Following a five-mile drive beneath the capital, HS2 has lifted a tunnel boring machine (TBM) out of the ground at the Green Park Way site in Greenford, West London.

The cutterhead, front and middle shield, which weigh 850 tonnes, were crane-lifted from the vent shaft in one piece on Saturday, March 15.

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.

The huge machine, which was named Sushila, excavated more than 1.2 million tonnes of earth and installed 4,217 tunnel rings.

The machine was used for 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.

To see drone footage of the TBM removal, click here