HS2 tunnel segment casting complete at Pacadar UK’s thamesport factory

PACADAR UK, based at London Thamesport, have completed the casting of almost 60,000 concrete tunnel ring segments for HS2.

Posted on: September 4th 2024    •    Posted in: PACADAR UK, Partners, Rail, Services, Sustainability

Production of concrete segments used to construct HS2’s 5-mile Northolt Tunnel has been completed in a major milestone for subcontractor PACADAR UK.

The company began work on the production of the segments in April 2022 and have completed the production of 59,129 segments, which make up 8,447 tunnel rings – seven segments per ring.

The segments are installed by the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) after the ground has been excavated, creating the inner and outer lining of the tunnel. The segments are fed to the segment erector through the back of the machine and are installed through automation, reducing safety risks for the tunnel engineers.

Each segment weighs 7 tonnes on average and 130 precast segments have been produced daily by the Kent based factory.

HS2’s London Tunnels contractor, Skanska Costain STRABG joint venture, is constructing the Northolt Tunnel West which runs from West Ruislip to Green Park Way in Greenford. So far, the two TBMs constructing the twin bore tunnel have travelled almost four miles and have installed 6,550 of the PACADAR produced rings.

© Photography used with permission from HS2