TBM’s Milestones
September 2022 - TBM’s final breakthrough at Te Waihorotiu station
April 2022 - TBM sets off to build the second tunnel
December 2021- Breakthrough at Te Waihorotiu Station
October 2021 - Breakthrough at the Karanga-a-Hape Station
May 2021- TBM turned on for the first time
The Tunnel Boring Machine was turned on for the first time at the Link Alliance's Maungawhau/Mount Eden Station site by then Transport Minister Michael Wood and then Auckland Mayor Phil Goff pressing the start button in May 2021.
December 2020 - Boring Day Out Public Event
In December 2020, we were pleased to be able to give 5000 Aucklanders a close-up view of our Tunnel Boring Machine.
December 2020 - Blessing of the TBM
Our Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) was blessed by Dame Whina Cooper’s daughter, Hinerangi Puru Cooper, and her wider whanau at the Maungawhau Station (Mt Eden) construction site on 4 December 2020.
CRL CEO Dr Sean Sweeney said: “Dame Whina’s legacy is one of determination and the importance of working together, values that fittingly apply to this project and our journey ahead to build a world class railway for Auckland.
Hinerangi said she was honoured and humbled to be present at the unveiling of the TBM today.
February 2020 - Sod-turning ceremony at Maungawhau Station
DigCRL: CRL Ltd CE Dr Sean Sweeney, then Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and then Minister of Transport Phil Twyford
On 13 February 2020, spades in the ground at the sod-turning ceremony cleared the way for work to start on driving 66 concrete piles between 38 metres and eight metres long into the ground to support the curved-shaped retaining wall 127 metres long and 25 metres high.
The portal took 10 months to build. When completed, it became the launching pad for the TBM.