Our 2025 Annual Conference, held in Birmingham, brought together senior leaders from across industry, government, and the wider transport sector to explore the future of high-speed rail, not just as a national infrastructure ambition, but as a practical route to UK growth and productivity. With the Spending Review on the Read more…
HS2 contractors have completed work on a pair of innovative extensions to the southern portal of its longest tunnel to eliminate the possibility of ‘sonic boom’ being created by high-speed trains entering at 200mph. The structures, built at the southern end of the railway’s 10-mile Chiltern Tunnel to the north-west Read more…
HS2’s second tunnel boring machine (TBM), named Caroline, has completed a 5-mile tunnel drive under London. This is the second machine to reach the Green Park Way vent shaft in Ealing, and one of four giant tunnelling machines being deployed to build the railway’s Northolt Tunnel. The 2,050-tonne TBM broke Read more…
The HS2 lifted Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) ‘Sushila’ is out of the ground at the Green Park Way site in Greenford, West London following its 5-mile drive underneath the capital. The cutterhead, front and middle shield, weighing 850 tonnes, were lifted from the vent shaft in one piece using a Read more…
The construction of a bridge that will allow HS2 trains to pass under the A43 near Brackley has made progress with the structure’s steel beams lifted into position recently during a series of three weekend closures. The A43 links Oxford, Brackley and Northampton and provides access to Silverstone and connections Read more…
The High Speed Rail Group has made a submission to the HM Treasury Spending Review consultation that identifies and advocates for a cost efficient and deliverable path forward for HS2. The focus is on maximising HS2’s concession value at minimum viable scope and cost, which will maximise the project’s economic Read more…
High Speed Rail Group members were given the chance to ‘see and feel’ the live works being undertaken at Old Oak Common on the HS2 programme with a visit hosted by SYSTRA colleagues from the Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA joint venture (BBVS JV). Being able to see first-hand a live Read more…
Construction of a 14,500-tonne box structure designed to take the new HS2 line under the A46 Kenilworth Bypass in Warwickshire is proceeding at pace following the successful installation of 120 gigantic beams. The concrete beams, ranging between 13 metres and 24 metres in length were carefully lifted into place using Read more…
Our Apprentice Network is designed to connect apprentices and graduates from across our member companies and provide opportunities for mentoring, networking, meeting other apprentices and sharing experiences and best practice. We spoke to Advanced Fitting Apprentice Luke Vernon. Can you describe your role in a few words? As an Read more…
HS2’s 3.4km long viaduct across the Colne Valley recently won in the engineering category of the Fine Art Commission Trust’s third annual Building Beauty award. Four members of the delivery team from HS2 Ltd, its main works civil engineering contractor, Align, and viaduct architects Grimshaw accepted the award on behalf of Read more…