HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct construction updates

[Fazaar1889]

I think these are new pictures. The scale of this viaduct is amazing.

https://twitter.com/HS2ltd/status/1609157555061755904?s=20

 

[Yindee8191]

I think these are new pictures. The scale of this viaduct is amazing.

https://twitter.com/HS2ltd/status/1609157555061755904?s=20

Incredible progress there. Looks like after the interruption of the road crossing they’re really getting moving now.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The winter construction update says that 16 piers have been erected, most of them being ahead of the girder "Dominique", and some in the lakes.
It's difficult to tell from the pictures but it looks like 5-6 spans have been constructed (out of 56, with some long ones to come).

 

[Otis]

As of this morning (1/1/23) it looks like this:



Depending upon how you count them the latest span (5) is almost complete and the first half of 6 is in place. I'm ignoring the short initial span in my count, if you include this then span 6 is almost complete.



There is a small gap still to be filled in span 5, it currently has a metal strap around the small gap so I imagine this will be filled soon.




Pier construction is well under way, these are the next ones on from the span construction. At the next road down (Moorhall Road) the pier just North of the road is just rebar at the moment, the two prior to that look like that have formers/moulds close by, but not fully positioned, so this suggests the concrete work might be quite soon.

 

[TBY-Paul]

It appears the the Google “street view” car has been past the worksite recently (dated Oct 2022), it gives a sense size & scale to the viaduct and just what an impressive structure it will be.

(apologies for not putting a link, but I haven’t mastered using an IPad just yet).

 

[swt_passenger]

It appears the the Google “street view” car has been past the worksite recently (dated Oct 2022), it gives a sense size & scale to the viaduct and just what an impressive structure it will be.

(apologies for not putting a link, but I haven’t mastered using an IPad just yet).

Here you go: https://maps.app.goo.gl/b1ATxzwMBTMtW1RcA?g_st=ic

 

[D365]

I like the fact that "Colne Valley Viaduct" is getting reviews on Google already.

 

[bib]

Some quite impressive drone footage of the viaduct and piers on this youtube channel:

Also there's another update from the chiltern society with lots of information:

 

[absolutelymilk]

The Wikipedia page for the Colne Valley Viaduct is currently missing a photo of construction. If anyone (Otis?) wants to have their picture be added to the article, then add it to Wikimedia Commons (if you message me then I can help with this) and I can add it to the article.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/highspeedr...ndroidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

These pictures show a different angle of the HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct from what is usually shown. In one of the pictures, there's a black bar shown on the belly of the viaduct, does anyone know what that is?

 

[snowball]

The black bar is the small gap in the centre of a span, between cantilevers built out from the piers on each side. It will be filled using concrete cast in situ.

 

[Fazaar1889]

The black bar is the small gap in the centre of a span, between cantilevers built out from the piers on each side. It will be filled using concrete cast in situ.

You sure? It extends a bit past the edge at the top...

 

[380101]

You sure? It extends a bit past the edge at the top...

Definitely just concrete form work to allow a pour in situ to join the gap between the two spans. By the looks of it, the worker on the mobile elevated work platform is checking/tightening the form work sections together.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Definitely just concrete form work to allow a pour in situ to join the gap between the two spans. By the looks of it, the worker on the mobile elevated work platform is checking/tightening the form work sections together.

Ah right

 

[Snow1964]

You sure? It extends a bit past the edge at the top...

There is a part that needs to be added to form the side of the pour.

I am guessing it has slotted bolt holes so it can be made tight once the underneath parts are pulled up tight. Likely to be too tight or too loose if tried to make former in one piece.

 

[Fazaar1889]

https://twitter.com/HS2ltd/status/1620078933168496640

This week we installed 292 concrete piles that will form the foundations of the UK's longest railway bridge. This marks the completion of the first phase of the #ColneValleyViaduct. The construction of the foundations, the 56 huge piers and the deck on top, are happening at the same time with separate teams working from north to south. Deck assembly began last year, with 500 metres of the viaduct now complete. When the #ColneValleyViaduct is finished, the 2.1-mile bridge will carry the new high-speed rail line across lakes and waterways near Hillingdon, on the outskirts of London. Learn more: https://mediacentre.hs2.org.uk/news/hs2-completes-foundation-work-for-uks-longest-railway-bridge

Seems that the first stage is complete. The videos of the bridge can be seen in the link. Guess they now need to build around the foundation and erect the bridge itself. When is this expected to finish?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Seems that the first stage is complete. The videos of the bridge can be seen in the link. Guess they now need to build around the foundation and erect the bridge itself. When is this expected to finish?

It's a 2-year build project, with a 3rd year for fitting out (parapets etc).
We don't know the detailed schedule but they seem to be a bit behind with the actual viaduct, in terms of completed spans.

