Work on the UK’s longest railway bridge ramped up this week as HS2 began production of 1,000 enormous concrete segments that will form the deck of the Colne Valley Viaduct. Stretching for 2.1 miles (3.4km) across a series of lakes and waterways just outside London, the viaduct will carry high-speed
HS2 Ltd launched its fourth Innovation Accelerator programme as the company behind Britain’s new high speed rail network seeks fresh thinking on three aspects of the project’s delivery. Working with the Collected Places Catapult, HS2 Ltd is seeking five innovative SMEs to develop digital solutions to: supply chain management risk
Breakthrough offers potential to power Britain’s new high speed railway stations An HS2 building site is the test bed for a revolutionary new building method that could ultimately provide carbon-free energy to stations on Britain’s new high speed rail network. The breakthrough, part of HS2’s Innovation programme, and soon to
The construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge took another major step forward this week with the start of work on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London. Stretching for 3.4km,
HS2 CEO Mark Thurston visits Bolton factory as work starts on £36.5m contract Bolton SME continues to recruit new staff to build over 300 safety doors for HS2 tunnels Progress on the manufacturing of safety doors for HS2 tunnels been made as Booth Industries, a Bolton based SME, opened its
Yesterday HS2 launched its first tunnel boring machine (TBM) in the Midlands The 2,000 tonne TBM has started on its journey to dig a one-mile tunnel under Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire, preserving the precious habitats above The TBM is named ‘Dorothy’ after Dorothy Hodgkin, who in 1964 became the
HS2’s latest performance data shows it has supported over 1400 people who were out of work into employment, demonstrating the project’s crucial role in the drive to Build Back Better and equip people with ‘Skills for Life’. HS2’s success in supporting unemployed people into work is largely driven by the
Virtual 360 degree exhibition launched ahead of COP26 to profile measures HS2 is taking to cut carbon: https://360.hs2.org.uk/interchange Online tour with 30 interactive features, five new videos on HS2’s environmental innovations and 25 images of Interchange Station People can sign up for three HS2 webinars during COP26: https://www.hs2.org.uk/cop26/ In the
HS2 was this week celebrating a literal milestone as ‘Florence’ – the first of ten Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) on Phase One completed her first mile of tunnel for the UK’s new high speed railway The latest photos of work on the Chiltern tunnel are available here: https://mediacentre.hs2.org.uk/resources/f/tbms-and-tunnels-massive-machines-and-their-current-progress/chiltern-tunnel-construction A new
HS2 has recently revealed the colossal logistics operation that is taking place at HS2’s logistics hub near Willesden Junction. The 30-acre site will be the beating heart of the logistics operation for HS2 in London, and will be where earth from the 26 miles of tunnel will be processed and
Work on the UK’s longest railway bridge ramped up this week as HS2 began production of 1,000 enormous concrete segments that will form the deck of the Colne Valley Viaduct. Stretching for 2.1 miles (3.4km) across a series of lakes and waterways just outside London, the viaduct will carry high-speed trains as part of the HS2 project, designed to improve rail links between London, Birmingham and North, boost the economy and provide a low carbon alternative to car and air travel. The huge deck segments – which weigh up to 140 tonnes – are being made on site at a temporary factory built specifically for the project. The mammoth 100m long building, which is visible from the M25, has an internal volume of 105,000 cubic metres – making it larger than the Royal Albert Hall. HS2 Project Client, David Emms said: “We’re already making strong progress on the Colne Valley Viaduct – sinking the foundations, building the first piers, and now starting production at the new modular viaduct factory. Once complete, this iconic structure will carry trains at up to 200mph – improving connections across the UK, freeing up rail capacity and offering passengers low carbon travel options. “It’s great to see how much progress has been made and I look forward to seeing work on assembling the deck structure later this year.” Every segment will be a slightly different shape depending on where it fits into the viaduct and the modular approach was chosen to ensure quality, safety and efficiency in production and to avoid bringing them in by road. At the peak of construction, around 12 segments – each the size of a double-decker bus – will be cast every week using a ‘match-casting’ technique. This approach – where each segment is poured against the previous one – will ensure the whole arch fits perfectly when reassembled on site. The huge project is being led by engineers from HS2’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. Once construction is complete, the factory and surrounding buildings will be removed and the whole area between the viaduct and the Chiltern tunnel will be transformed into an area of chalk grassland and woodland as part of HS2’s ‘green corridor’ project. Daniel Altier, Align Project Director “Seeing the first deck segments being cast in the factory marks a significant milestone for the project. The design of the viaduct is such that each segment will be unique, delivering a structure which I have no doubt will be one of the most striking elements of HS2 once complete. “I would like to thank all the Align team and our supply chain partners that have enabled us to get to where we are today and in particular VSL, Danny Sullivan, Sendin and Tarmac.” The design of the Colne Valley Viaduct