TWO schoolchildren have won a competition to name a machine which is being used to dig under the Thames to help create a high-speed Channel Tunnel rail link.
Rhys Martin and Jacob Waghorn, from St Joseph’s Primary School, in Northfleet, each won £25 worth of book tokens for their winning name of Susie the Dirt Digger.
As part of their prize the boy’s school will receive a donation of £100 from the company in charge of the project.
Susie — a 1,100 tonne tunnel-boring machine – will dig the second Thames tunnel for the link.
The first machine, named Millie the Muncher Cruncher, completed the initial tunnel in March.
A spokesman said: “The main body of the machine was removed and replaced, giving life to Susie the Dirt Digger, who began her drive in April.
“Susie is now 600 metres into the drive and expected to arrive at Swanscombe, Kent, in November.” It is hoped the £5.2bn rail link will halve journey times from central London to the Channel Tunnel once it is completed in 2007.
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