HS2 continues with viaduct construction in the West Midlands

Work is continuing on HS2 in the West Midlands as new images released show the first completed sections of the Curzon 3 viaduct. The viaduct once complete will stretch over Digbeth Canal as the line finally enters Curzon Street station.

The completed sections will form part of a wider series of viaducts that will stretch across Birmingham as the high-speed trains enter the city centre. There are five viaducts in total on the approach, including Duddeston, Curzon 1, Curzon 2, Lawley Middleway and finally Curzon 3.

The viaduct now has completed sections reaching six-metres high and four separate decks which will carry the trains, spanning 65 metres at their widest points.

The project has been overseen by HS2’s Midlands contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI, who has had over 20 specialists working on the construction. Further sections of the Curzon 3 viaduct will be built in the same way with construction of the span over Digbeth Canal using jacks to slide 34 temporary steel girders, each measuring 38 metres long sitting below the four steel tripods. These tripods will then support the falsework and formwork.

Georgios Markakis, section manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI said: “We’re entering an exciting phase of the project now, as this iconic viaduct in the centre of Birmingham begins to take shape. These images revealed by HS2 demonstrate the enormous progress we’re making at our Curzon Street site.”

Elsewhere, the construction of the other viaducts that will form the core of the entry into Curzon Street station are in various stages of progress. HS2 revealed the 150-metre Curzon 2 viaduct design last year including a striking design for its 25-metre truss which it intends to be a dominant feature of the city’s skyline. It has submitted its planning permission to Birmingham City Council, whilst Duddeston and Curzon 1 are both in planning stages.

Stephen Powell, HS2’s head of delivery said: “It’s fantastic to see the first sections of this viaduct revealed, giving a clear view of how HS2 trains will approach Birmingham city centre.

“Now visible, you can see how the separate deck sections maximise daylight underneath, and the V-shaped piers take up less room at ground level, providing opportunities for a usable public space that will add to the life of the city.”

Meanwhile, further progress has been made on the huge Delta Junction in Warwickshire as a team of 25 people from Victor Buyck steel contractors moved the 158-metre long East M42-M6 Link Viaduct into place.

It took the team 13 hours to complete using a unique push-pull jacking technique.