was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water, with a series of elegant spans, some up to 80m long, carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes, River Colne and Grand Union Canal. Set low into the landscape, wider spans will carry the viaduct crosses the lakes, with narrower spans for the approaches. This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement views across the natural surroundings. Work has also begun on the 56 giant piers that will support the viaduct, working from north to south. Weighing in at around 370 tonnes, the first 6m tall reinforced concrete pier was cast on site by a team of engineers who used a specially-designed formwork to create the shape of the structure. This was then removed after 4 days to reveal the final product. Each pier is designed to support the full weight of the deck above and rests on a set of concrete piles going up to 55m into the ground. This foundation work began earlier this year and will require the construction of 292 piles and 56 pile caps across the whole length of the viaduct. Once complete, the team will then use a specialised ‘launching girder’ resting on top of the piers to lift the deck segments into position. In another visible sign of progress on the project, the team have also completed the construction of the first two of four jetties across the lakes to get equipment into position to support the construction thereby taking construction vehicles off local roads. Where the viaduct crosses the lakes, the piles are being bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is constructed.
HS2 Ltd launched its fourth Innovation Accelerator programme as the company behind Britain’s new high speed rail network seeks fresh thinking on three aspects of the project’s delivery. Working with the Collected Places Catapult, HS2 Ltd is seeking five innovative SMEs to develop digital solutions to: supply chain management risk management and decision making information exchange and insights HS2 innovation manager, Jonathan Kelly, said: “Fourteen SMEs who graduated from HS2’s first three Accelerator programmes have since attracted over £50million in commercial trials, investments and grants following their four-month stint honing their products. “HS2 is massive whichever way you look at it, be it duration, geography or workforce. We’re looking to build on this success with the Accelerator’s fourth cohort providing innovative solutions to the challenges of information sharing across this vast project.” At the end of four months working inside HS2’s Accelerator the firms will present their innovations to the project’s tier one suppliers, as well as investors and wider industry, to take forward for further development and potential deployment to deliver the railway. The application portal opens on Tuesday 1st February and closes on Monday 28th February.
Breakthrough offers potential to power Britain’s new high speed railway stations An HS2 building site is the test bed for a revolutionary new building method that could ultimately provide carbon-free energy to stations on Britain’s new high speed rail network. The breakthrough, part of HS2’s Innovation programme, and soon to be trialled by contractors Mace Dragados at the project’s Euston station site in London, will draw ground heat up through the foundations of a newly built construction site office. The innovation’s developer, civil engineering experts, Keltbray, estimates its technology will harness enough energy to supply 80% of the building’s heating and hot water. With such obvious potential benefits, engineers are already exploring how the new piling technology known as HIPER* pile could be incorporated into HS2’s stations at Euston and Curzon Street in Birmingham to supply zero-carbon renewable energy. The environmentally-friendly innovation takes advantage of a new piling technique that swaps solid concrete foundation piles for recyclable hollow ones made from a steel industry waste product that reduces the carbon-intensive cement content by up to 70%. How it works As part of the site office’s foundations, the hollow tube piles are bored up to 25 metres into the ground and filled with water, before pipes carrying cold flowing water to and from the building above are run through each pile cylinder. As the ground’s heat warms the standing water in the cylinders, heat is transferred to the pipes and carried to the surface to supply the building’s heating system and hot water. In a novel twist, the technology can be reversed in the summer to be used like air conditioning to cool the building by transferring heat back into the ground. HS2 Ltd innovation manager, Heather Donald said: “The potential benefits of this innovation are obvious. By harnessing ground heat this technology has the potential to provide both heating, cooling and hot water to HS2 stations – increasing sustainability by reducing their carbon footprint and running costs.” Mace Dragados Programme Director, Ben Wheeldon, said: “One of our ambitions at HS2 Euston Station is to be recognised as a leading project by the public, the industry and our neighbours, and so it’s incredibly exciting for us to have the opportunity to trial this innovative piling technology. It has the clear potential to reduce the use of materials, streamline the piling process, reduce costs and significantly shrink our carbon footprint.” Keltbray Technical Manager, Asha Panchal said: “The innovation combines a number of novel technological breakthroughs to deliver the first major change in the piling industry for over 70 years. HIPER Piles use zero-cement concrete, halving embedded carbon emissions compared with a traditional methods. The fact that HIPER piles are hollow also means that they are 60% more thermally conductive so they can harness the earth’s natural zero-carbon thermal energy more efficiently than conventional solid thermal piles.”
