HS2 started its advance into the heart of London as the first of two giant machines began work on the Euston Tunnel.
In a crucial moment for the high-speed rail project, the Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, turned on the 1,624-tonne machine at HS2’s Old Oak Common station in west London – starting its 4.5-mile journey under the capital to Euston.
The Tunnel represents the next stage of the HS2 project which will eventually see high-speed trains run directly to a new station in central London. Building the tunnel represents a crucial step in the wider regeneration of the Euston area, acting as a catalyst for investment and creating new homes and employment opportunities.
Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said: “It was brilliant to switch on the tunnel boring machine at Old Oak Common today – not just because it’s an engineering marvel – but because it brings HS2’s journey to Euston another step closer to reality.
“We’re putting HS2 back on track, and taking the railway into central London is crucial to unlocking its full potential to deliver more jobs, more homes, and a long-term boost to the whole British economy.”
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Darren Jones, said: “There’s nothing boring about tunnel boring. Today’s launch was a brilliant moment for the UK’s railways, building on six major rail tunnel and road milestones completed ahead of schedule last year.
“We're boosting the links between our big cities across the country to create more opportunities for people to trade, meet and socialise with each other, turning the corner on years of decline.”
The tunnel boring machine (TBM) launch comes as HS2 is at an advanced stage of a comprehensive reset – putting the programme’s construction in the right sequence and bringing certainty to the railway’s final costs and opening dates. The reset, led by Mark Wild, HS2 Ltd Chief Executive, is crucial to putting HS2 back on track and unlocking the project’s transformational benefits – vital new rail capacity and economic growth.
When complete, the railway will open in stages, with the first services running between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street. HS2 will open all the way to Euston at a later date, which will be vital to delivering the full capacity and economic benefits that the railway offers.
HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Wild said: “On my first day at HS2, I unveiled the Euston TBMs as they were being prepared to build the Euston Tunnel. Just over a year on, we’re beginning to excavate the tunnel - a show of confidence that HS2 will be built into central London and kickstart economic growth.
“Over the past 12months, I have been leading a comprehensive reset across HS2 to get it back on track and I am confident that we’re on the right path to delivering HS2 safely and efficiently. The start of tunnelling here today is a part of the strong foundations we can build upon to completing HS2 and deliver better journeys for rail passengers.”
The delivery of the new HS2 station at Euston will be led by a new Euston Delivery Company. Once established, the Company will lead delivery of an affordable and integrated transport hub - including the new HS2 station, the redevelopment of the existing station, and upgrades to the London Underground station - along with commercial development across the Euston campus.
Independent research commissioned by Camden Council in 2024 to assess the potential economic benefits of a locally led regeneration of Euston Station found it could contribute £41 billion to the UK economy by 2053 and support 34,000 new jobs.
