The two 159-metre-long steel spans of HS2’s River Cole Viaducts have been completed near Coleshill in North Warwickshire, signalling further progress at the project’s Delta Junction.
The operation, executed by HS2’s civils contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), involved lifting eight pre-manufactured 'U'-shaped welded steel box girder sections into place. The sections weighed between 76 and 273 tonnes, and were placed onto six concrete piers and four abutments to form two parallel viaducts over the River Cole.
The pre-assembled sections were transported to the lifting position on site using giant self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). They were then lifted into place by a Liebherr LR 1600-2 crawler crane, a highly specialized piece of lifting equipment with a maximum capacity of 600 tonnes and an operating height of up to 50 metres.
This section of the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands is known as the Delta Junction - a triangular section of railway line made up of embankments, cuttings and a total of 13 viaducts taking high speed tracks over motorways, local roads, existing rail lines, rivers and floodplains.
The two River Cole viaducts are being constructed over a realigned section of the River Cole for high-speed trains to travel between London and Birmingham. They curve away from the northbound route, bringing HS2 passengers into the heart of Birmingham at the city’s flagship Curzon Street Station.
This operation follows on from the completion of two viaduct spans over the M42/M6 link roads, meaning that four of the 13 Delta viaduct spans are now in place. The next stage of construction for the River Cole viaducts is to install the parapets and pre-cast concrete elements to finish the structures next year.
Sam Hinkley, Lead Senior Project Manager for Delta Junction at HS2 Ltd said:
“This is a fantastic milestone for the team, who have delivered meticulous planning, design and coordination to skilfully complete this huge engineering operation in such a complex construction area.
“This is world-class civil engineering being delivered to improve connectivity in the West Midlands. It’s fantastic to see the Delta Junction viaducts take shape, with more big construction operations set to be delivered in 2025.”
Ion Cocieri, Senior Agent for Delta Junction at Balfour Beatty VINCI said:
“I’m incredibly proud of the whole team who’ve worked so hard to ensure this complex operation was planned and delivered with great precision. Achieving this milestone together with my team, means we have successfully delivered a unique part of the HS2 project.”
The River Cole Viaducts have been designed to sit low in the landscape, utilising a weathering steel deck with longer spans and sculpted piers to reduce the amount of material used in construction.
The landscape around the viaducts will create new public spaces with footpaths and cycleways allowing people to enjoy and better understand their local heritage. Natural habitats will also be created for local wildlife, and access to water will create opportunities for fishing and walks around the river.
Once complete, HS2 services will run between London and the West Midlands on a dedicated high-speed line before reaching destinations further north via the existing West Coast Main Line. It will provide significantly more efficient and faster journeys, while relieving pressure on the most congested southern end of the West Coast Main Line, allowing more local and freight trains to operate.
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