The construction of the UK’s longest railway bridge took another major step forward this week with the start of work on the first of 56 giant concrete piers that will support the Colne Valley Viaduct as it crosses a series of lakes on the outskirts of London. Stretching for 3.4km, the viaduct – being built as part of the HS2 rail project – will carry high speed trains travelling at speeds of up to 200mph between the outskirts of Hillingdon and the M25 on their way to Birmingham and the north. The first pier was cast by engineers from HS2’s main works contractor Align JV – a team made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick – and working in partnership with Kilnbridge. Weighing in at around 370 tonnes, the 6m tall reinforced concrete pier was cast on site by a team of engineers who used a specially-designed formwork to create the shape of the structure. This was then removed after 4 days to reveal the final product. Each pier is designed to support the full weight of the deck above and rests on a set of concrete piles going up to 55m into the ground. This foundation work began earlier this year and will require the construction of 292 piles and 56 pile caps across the whole length of the viaduct. In another visible sign of progress on the project, the team have also completed the construction of the first of four jetties across the lakes to get equipment into position to support the construction thereby taking construction vehicles off local roads. Where the viaduct crosses the lake, the piles will be bored directly into the lakebed, using a cofferdam to hold back the water while the pier is constructed. HS2 Ltd’s Project Client, David Emms, said: “The Colne Valley Viaduct will be one of HS2’s most iconic structures and it’s great to see how much has been achieved already. I’d like to thank the whole team for the huge amount of work they’ve done to get us to this point.” Align’s Project Director, Daniel Altier, added: “I have no doubt that the viaduct will become one, if not the most striking element of HS2 phase 1 once complete. The way it will be constructed is going to be equally fascinating for engineers young and old. The sections for the deck will be fabricated at our main construction site to the west of London just inside the M25, and using a huge launching girder, the deck will be formed from north to south, along the line of the route, thereby keeping unnecessary construction traffic off the roads. “I would like to thank the whole team, including our supply chain partners, who have worked very hard to enable us to meet this important milestone in the viaduct’s construction.” The design of the Colne Valley Viaduct was inspired by the flight of a stone skipping across the water, with a series of elegant spans, some up to 80m long, carrying the railway around 10m above the surface of the lakes, River Colne and Grand Union Canal. Set low into the landscape, wider spans will carry the viaduct crosses the lakes, and narrower spans for the approaches. This design was chosen to enable views across the landscape, minimise the viaduct’s footprint on the lakes and help complement views across the natural surroundings. The main deck of the viaduct – which supports the railway line – will be built in 1000 separate unique segments at a temporary factory nearby before being assembled from north to south, starting next year. As part of a push across the whole HS2 project to cut carbon in construction, the design and construction teams working on the viaduct have also cut the amount of embedded carbon in the viaduct by around a third, by narrowing the width of the structure and applying lessons for the design of highspeed railway bridges in Europe. Over the last six years, HS2 has worked closely with Affinity Water and the Environment Agency to monitor water quality and agree working methods. These are being monitored by a team of specialist engineers during construction in order to protect the natural environment.
