Goddess and palaeontologist inspire tunnel machines’ names
The winning names chosen for our two new Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) – which are now burrowing into the earth underneath Hampshire – can now be revealed.
Celtic goddess Ancasta and 19th-century fossil hunter Mary Anning were selected from dozens of suggestions put forward by children across our region for the huge drills.
TBMs are traditionally given a female name to provide good luck for the projects, a custom following around the world.
The two machines are digging the part of the hole which will be filled by the 19km Southampton Link Main water pipeline. The pipeline will add greater resilience to our water network in the county by connecting the city with Otterbourne Water Supply Works.
Pioneering Anning is renowned for her significant discoveries of fossils along the Dorset coast, including the first complete skeletons of an Ichthyosaur and a Plesiosaur. She was also the inspiration for the famous tongue twister, ‘she sells seashells by the seashore’.
Ancasta was worshipped in Roman Britain and was associated with the nearby River Itchen.
Competition winners were Etty aged 15, who chose Mary Anning, and Evie aged 13, who chose Ancasta, with both receiving a £50 gift voucher.
Terence Hedley, Senior Project Manager, said:
“Congratulations go to both Etty and Evie for taking the time for choosing such thoughtful names. The new underground pipeline will run from Otterbourne to Yew Hill reservoir, near Winchester, and then south to our Rownhams water supply works on the outskirts of Southampton.
“We’ve worked closely with landowners and local authorities to find the most viable and least disruptive route.
“We are doing this to improve the resilience of our water network, making any future loss of water incidents less likely and helping us take less water from the precious environments of the River Test and River Itchen.”