HS2 construction updates

[Bald Rick]

LOL - I doubt the enabling works budget would be big enough!

As well as "signing off" on the detailed design, one suspects "notice to proceed" is as much about releasing the funds for main construction contracts.

It is exactly that.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Chris Grayling talking about investments in northern transport, including rail schemes such as trans-Pennine rebuild, NPR, HS2, amongst others...

 

[DimTim]

With the announcement of manufacturers potential stock I see a comment that all stock will be classic compatible for phases 1 & 2a.
Will this be reflected in design of the stations? Originally there needed to be platform faces for both classic compatible & captive stock because of gauge. Is this a potential cost saving in the short term?

 

[hwl]

With the announcement of manufacturers potential stock I see a comment that all stock will be classic compatible for phases 1 & 2a.
Will this be reflected in design of the stations? Originally there needed to be platform faces for both classic compatible & captive stock because of gauge. Is this a potential cost saving in the short term?

Not really as the stock has gap fillers that cope with both traditional and 1200mm height GC platforms and this has been assumed for platform construction for a very long time.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Phase 2A Bill passes Lord's Second Reading without division (unopposed)

Committed to scrutiny by Select Committee. There are only 35 petitions submitted.

 

[Tobbes]

Phase 2A Bill passes Lord's Second Reading without division (unopposed)

Committed to scrutiny by Select Committee. There are only 35 petitions submitted.

Good news.... onwards!

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Looking at the following tweet, can anyone "in the know" or familiar with Euston affirm whether this a bit of "plain lining" (2000 points?) to take platform 18 off the network or something else. TIA.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailEUS/status/1181210026058375169

 

[The Planner]

Looking at the following tweet, can anyone "in the know" or familiar with Euston affirm whether this a bit of "plain lining" (2000 points?) to take platform 18 off the network or something else. TIA.

https://twitter.com/NetworkRailEUS/status/1181210026058375169

18 should go, 17 becomes a engineers train siding at some point.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Planning applications for OOC station...

20/0012/HS2OPDC http://planningregister.opdc.london...arch%20Criteria%3C%2Fa%3E'>Search Results</a>

Some others in the same vicinity: (inc. realignment of Old Oak Common Lane and bridges for GWML & Central Line)

20/0011/HS2OPDC http://planningregister.opdc.london...arch%20Criteria%3C%2Fa%3E'>Search Results</a>
20/0013/HS2OPDC http://planningregister.opdc.london...arch%20Criteria%3C%2Fa%3E'>Search Results</a>

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Schedule 17 Planning Applications for Birmingham Interchange Station and People Mover:

PL/2020/00289/HS2DIS & PL/2020/00291/HS2DIS on Solihull Council web site if links don't work...

https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.uk...iveTab=summary
https://publicaccess.solihull.gov.uk...iveTab=summary

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Lifted this from another thread which is cross linked to this one:

Meerkat: I was just having a mooch along the route on Google satellite view....

Google Earth images are or course out of date, different areas of the route have images from different time. If one uses the"desktop (Windows)" version of GE, we can step the images back through time (and load in overlays of the "GIS Data" images if you are really bloody minded.)

Is the cleared site just north of North Acton station for launching TBMs?

Site of the "Victoria Road Crossover Box" (scissor crossover) and also launch site for two of the TBM's for the Northolt Tunnels. (A short SCL drive links eastwards to the main Old Oak Station box.)

Weird spread of stuff going on at the Eastern end of the Colne viaduct - what are the two things that look like shafts with pipes coming out to the East of Harvil road north and south of the Chiltern line?

These are mainly utility diversions - gas and water pipes. An HV electricity pylon diversion is also underway a little to the west, though not on the imagery yet.

Then the only signs for a while are regular groups of ponds, some still with matted haul roads - have they already dug loads of the balancing ponds? Examples are 400m west of Quainton Rail Centre and about a km NW.

Many ponds been dug, trees planted plus the odd "bat house" and reptile "hibernaculum" and various other ecology mitigation measures. Such need to be done early so that they are "established" before there need to relocate any species (all the newts, slow worms, etc.) Some of the imagery is a years or two old. There's a fair bit of utility diversions at Calvert in evidence.

Nothing beyond Calvert until north of Kenilworth the ground investigation trenches start.
Lots of work around the Birmingham triangle junction diverting pylon routes and gas pipes.
Bearing mind the aerial view won’t be up to date there does look a fair amount on the ground already (not as a proportion of the whole project obviously!) considering it has only just got the go ahead!!

"Enabling works" have been ongoing since the bill got Royal Assent in 2017. "Out my way" at Harvil Road, there's been plenty of activity. IIRC "Enabling works" can also encompass the creation of the construction camps for the Main Works contracts and that (presently) seems to be ramping up too. There's a few videos from protestors on YouTube, including a few drone overflights at Cubbington and Stoneleigh/Kenilworth, for anyone who may care to search.

 

[Bald Rick]

Google maps shows the ‘Save Crackley Woods camp’ just south of Warwick Uni between Kenilwort( and Coventry, right on the line of loads of the ground investigations (which head north west all the way to Chelmsley Wood).

 

[city dweller]

Some of the anti HS2 lobby regularly upload. This is from Great Missenden.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Google maps shows the ‘Save Crackley Woods camp’ just south of Warwick Uni between Kenilwort( and Coventry, right on the line of loads of the ground investigations (which head north west all the way to Chelmsley Wood).

This chap has put up quite a few drone flights from Crackley Wood to Stoneleigh Park (A46) - recently he's added one going northwards to Burton Green and passing over one of the protest camp...

 

[MarkLong]

Any new sign of the main construction start?

 

[Bald Rick]

Any new sign of the main construction start?

Notice to proceed has yet to be issued. But expected this month.

 

[Lurpi]

Notice to proceed has yet to be issued. But expected this month.

I thought it was expected in April? That's when the government said construction work would begin, in a press statement when Boris announced the green light last month.

 

[Bald Rick]

I thought it was expected in April? That's when the government said construction work would begin, in a press statement when Boris announced the green light last month.

Notice to proceed is the formal instruction from Governemnt to HS2, there will then follow a period of a couple of weeks whilst contracts are executed and the green flag dropped on site.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Spotted a Tweet with a couple of aerial views of Euston. Most building demo's to ground level, some basements still to go. PSB & LUL buildings still standing. Looks like roof of the station building above P17/18 is starting to come down.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1249313979182219269

 

[Geezertronic]

I noticed they have been still doing a lot of work around the Birmingham Interchange site (especially given the current situation). Does anyone have any details of what is being done?

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

I noticed they have been still doing a lot of work around the Birmingham Interchange site (especially given the current situation). Does anyone have any details of what is being done?

There's a lot of work going on up and down the phase 1 round to create site compounds, clear vegetation, divert utilities, demolish buildings and so forth ahead of "Notice To Proceed" on the Main Works formally being granted. There's road works also and around then NEC that includes works for a new bridge over the M42 (eventually replacing the M42/A452 Junction.)

If not already signed up for it, I suggest taking a look back through the "commonplace" web site for HS2 at Solihull (link follows.) There's a fair bit of info. there, but have a look back through the "news" for a timeline of current events.... https://hs2insolihull.commonplace.is/

Similar sites exist for the rest of the route - the "front door" to them is here... https://hs2.commonplace.is/

 

[Ianno87]

Government issues 'Notice to Proceed' for main Phase 1 construction works to commence:

Government provides construction sector certainty by confirming 'Notice to proceed' on High Speed 2

HS2 Ltd today marks next step for the project, issuing ‘Notice to proceed’ on Britain’s new railway.

www.gov.uk

Following the decision to proceed with HS2 earlier this year, HS2 Ltd has today (15 April 2020) marked the next step for the project after issuing ‘Notice to proceed’ to the companies that will undertake construction on Britain’s new railway.

After careful consideration of the independent Oakervee review, the Prime Minister confirmed to Parliament in February 2020 that the project should go ahead, to deliver vital improvements to capacity and connectivity across the Midlands and North, alongside a reform package to improve governance at HS2 to ensure the project is delivered better and more efficiently. ‘Notice to proceed’ marks the formal approval for the project to begin the construction phase and HS2 Ltd is now entering Stage 2 of the main works civils contracts, with each held by a specific joint-venture.

At a time when the construction sector faces uncertainties during the coronavirus outbreak, issuing ‘Notice to proceed’ provides a vote of confidence in construction companies and the wider supply chain supporting HS2.

(Continues)

 

[Bald Rick]

Government issues 'Notice to Proceed' for main Phase 1 construction works to commence:

Government provides construction sector certainty by confirming 'Notice to proceed' on High Speed 2

HS2 Ltd today marks next step for the project, issuing ‘Notice to proceed’ on Britain’s new railway.

www.gov.uk

Excellent. A couple of weeks late, but perhaps the Governement had something else to think about!

 

[stuu]

Great news

Anyone wishing to get some idea of what is happening on the ground should have a look at Sentinel Hub, which always has satellite imagery taken in the last few days - it doesn't zoom in to aerial photography like Google maps but it's good for a general idea

 

[Leo1961]

Great news

Anyone wishing to get some idea of what is happening on the ground should have a look at Sentinel Hub, which always has satellite imagery taken in the last few days - it doesn't zoom in to aerial photography like Google maps but it's good for a general idea

The link to Sentinel Hub appears to be blocked, at least for me

 

[stuu]

This is the full link

Sentinel-hub Playground

Sentinel-2 L1C imagery taken on April 15, 2020

apps.sentinel-hub.com

 

[BantamMenace]

This is the full link

Sentinel-hub Playground

Sentinel-2 L1C imagery taken on April 15, 2020

apps.sentinel-hub.com

Excellent link and I’m amazed you can follow the route from the water or ton tunnel portal down to just east of Leamington Spa relatively clearly with the works that have already been done.

 

[HowardGWR]

I got Madrid when I followed the Sentinel-hub link. I asked for Water Orton and got that. First a street map came up and then immediately the satellite view came up. I could not see any way in which one could combine the two, as one can with other packages. Moreover there was no KML possibility. On Google Earth, one can add in the HS2 .kml file which is very useful. I could not see any sign of the tunnel preparations to which BantamMenace refers, at Water Orton.
What point am I missing here?

 

[furnessvale]

I have already made up my mind that I will never use HS2, however urgent I need a train. The existing route will remain my preference and if my trip takes twice (or more) as long as a result then so be it.

Dave

There is also an excellent network of canals available for supporters of the Dionysius Lardner school of thought.

 

[6Gman]

I have already made up my mind that I will never use HS2, however urgent I need a train. The existing route will remain my preference and if my trip takes twice (or more) as long as a result then so be it.

Dave

I shall exercise a free choice between the options on offer.

For Crewe - Euston I may well stick with the WCML to enjoy the journey (I fear that with all the tunnelling and screening the views on HS2 could be pretty tedious). For Crewe - Birmingham and especially the NEC HS2 will be very appealing !