HS2 CEO Mark Thurston visits Bolton factory as work starts on £36.5m contract Bolton SME continues to recruit new staff to build over 300 safety doors for HS2 tunnels Progress on the manufacturing of safety doors for HS2 tunnels been made as Booth Industries, a Bolton based SME, opened its new purpose built facility where the doors will be built. Today [Tuesday 7th December] they welcomed HS2 CEO, Mark Thurston, to the new unit and to meet staff working on the project. The £36.5million 10-year contract awarded in September 2020 has enabled Booth Industries to expand its facility in Bolton and increase its workforce including offering new apprenticeships. The company employed its first female apprentice earlier this year adding to its 130 staff based in Greater Manchester. The new 600m2 facility is adjacent to the main factory in the heart of Bolton, and will increase the capacity on the production line, enabling the company to fulfil the HS2 contract whilst delivering other work. The initial phase of the HS2 contract will focus on developing and testing, and then manufacturing of the cast-in sub-frames. Manufacturing and installation is expected to start around 2025. Speaking after his visit to Booth Industries in Bolton, HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “There are businesses across the UK with the expertise and ability to help us build HS2 and Booth Industries is just one of over 2,000 that are already helping us do that. It is great to see the benefit the project is bringing to an SME in Bolton, as well as the onward economic impact through the local supply chain. “As progress to build HS2 continues, there will be thousands of contract opportunities for UK companies to become part of this exciting national endeavour.” The safety doors will play a crucial role in the operation of the railway, sealing off the cross passageways between the separate north and southbound tunnels and giving access in the event of an emergency. With trains capable of travelling at speeds of up to 250Mph passing within metres of the doors, they will not only need to provide fire integrity and insulation for up to two hours but will also have to withstand a wide-range of challenging day-to-day environmental and fatigue pressures. The doors will be capable of withstanding constant 14Kpa pressure cycles, along with 2hr Integrity and 2hr Insulation against fire – a world first and setting a new benchmark within the industry. They will be manufactured using majority UK made steel and fitted across the 32 miles of tunnel between London and Crewe. Since winning the contract, Booth has made progress to become a carbon neutral company. Having implemented a carbon zero roadmap, the business is already operating as a Carbon Neutral and will continue to progress to reach Net Zero by 2025. Mike Jenkinson, Managing Director of Booth Industries, said: “We’re proud to welcome HS2 to our primary site in Bolton, where our new state-of-the-art, energy efficient, manufacturing facility has just been built. The new facility provides valuable additional capacity to facilitate the delivery of several key public sector contracts, including our work for HS2. “The skills required to deliver this project are highly specialised, including modelling the effect of a 200mph wind load created by trains as they pass the doors at high speed, destructive testing for fatigue and fire-testing in furnaces, reaching temperatures of around 1,000 degrees Celsius. Delivering on this means pairing decades of knowledge and unique I.P. with new innovative techniques and designs. “Securing the contract has also enabled us to create new jobs, including apprenticeships and graduate positions, and many more will come once we move into the manufacturing and installation phases. We are delighted to be part of this key infrastructure project and looking forward to delivering a program of great British engineering and manufacturing we can all be proud of.” As the construction of HS2 gathers further pace, thousands of contract opportunities will be available, creating many associated jobs. To date over 20,000 people are supporting the construction of HS2, and nearly 2,400 UK businesses delivering the work. For more information about joining HS2’s supply chain visit hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/supply-chain/
Yesterday HS2 launched its first tunnel boring machine (TBM) in the Midlands The 2,000 tonne TBM has started on its journey to dig a one-mile tunnel under Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire, preserving the precious habitats above The TBM is named ‘Dorothy’ after Dorothy Hodgkin, who in 1964 became the first British woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Yesterday [2 December] HS2 CEO Mark Thurston pushed the button to start HS2’s tunnel boring machine on its one-mile journey under Long Itchington Wood in Warwickshire, marking the launch of the first TBM on the Midlands section of HS2. Around 170 engineers have been working on the 2,000 tonne, 125m long TBM during its construction and assembly. An expert tunnelling team will now work around the clock in shifts to operate the machine for around five months as it excavates the first bore of the one-mile tunnel. HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “This is yet another vital landmark in our journey towards a better connected Britain and with the launching of Dorothy today in Warwickshire, shows real progress in helping transform journeys across our country. “It also underlines how our £96bn Integrated Rail Plan – the largest ever investment in our rail network – is instrumental in creating jobs and economic opportunities, and ensuring more people reap the benefits of better rail journeys.” This will be the first HS2 tunnel to be completed on the project, with the machine set to break through its first bore at the south portal in Spring 2022. It will then be disassembled and taken back to the north portal to dig the second bore, which is due to be completed in early 2023. The tunnel, which will preserve the ancient woodland above, forms a key element in how HS2 is managing environmental impacts through the design of the railway, preserving Britain’s precious wildlife habitats. These woods are classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and have complex ecosystems that have taken hundreds of years to