The machine, named Florence in honor of the nurse Florence Nightingale, was welcomed on Tuesday by hundreds of HS2 employees with fireworks and applause.
HS2 Ltd. referred to Florence as a “underground factory” since it was operated by a workforce of about 17 individuals who worked in shifts to keep it functioning continuously.
The machine traveled at an average speed of 16 meters per day, excavating the tunnel and lining it with 56,000 pre-cast concrete segments and grouting them into place.
Over the next few weeks, the machine will be disassembled after fulfilling its task.
A big portion of the 10.25-meter-diameter machine will be discarded, although some large components will be used again in other tunnel boring machines.
