High Speed 2 (HS2) project marks significant milestones with the completion of the first viaduct and a Kent factory finalising all tunnel segments.
- The Highfurlong Brook Viaduct in Northamptonshire, spanning 163 metres, is the first HS2 viaduct to be fully completed structurally.
- Designed by EKFB and partners, the viaduct was constructed with off-site manufactured beams and parapets, highlighting innovative building techniques.
- Pacadar UK’s Kent factory has completed 59,129 precast concrete segments for the 8km Northolt Tunnel West in London.
- These advancements illustrate the collaborative efforts and state-of-the-art practices shaping the future of HS2.
The fully completed Highfurlong Brook Viaduct marks a notable achievement for the High Speed 2 (HS2) project in Northamptonshire. Spanning 163 metres and crossing the Highfurlong Brook floodplain, the viaduct stands approximately nine metres above ground. It comprises seven spans, each consisting of four off-site manufactured precast beams weighing up to 56 tonnes. These beams, measuring up to 25 metres in length, were delivered overnight and installed last year. The construction was brought to completion with the in-situ pouring of the deck earlier this year and the installation of precast parapets over the past four months.
The viaduct, designed by EKFB’s design partners Arcadis, Setec, and Cowi, alongside architect Moxon, represents one of over 50 similar structures being erected for HS2 between London and Birmingham. While the viaduct is now structurally complete, subsequent phases will involve executing earthworks to support the railway at its endpoints, followed by the installation of rail systems by different contractors, encompassing tracks, signalling, power, and communication systems.
Scott Corsar, project manager for EKFB, expressed pride in the numerous ‘firsts’ achieved with the Highfurlong Viaduct, noting its complete deck installation and structural completion. HS2 Ltd project client Bill Price echoed this sentiment, hailing the viaduct’s completion as a ‘major moment’ for the HS2 initiative and commending the integrated project team and supply chain partners for their dedication.
Simultaneously, a significant milestone was achieved at Pacadar UK’s precast factory on the Isle of Grain, Kent. The factory successfully produced a total of 59,129 precast concrete segments to constitute 8,447 tunnel rings for the 8km long Northolt Tunnel West in London. Each segment, weighing seven tonnes, was manufactured at an impressive average rate of 130 per day since production began in April 2022.
Transportation of these segments to London is facilitated by rail, significantly reducing road traffic by eliminating the need for 56 lorries per train delivery. These segments are utilised by Skanska Costain Strabag JV’s tunnel boring machines (TBMs) at West Ruislip, which have so far journeyed 6.5km and installed 6,550 of the rings made by Pacadar. The TBMs are scheduled to conclude their drives at the Green Park Way vent shaft next year.
Antonio Díez Barral, the project manager at Pacadar UK, praised the contract as an important achievement and highlighted the modern construction methods that reduced material usage, time, and environmental impact while maintaining worker safety. Looking ahead, Pacadar UK continues to produce precast segments for other HS2 infrastructure, including the Thame Valley Viaduct and the Edgcote Viaduct.
These completed milestones underscore the transformative progress of the HS2 project, paving the way for future advancements.
