Europe’s largest construction project has unveiled the first of eight, 1,000 tonne tunnel boring machines TBM that will construct the new Crossrail tunnels under central London.
The 140 metre long, fully assembled tunnel boring machine TBM is currently undergoing factory testing. The machine will shortly be dismantled and shipped to London where it will be re-assembled at Westbourne Park ahead of tunnelling commencing from Royal Oak in March.
via Crossrail Press Release – Crossrail’s first tunnel boring machine unveiled – Crossrail.
I read a science fiction book once about a machine just like this that was used to tunnel to the center of the earth.
