Bolton Manufacturer Begins Production of HS2 Tunnel Safety Doors

Booth Industries has completed production of the first safety-critical cross-passage door for the HS2 project at its specialist manufacturing facility in Bolton, marking a key milestone in the delivery of systems for Britain’s high-speed railway.

The company will manufacture a total of 300 tunnel cross-passage doors for the project, supporting more than 130 jobs across the North West.

Specialist manufacturing facility supporting HS2 delivery

Production is taking place at Booth Industries’ purpose-built 600m² factory in Bolton, which opened in 2021 alongside the company’s main manufacturing site.

The facility was developed to expand production capacity and introduce greater automation to support large-scale manufacturing requirements for major infrastructure projects.

The contract represents a significant package of work for the long-established engineering firm, which has more than 150 years of manufacturing heritage in the region.

Critical role in tunnel safety

The cross-passage doors will form a vital part of HS2’s tunnel safety systems.

Installed between northbound and southbound tunnel bores, the doors will provide emergency access routes between tunnels in the event of an incident while helping maintain safe tunnel operation during normal railway use.

The doors have been engineered to withstand intense pressure changes generated by high-speed trains travelling through tunnels, as well as extreme temperatures in the unlikely event of a fire.

Extensive testing programme completed

According to HS2 Ltd, the doors have undergone rigorous fire, fatigue and performance testing to meet strict railway safety requirements.

The design also incorporates lessons learned from previous tunnel projects, helping standardise systems and improve efficiency during manufacturing, installation and commissioning phases.

Each door weighs approximately 600kg and uses a carefully balanced counterweight system to allow operation during emergencies.

Trial installation completed in Chiltern Tunnel

A successful trial installation has already been completed within the Chiltern Tunnel — HS2’s longest tunnel at approximately 10 miles in length.

Lessons from the pilot installation are now being applied across the wider tunnel programme.

HS2 includes five deep twin-bore tunnels between London and the West Midlands, covering more than 27 miles in total, alongside additional cut-and-cover tunnel sections.

All tunnels will include emergency walkways, with cross-passages linking tunnel bores through safety doors positioned at regular intervals.

Supporting UK engineering and skills

In addition to the tunnel doors, Booth Industries will also manufacture specialist safety doors for Old Oak Common station and other tunnel-related infrastructure across the HS2 network.

HS2 head of delivery for tunnels and lineside M&E, Qasir Raza, described the start of production as an important step as the programme transitions from major civil engineering works towards railway systems installation.

Booth Industries managing director Mike Jenkinson said the contract supports investment in local skills, manufacturing capability and long-term engineering growth within the North West.

He added that the project builds on the company’s expertise in delivering performance-critical systems for complex infrastructure and industrial sectors.