, with the first one, Mary Ann, breaking through earlier this year.

Together, Elizabeth and Mary Ann have excavated more than 1.8 million tonnes of material and installed 5,804 concrete ring segments for the twin, eastbound and westbound tunnels. The spoil, made up of various grades of Mercia Mudstone, is being used to landscape the railway on the approaches to the city.

Breakthrough on the Bromford tunnel at Washwood Heath means that all the excavation is now complete for the 28 miles of deep bore tunnel between Old Oak Common in west London and the railway’s terminus at Birmingham Curzon Street. Only the central London tunnels to Euston remain – these two TBMs are expected to launch next year. A short section of mined tunnel is also being dug between the Victoria Road Crossover Box and Old Oak Common. Everywhere else, tunnel construction teams are now mainly focused on internal walkways, ventilation shafts and cross passages.

Alongside these deep tunnels, HS2 contractors are also building around five miles of shallow cut-and-cover tunnels in rural areas such as Burton Green in Warwickshire, Chipping Warden in West Northamptonshire and Wendover in Buckinghamshire.

Alan Morris, HS2 Ltd’s construction delivery director, said: “Today’s breakthrough is a major milestone for the tunnelling team here in Birmingham and for the HS2 project. All eight of the TBMs digging our tunnels between Old Oak Common and Curzon Street have now broken through, which means that the focus is now on the internal concrete work, ventilation shafts and cross passages. I’m immensely proud of the men and women who have worked round the clock to bring our TBMs and their crews home safely, and I look forward to seeing more progress inside the tunnels in the years ahead.”

Balfour Beatty Vinci tunnelling director Jules Arlaud said: “A sense of achievement and pride is felt by everyone connected with the project and follows years of planning and preparation. This has allowed us to guide Elizabeth safely and successfully underneath complex ground conditions and critical live infrastructure, including energy networks, the M6 and the River Tame. A breakthrough is always a unique moment, and it marks the culmination of exceptional engineering, dedication, and collaboration.”

As well as being the arrival point for the two Bromford tunnel TBMs, Washwood Heath will also become the nerve centre for HS2’s operations. Next to the tunnel portal, HS2’s Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre will be built. From this site, trains will be serviced and stored, and the real time operation of the railway will be controlled.

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