HS2 has released timelapse and drone footage showing contractors moving a 1,100 tonne composite viaduct into place over two M42/M6 link roads in North Warwickshire. The 158-metre-long structure was moved into place in 13 hours using a specialist push-pull jacking technique. The ‘East M42-M6 Link Viaduct’ is one of 13 viaducts which make up HS2’s triangular Delta Junction. This section of the railway enables high speed trains to travel between London, Interchange Station in Solihull and Birmingham Curzon Street Station. The operation was completed 10 hours ahead of schedule during a weekend road closure, enabling the motorway link roads to be opened earlier than planned. It was delivered by a team of 25 people from specialist steelwork company Victor Buyck Steel Construction (VBSC), working on behalf of HS2’s main works contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV). HS2 Ltd, BBV and National Highways collaborated to minimise disruption for people using the roads and enabling this engineering feat to take place. This was the second ‘launch’ of this structure to move it into its final position over both westbound and eastbound motorway link roads. In February, the first launch took the first 84 metre section of the viaduct to its halfway position over the westbound link road. Since then, three further steel girders were welded to the back of the first section and 38 precast concrete slabs were installed to complete the 158-metre-long structure. By installing the slabs prior to launch, the number of highway closures required to finish the composite deck has been significantly reduced helping to keep future closures of the link road to a minimum. Over the summer, a similar two-stage operation will move the identical ‘West M42-M6 Link Viaduct’ which runs parallel to the East Link Viaduct. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

HS2 has begun foundation works for a key bridge that will take a major A road over the new high-speed railway just outside Brackley, after successfully completing the temporarily realignment of both carriageways. The A43 – which links Oxford, Brackley and Northampton – is a vital route, providing access to Silverstone and connections between the M40 and M1. Just two weekend closures were needed during the seven-month realignment project, with HS2 working closely with National Highways to create an ‘island’ between the two carriageways big enough for the construction of the new bridge deck. HS2 engineers have now begun work on the 52m deep piled foundation that will support the weight of the bridge. These will be topped with concrete pile caps and piers supporting the 66-metre-long bridge deck that will carry the road. Once the deck has been completed, the road will be moved back over the new bridge and excavation can begin to create space for the railway to pass underneath. This multi-stage approach was designed to keep traffic flowing and reduce disruption. HS2’s Senior Project Manager Elizabeth Longinotti said: “It’s great to see the start of foundation works for the A43 overbridge. Once complete, HS2 will boost connections between Britain’s two largest cities while freeing up space for more local services on the existing network. But it’s also vital that we keep the local routes which people depend on open while we build the railway. “That’s why we’ve worked closely with National Highway and our contractors to design and deliver a complex multi-stage project which will keep disruption to a minimum while we deliver this key overbridge.” The almost 80km stretch of railway that passes Brackley – including the A43 bridge – is being delivered by HS2’s main works contractor EKFB, a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall – working with ASC (a joint venture between Arcadis, Setec and COWI). They worked with National Highways and EKFS’s sub-contractor, Kier Highways, to construct the temporary realignment over a seven-month period last year. National Highways Network Planner for the East Midlands, Phil Shaw, said:  “We always strive to minimise disruption for people using our roads when any work is being carried out and have liaised closely with our HS2 partners to do so on this complex project. “Working together we have not only been able to limit the impact on drivers of building the overbridge but have also been able to take advantage of any road closures to carry out some routine maintenance work which means we won’t have to come back and close the road another time.” EKFB’s Project Director, Tony Wehby, said: “EKFB’s priority was to minimise disruption for local road users and to keep communities connected as best as possible. The road closures were minimised to short periods and often overnight.  “The team is thrilled to be at this point in the construction programme and the start of piling works signifies outstanding team collaboration to get it to this stage. This a complex set of works and is a unique construction project in itself, that heavily leans on the expertise of the multiple contractors involved in delivering these works to a high and safe standard.” The A43 is one of around 500 bridges on the HS2 project – which is designed to improve connections between London, Birmingham and the North while freeing up space for more local trains on the most congested southern end of the existing West Coast Main Line into London Euston. These range from small footbridges and underpasses, to innovative ‘green bridges’ designed to help wildlife cross the railway, massive motorway bridges and the record-breaking Colne Valley Viaduct. The last few months has also seen significant progress at HS2’s other major viaducts, with the first deck slide for the enormous Delta Junction over the A42/M6 link road outside Birmingham and the start of a half-kilometre deck slide at Wendover Dean. Route wide, HS2 is now at peak construction, with 28,000 people employed directly and across the UK-wide supply chain. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The final two major structures being built to bring HS2 into Birmingham have been approved by local councils – marking another significant milestone for the project. Approval has been granted for the design of two new viaducts, meaning eight “Key Design Elements” (KDEs) on the West Midlands section of the route have now passed the Schedule 17 process. KDEs are structures on the HS2 project identified as being significant because of their size, proximity to communities, or location within sensitive areas. Because of these challenges, HS2 has undertaken extensive engagement with local communities to listen to people’s views and incorporate feedback in the design of the structures where possible. The River Blythe Viaduct has received Schedule 17 planning approval from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. A 475-metre low-lying structure, just south of the new HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull, it is designed to skim the flat, agricultural landscape as it crosses the River Blythe, the floodplain and Meriden Road near Hampton in