HS2’s Delta Junction on fast track as next milestone is reached
Two 159-metre-long steel spans of the River Cole Viaducts for HS2 have been completed near Coleshill in North Warwickshire, marking a milestone in the project’s Delta Junction.
HS2’s contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), lifted eight pre-manufactured steel sections, each weighing between 76 and 273 tonnes, into place on six concrete piers and four abutments.
The operation used giant self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) to move the sections, which were then lifted by a Liebherr LR 1600-2 crawler crane.
Known as the Delta Junction, this section of HS2 will include 13 viaducts and connect high-speed rail lines between London and the West Midlands.
The River Cole viaducts are part of this, crossing a realigned section of the river and curving to bring HS2 trains into Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station.
The completion of these viaduct spans follows earlier work on two viaducts over the M42/M6 link roads, with four of the 13 Delta Junction viaducts now in place.
The next step will be to install parapets and pre-cast concrete elements, completing the River Cole viaducts by 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.”
Once finished, HS2 services will operate on a dedicated high-speed line between London and the West Midlands, before continuing to northern destinations via the existing West Coast Main Line.
It will offer faster, more efficient journeys, while easing congestion on the heavily trafficked southern section of the West Coast Main Line, creating capacity for more local and freight trains.