establish. HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “Today is another major milestone for HS2. You can see the real progress the project is making as we launch this TBM on one of HS2’s largest sites in the Midlands, contributing to massive job creation in the region. “More than 20,000 jobs and over 650 apprenticeships are already being supported by HS2, which is set to transform transport links between Britain’s major cities, free up space on the rail network for more freight and local services, and support the UK’s transition to net zero carbon emissions.” The machine will remove a total of 250,000 cubic metres of mudstone and soil which will be transported to the on-site slurry treatment plant where the material is separated out before being reused on embankments and landscaping along the route. After a national vote, the TBM was named ‘Dorothy’ – after Dorothy Hodgkin, who in 1964 became the first British woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Her discoveries included confirming the structure of penicillin, and her work with insulin paved the way for it to be used on a large scale for treatment of diabetes. She died in 1994 in Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire. The name was suggested by a student from Warwickshire College Group. Michael Dyke, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Today represents a significant milestone, culminating months of hard work and representing a vitally important moment in the delivery of Britain’s new high-speed railway line. “As Dorothy, our cutting-edge Tunnel Boring Machine, sets off on her one-mile journey, our work across the northern section of HS2 continues to progress at pace. Over the next few months, we’ll be building on our efforts to recruit the 7,000 people required across the Midlands to help us shape the UK’s future infrastructure landscape; those who will see their work enjoyed for many years.” Working in partnership with youth charity the Prince’s Trust, Balfour Beatty VINCI has pledged to provide 30 Kickstart placements this year as part of its ongoing commitment to support young people from the local area into work. Kickstart is a Government funded initiative aimed at creating job placements for 16- to 24-year-olds who are on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. It forms part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs campaign and is designed to support those who have been adversely affected by the pandemic. Three Kickstart placements have now secured permanent roles with BBV, including Samuel from Tamworth, who had originally wanted to become a mechanical engineer but had been unemployed during lockdown. Samuel, who is now doing a Site Engineering Apprenticeship with BBV, said: “It’s exciting knowing that I am working on a project as big as this – it’s a major project for my country that also aims to benefit local businesses. I hope to progress my career inside of Balfour Beatty VINCI and continue working on HS2 as a whole. If civil engineering is a career goal for anyone, then HS2 is one of the best jobs you can have on your CV. It’s a major project and from my experience the day-to-day scale of the job is very exciting. Every week looks different to the last.” The final section at the south end of the tunnel will become a ‘green tunnel’ – also known as a cut and cover tunnel – where a soil ‘roof’ is built around the tunnel entrance to integrate the portal into the natural landscape. In total there will be ten HS2 tunnel boring machines (TBMs) on Phase One, working to create 64 miles of tunnel between London and the West Midlands for Britain’s high speed rail project.
HS2’s latest performance data shows it has supported over 1400 people who were out of work into employment, demonstrating the project’s crucial role in the drive to Build Back Better and equip people with ‘Skills for Life’. HS2’s success in supporting unemployed people into work is largely driven by the effectiveness of its job brokerage partnership model which launched earlier this year. By bringing together the Department for Work and Pensions, strategic regional and local stakeholders including local authorities, enterprise partnerships, charities and employment support services along the route of the new railway, the job brokerage model has enabled HS2 and its construction partners to engage local people who are looking for work. Referrals allow individuals, including those at risk of long-term unemployment, to access training and placement opportunities which provide them with the skills they need to transition into jobs supporting HS2’s construction. Bespoke initiatives led by HS2’s construction partner for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), are already paying dividends and thanks to referrals from local partners, 150 people from the region who were out of work have now secured a career in construction in just six months. HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson MP said: “It is heartening to hear real life stories of how HS2 is supporting unemployed people into work right across the country. It demonstrates not just the huge variety of skills and opportunities that the project offers to job seekers, but is also a great example of the Government’s Plan for Jobs in action.” Julie Venn-Morton, HS2’s Skills Manager for the West Midlands said: “The pace of construction across Warwickshire and the West Midlands is driving the creation of hundreds of new jobs. “Through our job brokerage model, we’re able to ensure that those most in need are benefiting from training and upskilling opportunities to get them job-ready for HS2.” BBV is investing heavily in training and work placement programmes which upskill candidates ready for their pipeline of career opportunities. Through a combination of training and paid work trials it has already recruited 9 Environmental Technicians and 10 General Operatives who were all previously out of work. A rolling programme of training sessions for the unemployed and those looking to boost their skills and experience is now underway, and those who successfully complete the programme will transition into general operative jobs within BBV’s supply chain. Among those to have secured a full-time role is 21-year-old Brady from Chelmsley Wood. Brady had never worked in construction before and recognised that his lack of skills