HS2 Euston tunnel work begins as high speed rail pushes into central London
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HS2 has taken a decisive step toward central London with the start of tunnelling on the route to Euston, moving the long delayed high speed rail project into its final underground phase in the capital. The first of two tunnel boring machines has begun a four point five mile drive from Old Oak Common beneath west and north London, marking a moment that project leaders say restores confidence in the line reaching its intended destination.
The launch at Old Oak Common was carried out by Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy alongside Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister. The machine will excavate one of two deep bore tunnels that together form the Euston Tunnel, the last major tunnelling section on the one hundred and forty mile route between London and Birmingham. Once complete, HS2 trains will be able to run directly into a new station at Euston, a connection seen as essential to unlocking the scheme’s full economic value.
HS2 tunnelling brings central London connection closer
Bringing HS2 into Euston has long been viewed as critical to the project’s purpose. While the railway will open in stages, with initial services planned between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street, the extension to Euston is what allows HS2 to function as a true central London terminus rather than a peripheral link. Government and local leaders argue that without this final stretch, much of the capacity and regeneration benefit would be diluted.
Lord Hendy described the tunnelling start as more than a technical milestone. He said it demonstrated progress toward delivering jobs, homes and long term economic growth. Darren Jones echoed that view, framing the launch as part of a wider effort to improve connections between major UK cities and reverse years of underinvestment in infrastructure.
The Euston Tunnel is the fifth and final deep twin bore tunnel on the HS2 route. With this phase under way, a total of twenty seven point five miles of deep tunnelling will eventually be completed between London and Birmingham. Twenty three miles are already finished following the completion of the Bromford Tunnel in October last year.
Engineering scale and logistics beneath the capital
The tunnel boring machine now heading toward Euston weighs one thousand six hundred and twenty four tonnes and was manufactured by Herrenknecht in Germany. It was shipped to the UK in two thousand twenty four and assembled within the underground station box at Old Oak Common. Engineers from the Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture have spent the past year preparing the machines for continuous operation.
Working around the clock, the machine functions as a mobile underground factory. It excavates the ground, installs pre cast concrete ring segments to form the tunnel lining and grouts them into place as it advances at an average of sixteen metres per day. Across both tunnels, more than forty eight thousand ring segments will be installed and over one point five million tonnes of excavated material removed.
A dedicated logistics tunnel completed in January two thousand twenty four plays a central role in managing this process. The Atlas Road Logistics Tunnel allows materials and personnel to reach the machines while enabling spoil to be conveyed directly to the London Logistics Hub at Willesden. From there, excavated material is transported by rail to reuse sites in Kent, Cambridgeshire and Warwickshire, removing an estimated seventy thousand lorry journeys from local roads.
Richard Adams, managing director of the Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, said the approach reflects a commitment to safety, productivity and reducing the impact on surrounding communities. The joint venture has already completed eight point four miles of twin bore tunnelling under London on the route from West Ruislip to Old Oak Common.
Euston regeneration and economic impact
Beyond the engineering challenge, the tunnel is closely tied to wider plans for regenerating Euston and its surrounding neighbourhoods. Independent research commissioned by Camden Council in two thousand twenty four estimated that a locally led redevelopment of Euston Station could contribute forty one billion pounds to the UK economy by two thousand fifty three and support thirty four thousand jobs.
The delivery of the new HS2 station at Euston will be overseen by a new Euston Delivery Company. The body will be responsible for an integrated transport hub combining the HS2 station, redevelopment of the existing mainline station and upgrades to the London Underground, alongside commercial development across the wider site.
Camden Council leader Richard Olszewski described the start of tunnelling as a catalyst for renewed momentum. He said Euston represented a rare opportunity to deliver affordable homes, employment and national economic growth, with the council ready to work alongside the Greater London Authority and central government on a locally led development model.
Resetting HS2 and looking ahead
The tunnelling launch comes as HS2 undergoes what its leadership calls a comprehensive reset. Led by chief executive Mark Wild, the review aims to bring greater certainty to construction sequencing, costs and opening dates after years of disruption and political scrutiny. Wild said beginning excavation of the Euston Tunnel signals confidence that the railway will be completed into central London.
When finished, the tunnel boring machines will pass beneath notable landmarks including Kensal Green cemetery, the final resting place of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. In keeping with tradition, the first machine has been named Madeleine after Madeleine Nobbs, a former president of the Women’s Engineering Society who worked as a building services engineer in the mid twentieth century.
As the machines advance toward Euston, HS2 moves from promise to physical delivery beneath the capital. For supporters, the sight of tunnelling under way offers tangible evidence that the project’s long contested London connection is no longer theoretical but actively taking shape beneath the city.
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