HS2 breakthrough links Old Oak Common to high-speed railway

By Danny BallPublished On: November 9th, 2026Categories: News, Top Stories

HS2 tunnel mining teams have broken through into the Old Oak Common station box in west London, completing two 360m tunnel sections after excavating 100,000 tonnes of London clay.

The breakthrough connects what will be the first HS2 station in London with the railway beyond, marking a key stage in construction of the high-speed line between the capital and Birmingham.

Tunnels were excavated from HS2’s Victoria Road crossover box site, with work beginning in May 2024.

Unlike other sections of the HS2 route, which have largely been constructed using tunnel boring machines (TBMs), the two sections were mined using tunnel excavators and lined with 30,000m³ of sprayed concrete.

Excavation generated approximately 100,000 tonnes of material, all of which has been transported to reuse projects in the UK.

HS2 Old Oak Common tunnels use sprayed concrete lining

In addition to this, construction methods were determined by the engineering requirements of the tunnels, which narrow from two tracks to one between the crossover box and the station.

Following excavation, the tunnels were lined with sprayed concrete before receiving a cast in situ concrete lining using travelling formwork.

The breakthrough, alongside the northbound tunnel breakthrough on 13th October, also involved a method not previously used on HS2. The dividing wall was cut into blocks and pushed out from the station side, in a process likened to removing pieces from a Jenga tower, back into the completed tunnel.

The works have created an 8.8-mile connection between Old Oak Common station and the West Ruislip tunnel portal on the north-western edge of London.

HS2 construction progresses towards Birmingham and Euston

The milestone comes as HS2 Ltd reports that all deep-bore tunnelling between London and Birmingham is complete, while more than 80% of major structures are under construction or finished.

HS2 Ltd said it delivered more than 10% additional construction against its planned output in 2025/26 and achieved six major milestones ahead of schedule.

HS2 is intended to provide a high-speed rail link covering approximately 140 miles between Old Oak Common and Birmingham Curzon Street. Once operational, the journey is expected to take around 45 minutes, while the railway is designed to more than double peak-time seat capacity between London and Birmingham.

Old Oak Common is also being developed as an interchange connecting HS2 with Great Western Railway services, the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express.

Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “This is a major milestone for HS2, bringing us a step closer to delivering a world-class transport hub at Old Oak Common and connecting London to Britain’s new high-speed railway.

“HS2 will provide much-needed rail capacity, create space for more reliable services across the wider network and help unlock economic growth, homes and jobs in west London, the West Midlands and beyond.”

Chief Executive, Mark Wild said: “I pay tribute to all those who achieved, and safely delivered, the breakthrough into the Old Oak Common station box. This is a key milestone for the HS2 programme and helps bring us a step closer to achieving our challenging ambition of delivering the railway from Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street by 2037, or earlier.

“We are now in the final stages of a fundamental reset of the entire HS2 programme to deliver the line safely and efficiently between London the West Midlands at the lowest reasonable cost. The prize of our endeavour will be a new high-speed railway for the Great British Railways network, delivering much needed capacity and driving local regeneration. The new HS2 station at Old Oak Common is set to boost the local economy by £10 billion over the next decade.”

HS2 tunnels contractor continues work at Old Oak Common

The tunnel works were delivered by Skanska Costain STRABAG (SCS) Operations.

Managing Director David Hannon said: “Our breakthrough into the Old Oak Common station box is a significant milestone for the project.

“This achievement is a credit to the teamwork and dedication of everyone involved, from those working deep underground to those supporting on the surface. We will continue to deliver our work with safety and productivity at the heart of everything we do.”

Separately, two tunnel boring machines launched from the eastern end of the Old Oak Common station box at the start of 2026 are continuing their 4.5-mile journeys towards HS2’s planned central London terminus at Euston. They are expected to reach the destination in mid-2027.