 

[Fazaar1889]

It's a 2-year build project, with a 3rd year for fitting out (parapets etc).
We don't know the detailed schedule but they seem to be a bit behind with the actual viaduct, in terms of completed spans.

It apparently started construction in March 2021 so its almost 2 years already. Guess it's a couple more for Dominique to finish and to lay the tracks and stuff

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It apparently started construction in March 2021 so its almost 2 years already. Guess it's a couple more for Dominique to finish and to lay the tracks and stuff

The "Dominique" girder was launched in June 2022 to build the viaduct spans, and has a 2-year timescale.
Recent reports suggest it has completed about 1/7 (14%) of its job, mostly over land.
Yesterday's announcement was about the completion of piling for the pier foundations along the viaduct route.

 

[Fazaar1889]

The "Dominique" girder was launched in June 2022 to build the viaduct spans, and has a 2-year timescale.
Recent reports suggest it has completed about 1/7 (14%) of its job, mostly over land.
Yesterday's announcement was about the completion of piling for the pier foundations along the viaduct route.

Ah gotcha thanks

 

[DelW]

In one of the pictures, there's a black bar shown on the belly of the viaduct, does anyone know what that is?

The black bar is the small gap in the centre of a span, between cantilevers built out from the piers on each side. It will be filled using concrete cast in situ.

Definitely just concrete form work to allow a pour in situ to join the gap between the two spans. By the looks of it, the worker on the mobile elevated work platform is checking/tightening the form work sections together.

It looks like a steel plate that's being used as soffit formwork for the narrow in-situ concrete stitch. It's hung from through-bolts located within the section to be poured, which will be arranged to be removable once the concrete is up to strength. The short vertical edge form is still to be fixed.

Thanks for the photos - the finished spans do look most impressive!

 

[Otis]

A few views from today:


Piering into the distance:


Construction is approximately one span further on than a month ago. Here you can see half a span in place and a clear view of the cross section.

Notice the 4 workmen and the temporary barrier fencing which gives a real sense of scale. It takes 3 people to hold the fence up at any time, at this moment in time, a fourth worker has arrived clearing the way for one of his colleagues to rotate to a different duty where he can supervise the 'watching the paint drying' team.



A view of the bridging machine.

 

[Fazaar1889]

A few views from today:


Piering into the distance:
View attachment 128050

Construction is approximately one span further on than a month ago. Here you can see half a span in place and a clear view of the cross section.

Notice the 4 workmen and the temporary barrier fencing which gives a real sense of scale. It takes 3 people to hold the fence up at any time, at this moment in time, a fourth worker has arrived clearing the way for one of his colleagues to rotate to a different duty where he can supervise the 'watching the paint drying' team.


View attachment 128051
A view of the bridging machine.

View attachment 128055

Wow! Very nice. Please do post pics in this thread if stuff changes! I really like seeing the progress. Don't live close enough to see it in person unfortunately

 

[Otis]

Wow! Very nice. Please do post pics in this thread if stuff changes! I really like seeing the progress. Don't love close enough to see it in person unfortunately

Will do. I drive past about once a week, so will try and grab the odd photo when I can. I suspect it'll get hard to photograph once it veers away from the main road, but I can only try.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Will do. I drive past about once a week, so will try and grab the odd photo when I can. I suspect it'll get hard to photograph once it veers away from the main road, but I can only try.

Much appreciated

 

[Fazaar1889]

HS2 - The Machine that is building a viaduct. Jan 2023

An angle of the viaduct showing its full length. I wonder how it might blend into the environment once completed, will tree encompass it by growing around it? I think it will look quite good

 

[Otis]

So a few photos from last Sunday (Feb 6th)

No progress from the near side of the latest arch, but the machine how now moved forward so that it spans over to the next pier and some concrete sections are in place.





The metal strapping around the latest gap is in place and it looks like the concrete has been poured.



Here are the spans built so far. The video in the previous posting was shot from the far end of the layby in this photo - so you can see the pace that the work is progressing.



All in all I don't think it looks to bad, but it's early days, it could look quite different once the wires and sound screens are fitted.

The next few spans will take the line away from the road and behind a naturally wooded area, so it may become harder to gauge progress in the coming months.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Looks great! Thanks!

The next few spans will take the line away from the road and behind a naturally wooded area, so it may become harder to gauge progress in the coming months.

aw that's too bad. ah well

 

[bib]

flyover of the piers/foundations

 

[Fazaar1889]

https://twitter.com/HS2ltd/status/1626250518950559744?t=YJPJ69aOoCMK5i_s-BM6ng&s=19

A few shots of the #ColneValleyViaduct so far !

Over 500m of the viaduct – which will eventually stretch for more than two miles across a series of lakes and waterways outside Hillingdon – have been built using our enormous 700 tonne ‘bridge-building machine’.

Looking very nice. Am excited to ride along the bridge in God knows how many years