PACADAR complete HS2 tunnel segment production
PACADAR UK has completed the casting of nearly 60,000 concrete tunnel segments for HS2 at their factory on the Isle of Grain, Kent. These segments are being used in the construction of the Northolt Tunnel West, which is now almost 80% complete.
The factory has been producing these segments since April 2022 and has now manufactured a total of 59,129 segments, forming 8,447 tunnel rings. Each ring is made up of seven segments.
The segments, each weighing an average of 7 tonnes, are critical components of the tunnel’s inner and outer linings. They are installed by tunnel boring machines (TBMs) after the excavation of the ground. The segments are fed through the back of the TBMs to a segment erector, which installs them automatically. This process reduces the safety risks for tunnel engineers working underground.
The factory has maintained a steady production rate, casting around 130 segments each day. The finished segments are then transported by rail from Kent to the HS2 construction site at West Ruislip. Each freight train used for this transportation replaces the need for 56 lorries, helping to reduce the environmental impact of the project.
The Northolt Tunnel West, part of HS2’s London Tunnels, is being constructed by the Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV). The tunnel stretches from West Ruislip to Green Park Way in Greenford, and the two TBMs involved have already covered nearly four miles, installing 6,550 tunnel rings to date.
Malcolm Codling, HS2’s project client for the London Tunnels, stated: “We are making significant progress on constructing HS2’s London Tunnels, and the work is a team effort across several contractors, including PACADAR UK. We are pleased to work with UK-based companies to complete Britain’s newest high-speed railway.”
The last of the concrete segments was cast in June 2024. The casting team included 180 workers, among them Loubna and Saad, a husband and wife team, who have been part of the daily operations at the site.
Antonio Díez Barral, project manager at PACADAR UK, said: “PACADAR UK are immensely proud of this milestone and grateful to be awarded such an important contract. Working jointly with Skanska Costain STRABAG JV, PACADAR has brought state-of-the-art construction methods to optimise the use of materials, reduce time, and achieve remarkable savings and a carbon footprint drop, all while creating a safe environment for all 180 workers.”
James Richardson, managing director, Skanska Costain STRABAG JV, added: “This is an important step in the programme as we continue tunnelling underneath London using four tunnel boring machines. As we advance with building Britain's new high-speed line, we're thankful to PACADAR for their know-how and innovation in producing the concrete segments for the 8-kilometre Northolt Tunnel West.”
Beyond the Northolt Tunnel West, PACADAR UK is also involved in other parts of the HS2 project, including pre-casting segments for the Thame Valley Viaduct in Buckinghamshire and the Edgcote Viaduct in Northamptonshire.
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