In his first three months as Chief Executive, Mark Wild led a detailed internal review which determined that HS2 would not be ready to open in 2029 – 2033. The headline findings, documented in a letter to the Transport Secretary, reinforced the need to regain control of HS2’s costs and delivery schedule.
Immediate action was taken. Mark committed to getting HS2 back on track and providing certainty on the revised opening dates and cost. High-speed trains would be brought into service at the earliest achievable date, for the lowest reasonable cost.
A fundamental reset of the project began in spring 2025. Progress on the civil engineering works had not kept pace with schedule. In some areas, construction was ahead (Chiltern Tunnel and Colne Valley Viaduct), and in other areas behind (green tunnels, cuttings and embankments). HS2’s building blocks had fallen out of sequence. Addressing this was a priority.
Test Area
It is quite rare for a new railway and its new trains to be brought into service at the same time, as is happening with HS2. Therefore, the driving force behind HS2’s revised scheduling plan is the completion of an initial section of the HS2 route where high-speed trains will be tested. This is known as the ‘test area’ – a section of the railway that will be prioritised so that the track, power, signalling and communications systems are installed here first, ready for testing to begin. Static testing will take place first – to test the infrastructure, followed by dynamic testing – with the train, track and systems all tested in unison.
The test areas, the first key step towards turning HS2 into an operational railway, will be delivered in stages. The core section is approximately 50 miles long and runs from Washwood Heath in Birmingham – where the Network Integrated Control Centre will be built - to the north portal of the Wendover Green Tunnel in Buckinghamshire.
In his detailed review, Mark concluded that insufficient time had been allocated to safely complete the railway’s multiple testing stages. Lessons learned from other major projects, including Crossrail - where Mark took the helm to successfully deliver the Elizabeth Line – are now being applied on HS2.
Phasing of works
A phased approach to testing will enable the programme to remain on schedule. Waiting for civils completion on the full Curzon Street to Old Oak Common route, before starting dynamic testing, would unnecessarily delay the opening of the railway. This approach means that testing can begin, while the remaining sections of the railway are fitted out with track, power signalling and systems. Testing will then be extended to the remaining sections of the route.
Tunnels and stations are among the most complex elements of the route to overlay with track and rail systems. Tunnels are technically and logistically challenging, as they require the installation and integration of systems within vent shafts, headhouses and portal buildings, as well as the tunnels themselves. Working in confined spaces amplifies the safety requirements and the challenge. The sheer level of systems and integration works required at stations is what adds to their complexity.
On the high-speed sections of the network, some of the switches and crossings - used to guide trains between tracks and across junctions - will be over 200 metres in length. This makes them some of the biggest ever to be installed in the UK, reflecting the speed and complexity of the railway.
The core 50-mile section that forms the initial test area was carefully selected, as it provides enough infrastructure to start an effective testing programme. Importantly, it allows test trains to reach the required acceleration level, and sufficient distance to test and calibrate the braking systems.
The completion of civil engineering works on this 50-mile section of the route is now the overriding priority, ready for a clean handover to rail systems engineers. Alongside the need to operate within the annual funding envelope from government, it is why decisions have been made to defer works elsewhere on the route, outside of the 50-mile zone and the day one railway. This includes engineering works at Handsacre in Staffordshire, where HS2 trains will join the West Coast Main Line, and secondary works on the London tunnels network. Prioritising and protecting the test area is key to getting back on track - and staying on track.
Washwood Heath is the natural starting point, as this is where the maintenance depot and Network Integrated Control Centre (NICC) will be built - the nerve centre for HS2’s daily operation and the point from which the route and train operations will be supervised.
Planning approval for the NICC, depot and maintenance buildings has already been granted. Design requirements are now being finalised, ahead of appointing the successful builder and complete construction and fit out works.
The Rolling Stock contract was awarded to Hitachi-Alstom joint venture in 2021 and includes delivery of trains to support the testing of the railway. The trains will be tested on existing test tracks before being delivered to HS2.
Testing on the two remaining sections - from Washwood Heath to Curzon Street Station, and from Wendover Green Tunnel to Old Oak Common Station – will begin at a later stage. This will follow completion of the civil engineering works and the associated work required at each station to facilitate testing.
