Manufactured in Germany by Herrenknecht, the TBM was initially transported in sections across the North Sea to Immingham Docks in Lincolnshire before making its way to Chester services. 

Between Monday 18 and Friday 29 November it then made its way across North Wales via 27 different deliveries along the A55 and A487 to the Eryri VIP project’s Garth site construction compound. 

Last autumn, Scarlett Katie Lebeau Harvey from Ysgol Eifion Wyn won National Grid’s competition to name the TBM, with her entry Buddug. 

The name Buddug is the Welsh equivalent of the name Victoria in English. It is derived from ‘buddugoliaeth’, the Welsh translation of the Latin word 'victoria' which means 'victory' and carries connotations of leadership, triumph, strength, resilience, intelligence and optimism.

On the day of the delivery of the TBM’s large front section, known as the shield, the site team was joined by the chair of the project’s Stakeholder Advisory Group, environmentalist and broadcaster Chris Baines, and the chief executive of the Eryri National Park Authority Jonathan Cawley, who waited in anticipation to witness the machine’s arrival. 

Many members of the local community also lined the streets to catch a glimpse of Buddug as it made its way through local communities including Penmorfa and Minffordd. 

Steve Ellison, National Grid’s senior project manager for Eryri VIP, said: “The arrival of the TBM was many months in the planning, and we worked hard to minimise any disruption on local roads that deliveries of this kind can sometimes cause. 

“We’ve really appreciated the cooperation and understanding of the local community over the past few weeks and it was fantastic to see the amount of excitement that this important phase in our project has generated.”

With Buddug now having safely arrived on site, the different parts have been carefully unloaded ready to be assembled. Once completed, the TBM will measure 166m and weigh 436 tonnes. 

Over the next few months, the project team will be working to prepare for the launch of the TBM early next year when it will start its underground journey. It will reach its destination in Llandecwyn in mid-2026.

If you have any questions about the project, please contact the Eryri VIP project team by emailing us at [email protected] or calling 0800 018 1898 between 9am – 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. If we are unable to answer your call, please leave a message and one of our team will get back to you.