Strabag in ‘world record’ for longest single bored tunnel drive

Strabag UK’s team tunnelling team on the Woodsmith project celebrate breaking the world record for the longest single bored tunnel drive (Image: Strabag UK)

Austrian contractor Strabag’s UK arm has claimed a world record for the longest single tunnel boring machine (TBM) drive, for a tunnel under the North York Moors.

Strabag is working for mining firm Anglo American to build a 37km tunnel at the Woodsmith project near Whitby in the north-east of England.

It involves construction the world’s longest conveyor tunnel for a permanent mineral transport system (MTS), which will transport tens of millions of tonnes of polyhalite from under the North York Moors National Park.

Strabag has been boring under the North York Moors National Park since June 2019 using a single (hard rock) Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine (TBM). The 4.9-metre-diameter tunnel recently reached a length of 25.8km – a new record.

The former record was set by a water conveyance tunnel project in the Middle East which was also built using a Herrenknecht tunnel boring machine.

A Strabag UK worker installs a plaque marking the 25.8km distance the tunnelling team has achieved so far (Image: Strabag UK)

Once the full 37km of the tunnel is completed, Anglo American and Strabag hope to have their new record confirmed by Guinness World Records.

Strabag UK directly employs 450 staff on the project, 75% of whom are local to Teesside.

The polyhalite which will be mined at the site is a naturally occurring mineral which will then be crushed and granulated to create POLY4 - a multi-nutrient fertiliser which is suitable for organic use.

The TBM was named Stella-Rose by a local primary school pupil, with Stella, meaning star in Latin, and Rose, after the famous local landmark Roseberry Topping.

Managing director for Strabag UK, Simon Wild, said, “We are extremely proud of the team at the Woodsmith project for reaching this incredible milestone and safely passing the current world record set for a single bored tunnel drive.

“This is another example of our growing presence in the north- east of England and the UK.”