and experience were holding him back. He successfully completed a 20-day customised training programme and gained a series of accreditations which enabled him to progress onto a site-based work trial. The passion and enthusiasm he showed during the trial led to him securing a full-time role as a general operative. He now works as part of a team supporting the construction of HS2 in North Warwickshire. Brady said: “I really love the job. It’s been great for my wellbeing, both mentally and physically. I’m out on site every day meeting new people and I’ve formed a great bond with the team, we’re like a family. “I’ve had so much personal support too. Transitioning out of social housing and off benefits hasn’t been easy, but the team has helped me all the way. They even helped me to find new accommodation, which is closer to site, and that saves me at least an hour’s travel time every day. “I’d encourage anyone who is out of work to seize this opportunity, it really has changed my life for the better.” Irfa from Birmingham has also benefitted from the free training and paid work trial programme. She’s now employed as an environmental technician and works as part of a team assisting with site inspections and audits to ensure that HS2’s construction works comply with environmental legislation and consents. Irfa said: “I love the variety that this job offers and the opportunity to work alongside experts in the field including arboriculturists and ecologists really does mean that every day is like a school day – I’m learning so much. “I had no idea just how much goes on behind the scenes to build HS2 and it’s really exciting to be part of it. The focus on sustainability of planting trees right across the project and reducing carbon impacts is fascinating. It’s something I knew nothing about before and it’s opened my eyes to what a career in this sector can offer.” The combination of tailored training programmes coupled with paid work placements is proving to be hugely successful, supporting BBV’s drive to ensure that it recruits local people, wherever possible, to drive forward its construction programme. Shilpi Akbar, Head of Stakeholders and Communities at Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “Our investment in on-the-job training and work with local partners is driving the creation of the highly skilled workforce we need to deliver HS2. And with a ten-year construction programme ahead of us, there will be hundreds more opportunities to come.” For more information about careers and opportunities working on HS2, visit hs2.org.uk/careers
Virtual 360 degree exhibition launched ahead of COP26 to profile measures HS2 is taking to cut carbon: https://360.hs2.org.uk/interchange Online tour with 30 interactive features, five new videos on HS2’s environmental innovations and 25 images of Interchange Station People can sign up for three HS2 webinars during COP26: https://www.hs2.org.uk/cop26/ In the run-up to COP26, HS2 Ltd has launched a virtual tour of its eco-friendly Interchange Station to profile how the new high speed railway will help the UK tackle climate change. The 360 degree online tour hosts a virtual exhibition pavilion showcasing how HS2 is reducing carbon by using new technology to build one of the most sustainable railways of its kind in the world. People can step through the entrance of the station, walk through the concourse and ticket check-in area and onto the station platform, viewing videos and virtual exhibition areas on the way. Each area of the virtual station focuses on different environmental credentials of the project, including how HS2 will help to decarbonise the transport sector by providing a low carbon alternative for long distance travel, reducing the need for car and domestic plane journeys. It provides insights about how the project is using clean construction techniques, improving air quality, designing sustainable stations and creating a green corridor of connected habitats for wildlife and green spaces for people to enjoy along the route. The exhibits include videos which explain how innovation is playing a major role in the construction of the railway and how HS2 is working with its supply chain, industry and academic partners to reduce emissions through new low carbon technologies. Progress on creating new connected habitats for wildlife is brought to life with footage of new areas of tree planting, with insights from HS2’s environmental experts. Interchange Station in Solihull was chosen to host the exhibition because of its BREEAM Outstanding award, putting it in the top 1% of buildings in the UK for sustainability. The exhibition also features pop-up information and videos about the station’s sustainable design. HS2’s Director of Environment Peter Miller said: “This interactive exhibition provides a fantastic virtual tour through HS2’s many environmental innovations, as a showcase for the project during the UN Climate Change Conference – COP26. It clearly demonstrates how HS2 is playing an important role in delivering the Government’s commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK to net zero by 2050.” The exhibition has a custom interface developed by 3 Deep Media. It’s made up of seven panoramic 360-degree renders from a 3D model of the railway produced by HS2’s digital engineering and Building Information Management (BIM) teams, with 30 pop-up interactive features, 25 pictures of the new Interchange Station design and five new videos on how HS2 is tackling climate change. Visitors to the online exhibition can also register for HS2’s COP26 webinar series during the UN summit, covering cleaner construction, sustainable stations and building a railway resilient to climate change. These are open to anyone to attend, and recordings of the webinars featuring HS2 experts and external partners will be also available to view in the virtual exhibition afterwards. The webinars are: 4 Nov – Clean construction webinar: How HS2 is innovating to decarbonise construction and leave a legacy for the future of the industry. 9 Nov – Resilient, reliable railway webinar: How the adaptation and resilience measures on HS2 will minimise delays and make sure the project is ready for a changing climate. 11 Nov – Sustainable stations webinar: Why HS2’s stations are environmentally world class and how they will become hubs for other forms of sustainable travel.