Arden. Feedback from the local community has been incorporated into the planning of the construction of this viaduct, particularly regarding tree planting and protecting the local environment in the areas near the river which are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Saltley Viaduct has received planning approval from Birmingham City Council. It is a 225-metre structure, including approaches, located two miles north-east of Birmingham city centre, and will take the B4144 road over the HS2 line, the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, the Birmingham and Derby rail line and the River Rea. It will be an important crossing point, providing access to the city centre and the wards of Nechells and Alum Rock. A wider pathway to make room for cyclists, additional lighting, and replacing stainless steel material with weathering steel panels and a perforated pattern, were key requirements from local people, which have all been incorporated. Stephen Powell, HS2 Ltd’s Head of Delivery said: “Achieving these two KDE planning approvals is a significant milestone for the project. It’s been hugely important for us to engage and consult with communities as we reach the final design stages of these key structures in the West Midlands, and we’re very grateful for the feedback they have provided. “Our designers have incorporated local feedback in all of these Key Design Element structures, including enhanced environmental features, use of materials and additional amenities such as footpaths and cycling tracks in the areas around them, ensuring that we have the best outcome for everyone.” Nick McGough, Director at Weston Williamson + Partners, and Lead Architect for the Balfour Beatty VINCI Design Joint Venture, which is designing HS2 in the West Midlands, said: “All of HS2 needs to be designed sensitively but KDE structures in particular were identified through the parliamentary process due to their scale and significance. The whole team has worked incredibly hard for over 6 years to engage local communities in a process which has involved Local Authorities, key stakeholders and the HS2 Independent Design Panel. “The approvals received for the River Blythe Viaduct and Saltley Viaduct complete the set of KDEs in the West Midlands which will bring HS2 into central Birmingham, whilst contributing positively to local communities. For the River Blythe Viaduct this includes landscape enhancements whilst at Saltley, active travel is encouraged with dedicated pedestrian and cycleways separated from road traffic.” One other KDE in Birmingham is: One other KDE in Solihull is: Four other KDEs in North Warwickshire are: These KDE structures form part of the section being designed and built by Balfour Beatty VINCI, HS2’s construction partner in the Midlands, together with a Design Joint Venture of Mott MacDonald and SYSTRA with Weston Williamson + Partners as architects. This project team is responsible for delivering the 90km stretch of the route spanning from Long Itchington in Warwickshire to the centre of Birmingham and on to Handsacre in Staffordshire. A workforce of over 9,000 people and 400 companies in the West Midlands are helping to build HS2. In total BBV are building 42 viaducts (totalling 11km), 62 overbridges, 62 embankments, 34 cuttings, 28 underbridges, 11 underpasses, along with two twin bore tunnels and two cut and cover tunnels (totalling 15km). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The second giant boring machine (TBM) building HS2 under the Chiltern Hills broke through at the tunnel’s northern portal late this afternoon, completing a journey that began in June 2021. Named Cecilia, the TBM has driven for 10 miles underground to join twin sister machine – Florence. She arrived at the site near the Buckinghamshire town of Wendover on 27 February, after completing her adjacent tunnel drive. Between them, the two 2,000 tonne machines have built the twin bore tunnel at depths of up to 80 metres and excavated three million cubic metres of chalk. Each machine operates like an underground factory, able to excavate the tunnels and line them with 56,000 pre-cast concrete tunnel segments, grouting them into place and moving forward at an average speed of 16 metres per day. When HS2 is operational trains will travel through the Chiltern tunnel – the line’s longest – at speeds of up to 200mph, helping to almost halve journey times between Britain’s two largest cities. The new high-speed line will relieve traffic the West Coast Mainline, freeing up space for more local services on the most crowded part of the important Victorian route. It will almost double rail capacity between London and the West Midlands, providing a more reliable service and driving economic growth. HS2 Ltd’s head of civil works for this section of the route, Mark Clapp, said: “Today is a remarkable achievement for all concerned. Cecelia’s arrival completes excavation of HS2’s 10-mile twin-bore tunnel, but it’s only the end of the first chapter in the story of building Britain’s high-speed railway under the Chiltern Hills. “Several years of intensive, world class engineering lie ahead of us to complete the tunnels’ four ventilation shafts plus headhouses; install the mechanical and electrical plant and machinery, slab track and overhead electrical wires before trains begin passing through at 200mph.” Both machines launched from the tunnel’s south portal, near the M25 motorway, were operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. The machines are made in Germany by TBM specialists Herrenknecht. Align’s Underground Construction Director, Didier Jacques said: “Ten miles is a long drive for a TBM, with a typical average being around three miles. The complexity and technically challenges of completing such a long drive for both our TBMs has been significant, however I am delighted that as a team, we have risen to the challenge. “Both TBMs were designed in partnership with Herrenknecht and incorporate innovations and technologies that have been introduced on TBMs in the UK for the first time, to enhance performance and safety. This includes ‘semi-continuous boring’, allowing our TBMs to build the rings that line the tunnels without pausing.” Each TBM is operated by a crew of around 17, working in shifts to keep the machines running when required 24/7. They are supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. In total over 450 people have worked on the tunnels over the last three years, including a dedicated production team who made 112,000 precision-engineered, fibre-reinforced concrete tunnel wall segments on site at a purpose build temporary factory – and a team processing the spoil from the tunnels. Completion of tunnelling under the Chilterns follows recent publication of HS2 Ltd research showing how high-speed line’s arrival in the West Midlands will give a £10 billion economic boost over the next decade, with new development around its stations at Birmingham’s Curzon Street and near the city’s airport and the NEC. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals