HS2 Construction Updates - Birmingham Area

[Snow1964]

There is a handy zoomable map with all the names of the various viaducts, cuttings, embankments etc on this link

Delta Junction

www.hs2.org.uk

13 viaducts taking high speed tracks over motorways, local roads, existing rail lines, rivers and floodplains. The viaducts include 6 precast segmental viaducts, 4 composite viaducts and 3 low viaducts.

 

[chris2]

Thanks for the replies. All very interesting and yes I think it does seem reasonable suggestion that they will use the SPMT technique to drive the spans onto the road and then lower them into position. I can’t see a bridge slide being done in this case. Nor a continuation of the current viaduct method, given that they would surely have to close the road while the spans were being built.

In terms of the pier positioning and possible realigning of the road, the abutments do appear to be further away from the motorway than in the image posted above. So unless the whole road is going to be realigned quite significantly I wonder if perhaps this image is just a guide. If they’re building the spans offline, perhaps it’s easier to build them to be strong enough for the extra distance?

 

[stuving]

Thanks for the replies. All very interesting and yes I think it does seem reasonable suggestion that they will use the SPMT technique to drive the spans onto the road and then lower them into position. I can’t see a bridge slide being done in this case. Nor a continuation of the current viaduct method, given that they would surely have to close the road while the spans were being built.

In terms of the pier positioning and possible realigning of the road, the abutments do appear to be further away from the motorway than in the image posted above. So unless the whole road is going to be realigned quite significantly I wonder if perhaps this image is just a guide. If they’re building the spans offline, perhaps it’s easier to build them to be strong enough for the extra distance?

The piers that are being built are spaced just under 90 m apart over the M42 and link road, and we know there will be another pier in each wide gap. So the spans will be close to the normal 45 m throughout. That picture was done to show neighbours what the landscaping would look like when mature, so it doesn't need to be technically exact. But I was reckoning that whether a slip road went round the outside or inside of a pier was a yes/no fact the artist would think must be shown. The width of the lanes and central reservation is a softer, less factual, fact and getting it right matters a lot less.

 

[Snow1964]

A new short drone video of Curzon Street area, about 1minute in, the massive new steel bridge is now partly visible in its assembly site by station throat (it has been covered in a marquee size protective tent like structure for months). This will need to be moved (multi wheel self propelled transporter ?) so guessing it is getting closer to being ready to move into position.

 

[Tobberz]

A new short drone video of Curzon Street area, about 1minute in, the massive new steel bridge is now partly visible in its assembly site by station throat (it has been covered in a marquee size protective tent like structure for months). This will need to be moved (multi wheel self propelled transporter ?) so guessing it is getting closer to being ready to move into position.

The foundations are storming along!

 

[Snow1964]

New official HS2 video of progress (May 2025) on Birmingham approaches, including mockup fly through. Has quite detailed info on the various bridges and viaducts, and how some of them will be assembled and moved into position.

 

[Russel]

This is certainly an impressive bit of engineering!

Can't wait for it to open.

 

[chris2]

Nice close up shots of the beginnings of the M42 / M6 Toll bridge. The red/blue structure looks the same technique used for the first spans of the River Tame viaduct, reported by HS2 here in Dec 23. The two steel trusses create a frame for the segments to be dropped onto and supported by while the internal tensioning is installed.

No sign of any intermediate piers in the middle of the motorway or on the embankment yet.

 

[swt_passenger]

Nice close up shots of the beginnings of the M42 / M6 Toll bridge. The red/blue structure looks the same technique used for the first spans of the River Tame viaduct, reported by HS2 here in Dec 23. The two steel trusses create a frame for the segments to be dropped onto and supported by while the internal tensioning is installed.

No sign of any intermediate piers in the middle of the motorway or on the embankment yet.

I think, (going by the drawing in post #330), the two approach embankments will be extended much closer to the northbound carriageway and will be built around the concrete abutments that are partially completed.

 

[bobjarred05]

 

[bib]

Some design changes for Curzon St have been approved by the council

HS2 Curzon Street station redesign approved as timber roof axed

Change to meet stricter fire safety rules and cut maintenance costs

www.constructionenquirer.com

Appears to relate to the following planning application "2024/08069/PA | Land bounded by Curzon Street, Eastside Park & Moor Street Queensway, Birmingham, B4"

The revised proposal includes mainly 14 changes to the last approved scheme. These changes are as follows: 1. The timber cassettes proposed to be used for the roof soffit have been changed to aluminium. 2. The roof edge material has been changed from ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) to aluminium. 3. The east gable façade has moved eastwards, and the roof squared off. 4. The long facades have been refined: -Buttress columns encased in precast concrete -Reconfiguration of the rainwater pipes -Introduction of a ventilator catwalk; and -Creation of an extra bay to the northern back of house which has been recessed and glazed 5. Use of low iron glass is now confined to the west gable and retail shopfronts. 6. The gable end glazing format has been changed from landscape to portrait. 7. Station Square public lifts have been enclosed and unified with retail shopfronts. 8. The glass rooflights have been changed to Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) and the roof cowls have been reconfigured. 9. New Canal Street viaduct beams have been changed from in-situ concrete to pre cast reinforced concrete. 10. The Eastern Concourse paid concourses have been unified creating a single paid Concourse. 11. The north entrance of the Eastern Concourse has been reconfigured. 12. The southeast corner of the Eastern Concourse has been reconfigured. 13. The south entrance of the Eastern Concourse has been reconfigured. 14. Eastern Concourse public realm has been redesigned (for information only and would be part of a separate public realm application)

Found some images, looks like the roof overhang has been cut back at the rear. It's a bit like St Pancras with a big arch at the front and flat roof at the back


Looks like they have now actually designed the glazing at the ends of the arched section, rather than having them magically suspended

And added an actual entrance at the south-east end of the station

 

[erikvd28]

The Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield Trent Valley will close for 9 days from 26 July till 3 August so HS2 can build the new viaduct as mentioned in the video of #336

Passengers warned of delays when Cross City Line shuts between Lichfield and Birmingham this summer - Lichfield Live®

Passengers in Lichfield are being warned of a lengthy closure of the Cross City Line this summer.

lichfieldlive.co.uk

 

[The Planner]

The Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield Trent Valley will close for 9 days from 26 July till 3 August so HS2 can build the new viaduct as mentioned in the video of #336

Passengers warned of delays when Cross City Line shuts between Lichfield and Birmingham this summer - Lichfield Live®

Passengers in Lichfield are being warned of a lengthy closure of the Cross City Line this summer.

lichfieldlive.co.uk

Its a slide more than a build.

 

[chris2]

The Cross City line between Birmingham and Lichfield Trent Valley will close for 9 days from 26 July till 3 August so HS2 can build the new viaduct as mentioned in the video of #336

Passengers warned of delays when Cross City Line shuts between Lichfield and Birmingham this summer - Lichfield Live®

Passengers in Lichfield are being warned of a lengthy closure of the Cross City Line this summer.

lichfieldlive.co.uk

This is the Bellingham bridge, no? If so, that’s much sooner than I was expecting. Last images I saw of it they only had about a quarter of the steel beams in place.

 

[bobjarred05]

This is the Bellingham bridge, no? If so, that’s much sooner than I was expecting. Last images I saw of it they only had about a quarter of the steel beams in place.

Believe so this was the progress 2 weeks ago

looks to me to be progressing fairly quickly.

 

[chris2]

Believe so this was the progress 2 weeks ago

looks to me to be progressing fairly quickly.

Yes, it just seems very quick compared to the other steel structures in the Curzon approaches that’s all. The Lawley Middleway structure has been in the same position and seemingly the same size (although under wraps) for over a year. Guess if they want to go faster, they can.

It’ll be interesting to watch in any case.

 

[Snow1964]

The first of the M6 motorway closures for deck slide of new 320m viaducts over the motorway has been announced, initially affects southbound slip road near junction 4 on weekend of 7-8 June

The next phase of works over 2025 and 2026 will be to install the east and west bridge decks. To reduce disruption for motorists, the twin 320-metre-long viaduct decks are being assembled to one side and will be slid over the road over a series of weekends, with each section pushed out before later sections are added behind them. This construction technique significantly reduces the need of long-term motorway and slip road closures during these works.

Each bridge deck (east and west) will be launched separately in three phases. Launching each of the bridge decks across the eight piers will require temporary weekend closures of the M6 Motorway and adjoining slip roads.
To safely carry out the first phase of launching the East bridge deck, across the M6 junction 4 off-slip, the following closures will be installed:

There will be 2 viaducts (East and West) and appears to be on a 4 track section

Temporary weekend closure of M6 junction 4 southbound exit slip road – near Chelmsley Wood

The M6 South viaduct will carry the new high-speed railway over the M6 motorway and adjoining slip road, near Birmingham Business Park, Birmingham Airport and the NEC in Solihull. The next phase of works over 2025 and 2026 will be to install the east and west bridge decks. To reduce disruption...

www.hs2.org.uk

EDIT

HS2 now has article with photos

HS2 prepares for first M6 viaduct slide

Download new images showing the first section of HS2's M6 South viaduct’s East deck under construction alongside the motorway near Birmingham Airport Multi-stage sliding technique means that road closures for the East deck launch will be limited to one weekend for the slip road, and two for the...

mediacentre.hs2.org.uk

 

[Snow1964]

HS2 has advised that the concrete beams for the Watten House viaducts (Water Orton area near A446 Road) will be placed over the railway on 4 upcoming weekends.

