An iron and steel 'tooth' blade from the borer machine that broke through the final section of the Channel Tunnel, circa 1988

cast 'W19S5' and 'Item 102, 71013, GXG88', blade chipped

Deborah Devonshire, Wait for Me, London, 2011, p. 238.

The Duchess writes 'Nicko [Sir Nicholas Henderson a fellow non-executive director of Tarmac] was chairman of the Channel Tunnel Group in 1985-6 and was instrumental in the run-up to, and making of, the tunnel. The work was done by a consortium of British construction companies, including Tarmac, in conjunction with their French counterparts - with whom Nicko was able to talk with the familiar ease of one who has lived in France. We went with the other directors on an exciting expedition under the sea when our side was about to meet the French tunnellers. The machines were like something out of a giant's toy box and I still have - given to me as a memento of the day - one of the claws that played its part in opening up this underground highway to the Continent'.

Shows signs of use and heavy industrial wear. Rust throughout.
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