Look Who it Was Random video

Sydney Metro: Launch of tunnel boring machine Nancy

1,839 views · Published 2 November 2018 · 1:52 · Indexed 9 October 2026

Channel: Transport For NSW · 2018 · Film & Animation

Watch on YouTube

Tunnelling has started to deliver twin new metro railway tunnels below the centre of Sydney and deep under Sydney Harbour.

Tunnel boring machine (TBM) Nancy was officially launched on 17 October 2018 – one of the five mega borers which will build 31 kilometres of tunnels between Marrickville and Chatswood.

The TBM has been named Nancy in honour of transport pioneer Nancy Bird Walton OBE.

Nancy and another TBM will tunnel 8.1 kilometres from Marrickville to the new Sydney Metro station sites at Waterloo, Central, Pitt Street, Martin Place and on to Barangaroo, where they will be removed from deep underground.

The TBMs are about 150 metres long – that’s longer than two Airbus A380s – and specially designed for Sydney’s geology to cut through hard sandstone.

The five TBMs will excavate 5.9 million tonnes of rock – enough to fill about 940 Olympic swimming pools.

This is the first time in Australian history that five TBMs have worked on a transport infrastructure project. 

The borers are underground tunnelling factories, mechanical worms designed to dig and line the tunnels as they go so that Sydney Metro can be delivered as quickly as possible.

Nancy is specially designed to cut through sandstone and shale and will tunnel an average of 120 metres a week.

Two TBMs will also dig 6.2 kilometres from Chatswood to the edge of Sydney Harbour. A fifth machine has been specially designed to deliver the twin tunnels under Sydney Harbour.

It is traditional to give a female name all machines which work underground, because workers look to Saint Barbara for protection. 

Nancy Bird Walton OBE was an Australian pioneer aviator, the first female pilot in the Commonwealth to carry passengers and the founder of the Australian Women Pilots' Association; 16 October 2018 would have been Nancy Bird-Walton’s 103rd birthday.

TRANSCRIPT:

Meet Nancy, the first of our five mega borers.

We're now tunnelling under Sydney

Twin 15.5km metro railway tunnels between Marrickville and Chatswood

Under the centre and deep below Sydney Harbour

150 metres long

Longer than two airbus A380 super jumbos

Specially designed for Sydney's geology

Our five TMBs will excavate 5.9 million tonnes of rock

That's 940 Olympic swimming pools of rock

Today's all about the hardware getting to work. We've got five to launch in total and that's quite a lot of work.

Nancy has started her 8.1km journey from Marrickville to Barangaroo

Through new metro stations at Waterloo, Central, PItt Street and Martin Place.

Nancy is named in honour of transport pioneer Nancy Bird Walton OBE

She was committed to the future, and the process of making things better for everyone.

She was the first female pilot in the Commonwealth to carry passangers

Traditionally around the world tunnelling machines are given female names

Sydney Metro opens in the city's north west next year

 In 2024, Sydney will have 31 metro stations and a 66km metro railway

Australia's biggest public transport project.

More from this channel