. . . "Fast Tunnelling"@en . . . . . . . . "When tunnels need to be dug in fiction (particularly by the Tunnel King), they're usually dug very quickly. Ridiculously quickly. At rates that are flatly not possible, often in the range of several metres per hour second, without use of explosives or specialized boring machines. By way of reference, the fastest boring machine in history can only manage 4.5 metres per hour, with an experienced crew to run it, and to run all of the support systems, like removing waste rock and lining the tunnel behind the machine, which are very often ignored in fictional tunnelling. Note that this trope only applies to characters digging far faster than their abilities and equipment should allow. Rock-shapers, earthbenders, Superman and similar characters do not generally fall under this trope. Expect a Worm Sign to show up near the surface. Examples of Fast Tunnelling include:"@en . . . . "When tunnels need to be dug in fiction (particularly by the Tunnel King), they're usually dug very quickly. Ridiculously quickly. At rates that are flatly not possible, often in the range of several metres per hour second, without use of explosives or specialized boring machines. By way of reference, the fastest boring machine in history can only manage 4.5 metres per hour, with an experienced crew to run it, and to run all of the support systems, like removing waste rock and lining the tunnel behind the machine, which are very often ignored in fictional tunnelling."@en . .