Farnworth Tunnel boring machine officially named

The giant boring machine to be used in constructing the 270m tunnel at Farnworth has officially been named ‘Fillie’.

The competition to name the machine was won by St Gregory’s school pupil, Paris Bate, aged 10 who came up with the name Fillie. The name’s origin comes from the land currently being used for the compound for the project previously being stables.

Children from two local primary schools, St John’s and St Gregory’s, were asked to come up with a design for a safety poster and to suggest a name of the boring machine.

Beth Dale, scheme project manager said, “This is a significant engineering project and we appreciate that our work here is having an impact on the local community. We wanted to do something to include local school children so they could find out more about the work we are doing and railway safety.

“Fillie is an appropriate name considering the history of the site and we are now looking forward to the machine helping to create a better railway through the area.”

The machine has arrived on site and will be put together in sections this week. Network Rail have ensured that the stability of both tunnels to commence work and constructed a large launch pit for the boring machine, which is 20m long, 3m deep and 11m wide.

Over 7,000 cu m of foam concrete have been pumped into the tunnel over the last three weeks, in preparation for Fillie to begin work. The machine is 9m in diameter, and weighs 293 tonnes, with 12m of supporting machinery. Once launched, the machine will tunnel 24 hours a day, reboring the tunnel, and installing 1900 concrete sections which will form the tunnel lining.

The project to build a new tunnel is part of an investment of over £1Bn that will provide a better railway in the north west of England and lead to the electrification of the line between Manchester and Preston, via Bolton.

Rob Warnes, planning and programmes director for Northern Rail, said: “Getting an opportunity to speak to the school children at St John’s and St Gregory’s has really helped us deliver an important message; not only about safety on the railway but also the importance of the major project. The Farnworth Tunnel project is laying the foundations for much improved rail services throughout the north west. Thanks to this electrification programme, we’ll be able to run better trains, faster trains and electric trains between the north’s growing urban centres.”

Kathryn O’Brien, customer service director at First TransPennine Express, said: “Congratulations to Paris, and well done to everyone who entered the competition to name the boring machine. We received many fantastic entries and it was a tough task to choose just one, but ‘Fillie’ struck a chord because of its relevance to the site in Farnworth.”

Councillor David Chadwick, Bolton Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “The standard of the entries was very high indeed, with some very original names. Fillie was chosen because of its association with horses which were stabled in a field close by. Clearly the work at the Farnworth Tunnels have captured the imagination of the children involved, judging by the number of entries.”

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