Economic analysis of the areas close to HS2’s three hubs in the West Midlands – Curzon Street Station in central Birmingham, Interchange Station in Solihull, and the Washwood Heath Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre – shows dramatic increases in regeneration and investment in the last six years. Since Royal Read more…
The second giant boring machine (TBM) building HS2 under the Chiltern Hills has now broken through at the tunnel’s northern portal, 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 Read more…
HS2 designers and engineers working on five key viaducts have cut their carbon footprint by up to two thirds (66%) by adopting an innovative ‘double composite’ structure which uses significantly less concrete and steel than a more traditional design. HS2 engineers at Westbury on the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire border have already begun Read more…
HS2 has revealed new images of the project’s largest ‘green bridge’, which will cross the high-speed railway near Brackley. The bridge will cross one of the railway’s longest and deepest cuttings, which will stretch for 1.5 miles past the village of Turweston on the edge of Buckinghamshire and West Northants. Read more…
HS2’s third tunnel boring machine (TBM) has now been launched and will bore 3.4 miles under Ealing from Victoria Road Crossover Box, near HS2’s new Old Oak Common station, to Greenpark Way in Greenford. London Tunnels contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture, assembled the TBM underground at the Victoria Road Read more…
HS2 has moved the first huge viaduct section into place over the motorway network in North Warwickshire, a milestone for the project’s Delta Junction as HS2 reaches peak construction in the region. Contractors have used a specialist push-pull technique to move the 84 metre, 300 tonne steel viaduct section into place Read more…
HS2’s civils contractors have doubled their total spend with SMEs – companies with 250 or fewer employees – in 2022/23 when compared to the previous financial year. Small and medium sized businesses account for over 70% of HS2’s supply chain and this year shared in the £942m spend, which is Read more…
Sarah Curlett is a Level 3 Rail Engineering Apprentice with Alstom, and has recently joined the High Speed Rail Group’s Apprentice Network. Can you describe your role in a few words? I am a mechanical and electrical fitter, which means that I move around the depot working on different things Read more…
In partnership with West Coast Partnership Development – we hosted our first ever all-female apprentice event – to coincide with this year’s National Apprenticeship Week. Taking place at Alstom’s Crewe works, the event focussed around equipping the next generation of women in rail with skills for life. In addition to Read more…
HS2’s innovative Wendover Dean Viaduct enters a critical new stage of construction as engineers begin the job that will see almost half a kilometre of bridge deck slid into position over the next year, high above the Misbourne Valley in Buckinghamshire. The 450m-long viaduct will be the first major railway Read more…