High Speed 2 (HS2) contractors have achieved a significant milestone by completing the installation of the final deck segment on what is now Britain’s longest railway bridge.
The Colne Valley viaduct spans 3.4km and forms part of the high-speed rail network that will connect the UK’s capital London to Birmingham and the north.
The viaduct extends across the Colne Valley near the M25 motorway and Denham village.
Align JV, a consortium comprising Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and Volker Fitzpatrick, managed the construction of this structure, which is one of more than 500 bridges designed for the HS2 project.
Construction of the viaduct’s deck began in May 2022 and took 28 months to complete.
A team of engineers used a girder to methodically place 1,000 uniquely shaped deck segments. This balanced cantilever method allowed the bridge to take shape across the Colne Valley, with the segments being produced at an on-site factory.
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By GlobalDataThe completion of the civil engineering phase will lead to the restoration of the surrounding area, with plans to create a ‘green corridor’ of chalk grassland and woodland.
As the viaduct moves into the rail systems installation phase, the overarching HS2 project slowly advances towards its operational phase, expected between 2029 and 2033.
HS2 will provide high-speed rail services to the region, cutting travel times and increasing capacity on existing lines.
With major construction at its peak and more than 30,000 people employed, the project is preparing to transition to the next stage, which includes awarding railway and track contracts.
HS2 senior project manager Billy Ahluwalia said: “Lowering the Colne Valley viaduct’s final deck segment into place today marks the culmination of more than ten years of planning, design and construction.
“I pay tribute to the dedicated team that has delivered a bridge that is both the longest on HS2 and has become the United Kingdom’s longest railway bridge – taking a record that had stood for nearly 140 years.”
Last week, HS2’s first major viaduct was completed at Highfurlong Brook in Northamptonshire.
Additionally, work is progressing on the Delta Junction viaducts in the West Midlands.
