Huge HS2 bridge moved into position over M42 in Warwickshire
A huge HS2 bridge which was constructed by the M42 has been moved into position over the motorway. It took 40 hours to guide the 12,600-tonne bridge into place on a guiding raft travelling at 4mph. Over the last six months, the 86-metre long structure was built on land next to the motorway.
It was pushed into place over the M42 on a guiding raft over a distance of 163 metres which is believed to be the longest box slide ever completed. HS2 said around 450 workers were involved in the operation to install the bridge which will take the high-speed rail line across the busy motorway in Warwickshire. READ MORE: HS2 donates 300 trees to Coventry school as part of Green Canopy initiative
On completion, the whole structure will be around 190 metres in length and will carry HS2 over the motorway as it heads north to Crewe, or on its southward journey as it loops into Birmingham Curzon Street or continues straight on to Interchange Station in Solihull, Old Oak Common Station and London Euston. Once built, the railway bridge will connect to Dunton Wood Embankment to the south and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Viaduct, which crosses the heritage canal, to the north. HS2 and its contractor Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) have worked in partnership with National Highways to deliver the large-scale project. HS2 Civils Delivery Director, Mike Lyons, said: “This is the first box slide of its kind over a motorway in the UK, and we believe it’s also the world’s longest slide, so it’s a great achievement for HS2 as we quickly approach peak construction.
It’s fantastic to celebrate another big milestone for a project that is already providing work for almost 30,000 people today, and in the future, it will encourage people to use zero carbon public transport.” National Highways Senior Network Planner, Frank Bird, added: “We’d like to say a big thank you to motorists for their patience during the closure of the M42. It’s never easy to close a busy motorway such as the M42 for an extended period of time but it has been vital to ensure the safety of the workforce and motorists while this work is taking place.
“We’ve been working collaboratively with HS2 for the past 18 months to ensure the operation ran smoothly and to help keep disruption to a minimum for drivers. The installation of the new Marston Box bridge is a significant milestone in the HS2 project and it’s great to see it finally in place.” Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “This is yet another astonishing achievement by HS2– a project which is already changing lives through employment and regeneration and will completely transform the way we live and work once trains hit the tracks.
Thank you to the 450 people working over the Christmas period on this incredible operation, who are playing their part in bringing this pioneering project to life. What a way to end the year.” Want more of the latest news from Warwickshire?
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