United Utilities is getting ready to start work on the next phase of the £300 million West Cumbria water supplies pipeline scheme – the water company has taken delivery of a multi-million pound tunnel boring machine (TBM).

Known as ‘Diggory’, the TBM is 2.8 meters tall, is capable of shifting as much earth in a day as 100 workers, with 40 teeth and weighs 54 tonnes and will be working around the clock to complete the Castlerigg tunnel by December 2018. Last week the machine was lifted by crane into the bottom of a purpose-built shaft just off the A591, ready to begin a major tunnelling journey underneath Castlerigg.

Using laser guiding and GPS location technology, Diggory’s support team will be able to construct the 1.3km tunnel to millimetre accuracy, helping to pave the way for the twin water pipelines being laid between Thirlmere reservoir and Williamsgate.

John Hilton, Project Director at United Utilities, said:

“This is an exciting milestone in the West Cumbria Supplies project. The Castlerigg tunnel is the longest along the pipeline route, and the deepest in places where it will be up to 65 metres below the surface. We have an excellent team of specialists working with us on this particular tunnel and the four others along the route.

“I’m hopeful that we will continue with the amazing progress we’ve been making this summer. The dry conditions have allowed us to get 45 kilometres of pipeline in the ground and we’re forecasting to complete about a year ahead of schedule, and we’re also under budget.”

Diggory is the second tunnel boring machine to be used on the pipeline project. A smaller TBM began work last week digging a shorter tunnel beneath the River Greta in Keswick. When finished it will be used to dig another three tunnels at Chestnut Hill and Nether Place in Keswick and at the River Derwent near Cockermouth.

Diggory is a brand new machine, made in Germany especially for the Castlerigg job. When finished it will be reconditioned and sent to construct another tunnel in Australia.

The £300m West Cumbria Water Supplies project is aimed at bringing more reliable and sustainable water supplies into Allerdale and Copeland. The scheme will link the area to Thirlmere Reservoir, and involves the construction of 100km of new pipeline, a new treatment plant at Williamsgate, two new pumping stations and two new underground service reservoirs. The project started in Spring 2017 and will be completed by 2022.