HS2 was this week celebrating a literal milestone as ‘Florence’ – the first of ten Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) on Phase One completed her first mile of tunnel for the UK’s new high speed railway The latest photos of work on the Chiltern tunnel are available here: https://mediacentre.hs2.org.uk/resources/f/tbms-and-tunnels-massive-machines-and-their-current-progress/chiltern-tunnel-construction A new video flythrough of the first mile can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZqmuTGVGZA The first enormous 2,000 tonne tunnelling machine passed the one mile mark this week during the construction of the first tunnels for HS2 – Britain’s new high speed rail link between London, Birmingham and the north. Launched in May, the 170m long Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) covered the first mile cutting through a mix of chalk and flint beneath the Chiltern hills just outside London. Named ‘Florence’ by local school children, the TBM is one of two identical machines excavating the twin ten-mile-long tunnels. A second machine, named ‘Cecilia’ is a short way behind, with both TBMs expected to break out in around three years’ time. Designed specifically for the geology of the Chilterns, each machine is a self-contained underground factory, digging the tunnel, lining it with concrete wall segments and grouting them into place as it moves forward. Welcoming the progress, HS2 Ltd Project Client Rohan Perin said: “The 10 mile Chiltern tunnel will take HS2 underneath the hills and safeguard the woodlands and wildlife habits above ground as well as significantly reducing disruption to communities during construction and operation of the new railway. “Once complete, HS2 will offer low carbon journey options linking London with the major cities of the north and releasing capacity for more freight and local trains on our existing mainlines. It’s great to see how much progress has been made over the summer and I’d like to thank the crew of Florence and all the tunnelling team for their hard work.” The first two TBMs are operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. A crew of 17 people keep the machines running, working in shifts and supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. Align Project Director Daniel Altier added: “I am delighted with the progress that Florence has made since its launch in May, with Cecilia not far behind. All the spoil from the TBMs is converted into slurry before being pumped back to our South Portal site, just inside the M25, where it is processed and used for landscaping on site. This is, and will continue to be, a huge logistical challenge, as Florence and Cecilia continue their journey through the Chilterns. “Florence reaching the 1 mile point is a great achievement, however we still have a long way to go.” Each of the separate northbound and southbound tunnels will require 56,000 precision engineered, fibre-reinforced concrete wall segments – which are all being made at the south portal of the tunnel, next to the M25. During her first mile, Florence and her crew have installed more than 5,500 separate segments, each weighing around 8.5 tonnes. Approximately 2.7 million cubic metres of material will be excavated during the construction of the tunnels and used for landscaping around the south portal site. Once construction is complete, this will help create around 90 hectares of wildlife-rich chalk grassland habitats. Chalk grassland used to be widespread across the hills of south east England and are considered habitat of international conservation significance with just 700ha left across the Chilterns. In total there will be ten TBMs on the HS2 project – working to create 64 miles of tunnel between London and the West Midlands including major tunnels on the approach to London and Birmingham. More than 20,000 jobs and over 650 apprenticeships are already being supported by HS2, which is set to transform transport links between Britain’s major cities, free up space on the rail network for more freight and local services and support the UK’s transition to net zero carbon emissions. The TBM is named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, who spent many years in Claydon, Buckinghamshire where she wrote books on nursing, with the name suggested by students at Meadow High School in Hillingdon. A new video flythrough of the first mile can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZqmuTGVGZA An animation explaining the Chiltern tunnels can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTsLL9BPHpc TBM names: Florence – named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, who spent many years in Claydon, Buckinghamshire where she wrote numerous books on nursing. Suggested by students at Meadow High School in Hillingdon. Cecilia – named after Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, the Astronomer and Astrophysicist born in Buckinghamshire who attended Cambridge University before becoming Chair of Astronomy at Harvard University in the United States. She was the first person to properly ‘read’ a temperature on stars. She also discovered that stars are made mainly from hydrogen and helium. Suggested by students at The Chalfonts Community College in Buckinghamshire. Around 4,500 people from across the UK then took part in the poll to select the final names, with Florence taking 40% of the vote and Cecilia a close second with 32%. Facts and figures – The Chiltern tunnel TBMs The TBMs are 170m in length – nearly 1.5 times the length of a football pitch Each one weighs roughly 2000 tonnes – the equivalent of 340 African bush elephants They were transported to the UK in 330 separate shipments containing a total of more than a thousand separate parts. They will run almost non-stop 24 hours a day for 3.5 years Once complete, trains will pass through the tunnel in around 3 minutes at speeds of up to 320km/h The tunnels will go as deep as 80m below the ground – ensuring communities and countryside above are not impacted by the railway The size of the TBM cutterhead which will bore the tunnels is 10.26m, roughly the height of two giraffes standing on top of one another Taking into account the thickness of the tunnel walls, the internal diameter of the tunnels in which the trains will pass through will be 9.1m, slightly larger than two London buses stacked on top of one another The tunnels will
