HS2 has completed the civil engineering phase of its first twin-bore tunnel at Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire, marking a significant milestone for the high-speed rail project.

The one-mile-long tunnel, which will carry trains into the West Midlands, now has all its essential elements in place, including three cross passages, concrete finishing works, base slabs, and emergency walkways.

The next stage will involve fitting out the tunnel with railway systems needed for the high-speed line.

Work on the tunnel began in June 2020, with excavation carried out by a 125-metre-long tunnel boring machine named 'Dorothy' after Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dorothy Hodgkin.

The machine completed both tunnel bores by March 2023, excavating approximately 750,000 tonnes of material which has been reused for embankments along the railway route.

Doug Barnett, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd, said: "It's a small part of HS2 but it's been four and a half years of my life in which I've seen this construction go from its very embers to nearing completion – a really proud moment for me personally."

The tunnel's design minimises environmental impact by preserving the ancient woodland above and avoiding local villages, running 30 metres below ground level.

Jules Arlaud, Tunnelling Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: "The scale of this achievement is enormous. A dedicated workforce of around 380 people have worked tirelessly over the past five years to reach this latest phase of construction."

Long Itchington Wood Tunnel is the first of five twin-bore tunnels to reach this stage on the HS2 project.

In total, 27.4 miles of the route between London and the West Midlands will be in deep, twin-bore tunnels.

Construction of HS2 continues, with the programme now supporting over 31,000 jobs across the country.