BBV will be installing pre-cast concrete beams on the Watton House
Viaducts over the railway and carrying out key works on the structure
including beam installation, steel fixing and concrete pouring.

Unfortunately, these works cannot be undertaken during normal
working hours without affecting the operation of the railway.

Works will be therefore be undertaken during a series of 41-hour
closures of the railway over four weekends, starting at 8am on each
Saturday and ending at 5am each Monday.

See breakdown below of the weekends impacted.

- Saturday 14 June to Monday 16 June
- Saturday 28 June to Monday 30 June
- Saturday 5 July to Monday 7 July
- Saturday 12 July to Monday 14 July

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2536-AWN-Watton-House-Railway-posession-AWN-JUNE-JULY.pdf

 

[erikvd28]

Here's a recent drone video of Curzon Street and it's surroundings

 

[chris2]

Anyone know why one of the four metal structures either side of the canal has been recently beheaded?

 

[bobjarred05]

Possibly related to the weld issues reported last November?

Severfield’s £20M bridge weld issues impact HS2 and National Highways structures | New Civil Engineer

The Yorkshire structural steel contractor this week released its interim financial results which featured a sub-section detailing “bridge remedial works

www.newcivilengineer.com

but that would be a complete guess I have absolutely no solid idea.

 

[Snow1964]

HS2 letter regarding temporary closure of B4114 road, overnights 8pm - 6am Mon 23 June to Sat 5 July related to installation of a swivel crane and construction of viaducts over the road.

This is near southern end of the delta junction where there are effectively 6 tracks

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2519-Notice-of-Road-Closure-on-B4114-Birmingham-Road-June-25.pdf

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Jun 2025 ==

New drone video, or first part of viaduct across M6, has been pushed across a slip road, and can now be extended, ready to push across main motorway. A second viaduct alongside follows next year, each carrying two tracks as this is 4 track section between delta junction and Birmingham interchange

 

[Geogregor]

A second viaduct alongside follows next year, each carrying two tracks as this is 4 track section between delta junction and Birmingham interchange

Are you sure about 4 tracks here? I'm pretty sure there will be 2 tracks here, on for each viaduct.

 

[Snow1964]

New drone videos of delta junction viaduct area

 

[swt_passenger]

Are you sure about 4 tracks here? I'm pretty sure there will be 2 tracks here, on for each viaduct.

The DfT drawings show 4 tracks for the main line, (widening to six at the two spur junctions), from just south of Birmingham interchange, (six tracks though the station), through to Curdworth/Hams Hall.

It’s also now explicitly stated as four tracks in the first linked article in the recent post by @erikvd28

 

[erikvd28]

HS2 begins M6 viaduct slide

View and embed timelapse and drone footage from this weekend showing engineers sliding the first section of the M6 South viaduct’s East deck into position. Download photos. Material similar to that found on non-stick frying pans was used to slide the first of three giant sections into place over...

mediacentre.hs2.org.uk

HS2 B-Roll for Media - M6 South Viaduct East Deck Launch (June 2025)

This is "HS2 B-Roll for Media - M6 South Viaduct East Deck Launch (June 2025)" by High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and…

vimeo.com

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Believe so this was the progress 2 weeks ago

looks to me to be progressing fairly quickly.

Excellent drone video really shows the challenges of bringing a new railway in on the surface into a city.

 

[Snow1964]

New drone video, delta junction, Coleshill East and West, showing progress on viaducts and embankments connecting them

 

[hwl]

New drone video, delta junction, Coleshill East and West, showing progress on viaducts and embankments connecting them

Often there hasn't not much video of this bit especially as it didn't seem to be a priority for the contractors for a long time but good to see it now high up the priority list as it will be needed earlier than most of the the rest of the delta junction trackwork for rolling stock testing and getting the initial OOC - Birmingham service running.

 

[Snow1964]

New video, part from train, part from Drone of the Curzon Street approaches. The sheeting that had been covering a lot of the bridge girders appears to have been removed so they can now be seen, ahead of being moved into place.