HS2 has recently revealed the colossal logistics operation that is taking place at HS2’s logistics hub near Willesden Junction. The 30-acre site will be the beating heart of the logistics operation for HS2 in London, and will be where earth from the 26 miles of tunnel will be processed and critical construction materials, such as pre-cast tunnel segment rings, will be delivered. The hub has been constructed and will be operated by HS2’s Main Works Civils Contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV). The construction of HS2’s London tunnels will require 5.6million tonnes of earth to be excavated. After being processed at the site near Willesden Junction, it will be taken by train to three locations across the UK – Barrington in Cambridgeshire, Cliffe in Kent, and Rugby in Warwickshire – where it will put to beneficial reuse, filling voids which will then be used as a basis for redevelopment, such as house building. The site will also receive over 100,000 pre-cast tunnel segment rings which will be used to form the walls of the London tunnels, delivered by rail from UK manufacturing sites. HS2’s contractor SCS JV has already confirmed that the first contract for pre-cast tunnel segment rings has been awarded to Pacadar UK, and will be delivered to the site from their factory in the Isle of Grain in Kent. At peak operation, eight trains per day will depart and arrive at the logistics hub, maximising the use of rail freight in the construction of HS2 in London and resulting in one million lorry movements not going on UK roads. Speaking at the opening of HS2’s Logistics Hub, HS2’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Thurston said: “In building Britain’s new high-speed railway, HS2 is committed to protecting the environment and minimising our carbon footprint during design, construction and operation. As a result, we are moving as much material as we can by rail as part of our Materials by Rail programme. “The logistics hub at Willesden will be the beating heart of our London logistics operation and is a critical part of how we are building HS2.” The operation is being coordinated from a refurbished building on the site. Sheffield based SME, 3Squared, has developed a bespoke rail logistics software solution to manage and track the railway materials movements in and out. Speaking about the scale of the operation, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture Managing Director, James Richardson, said: “The logistics hub is central to the London Tunnels programme. Collaborating with other partners delivering HS2, we will remove 5.6million tonnes of spoil by rail and bringing in our tunnel segments, taking one million lorry journeys off the road. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and by using rail we will reduce our carbon emissions for logistics by 40%.” Tim Jones, Managing Director of 3Squared, said: “It is fantastic to see the hard work and effort coming to fruition in this large-scale logistics operation, which will radically improve efficiencies and operations across the wider UK transport network. Joining the HS2 project has marked an exciting chapter in 3Squared’s journey, and we look forward to continuing to work with SCS JV and providing our technological skill and expertise, as HS2 progresses.” The London Logistics Hub sits on the old Freightliner Terminal site that first opened in 1967. It went on to become one of nine regional freight terminals developed specifically to handle Channel Tunnel intermodal traffic but eventually went into disuse in 2005. The site’s connections to the conventional railway make it an ideal location to coordinate HS2’s London logistics operation. The logistics trains are currently operated by GB Railfreight and the entire operation is the result of meticulous planning between HS2, Network Rail, SCS JV and HS2’s supply chain. The first train departed the site at the end of June, taking 1,470 tonnes of spoil to Barrington in Cambridgeshire. John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said: “Today’s opening marks a huge commitment to reducing the impact of carbon emissions caused by construction and we’re proud to jointly recognise this with HS2 by unveiling the fittingly rebranded Class 66, ‘The Green Progressor’. “HS2 Willesden’s logistics hub promises to support the growth of rail freight in the UK by removing one million HGVs from our capital’s roads alone. By increasing the amount of material transported by rail freight for the construction of HS2 in London, GBRf will continue to play a leading role in the delivery of Government’s net zero targets and the decarbonisation of transport.” Nick Coles, Programme Manager, Network Rail, said: “We’ve been working with HS2 and its supply chain on their plans to move excavated materials by rail from the Willesden logistics hub. Timetable, operations and infrastructure preparations have long been in the making and it is a credit to all parties involved that freight services have started life so smoothly. “Today, the UK railway network is supporting approximately 60 rail freight services a week for HS2 and we’ll continue to work closely with its industry partners to make as many carbon savings as possible.”
