HS2 construction updates

[jyte]

How much prep work has been done in and around Euston so far? A little or none?

 

[edwin_m]

How much prep work has been done in and around Euston so far? A little or none?

The most obvious thing is that Cardington Street has been walled off just north of the entrance near Platform 17 and other buildings nearby are boarded up. There was no visible demolition last time I was there (last week). There have been enabling works going on over the past year or so to move various Network Rail equipment out of the HS2 footprint on the west side, which becomes a full-blown HS2 construction site later this year including platforms 17 and 18.

 

[jnjkerbin]

It may interest forum users to know that Compulsory Purchase Orders have now been formally issued for a number of flats in the Regents' Park Estate, dated the end of May, so demolition work there is likely to start some time after that.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

The following link is a register of street works in Camden. If one "plays around" with the data a bit, for example, filter "responsible company" to HS2, sort by date and so forth, one can glean some insight into when streets are due to be stopped up, hoardings erected and so forth...

https://opendata.camden.gov.uk/Transport/Street-Works-Register-Camden/hb3v-f3s2/data

You can even download it (to Excel, XML, etc) if you are so minded.

 

[The Planner]

Superb work

 

[edwin_m]

I saw (while waiting at the mandatory Proof House signal stop) there's a bit hoarding near where the buffer stops will be at the Birmingham terminus saying "The journey starts here" with HS2 logo. So it looks like there's some work going on at that end too - anyone know what?

 

[The Planner]

Ground investigation probably.

 

[camflyer]

Ground investigation probably.

HS2 workers discover ancient coastline in Ruislip
http://www.itv.com/news/london/2018-03-16/hs2-workers-discover-ancient-coastline-in-ruislip/

Engineers working on Britain’s new high speed railway have discovered an ancient, sub-tropical coastline dating back 56 million years. The rare discovery was made at a site in Ruislip when HS2’s ground investigation team unearthed a previously unknown material, located up to 33 metres below the surface.

The layer of black clay, which HS2 Ltd has named the ‘Ruislip Bed,’ is thought to have been formed from densely wooded marshes on the edge of a sub-tropical sea. HS2 Ltd made the surprising find while investigating ground conditions in the area, prior to the construction of the Northolt Tunnel – a 14km tunnel which will run from West Ruislip to Old Oak Common.

HS2 has been investigating the ground at around 8,000 locations along the first phase of HS2, from London to the West Midlands.

Let's hope they don't find anything too interesting or the whole scheme will be delayed for even longer

 

[The Planner]

They will do I expect, big graveyard that needs moving at Curzon St apparently.

 

[mrmartin]

When will proper construction likely start (ie: major earthworks, etc) - not just ground studies?

 

[The Planner]

End of the year probably, the civils contractors have to finalise designs etc.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

The following link is a register of street works in Camden. If one "plays around" with the data a bit, for example, filter "responsible company" to HS2, sort by date and so forth, one can glean some insight into when streets are due to be stopped up, hoardings erected and so forth...

https://opendata.camden.gov.uk/Transport/Street-Works-Register-Camden/hb3v-f3s2/data

You can even download it (to Excel, XML, etc) if you are so minded.

Superb work

For the avoidance of doubt, this isn't anything I've done - I found on on Camden Councils web site.

 

[The Planner]

That was for a reply to a post thats been split out on to another thread by Mr B Rick of this parish.

 

[jyte]

Whilst aimlessly browsing the web, I found this site which contains time lapses of work at Euston...that is apparently HS2 related.

If anyone can see how, I'd love to know!

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

It's the site if a new electricity substation off Barnby Street.

 

[GAVIN YATES]

What do you envisage the changes in spec from HS2 to classic trains on the network? I know its a generic question but I am currently looking into obtaining as much information as I can, on an assignment for uni. Much appreciated if you could help

 

[jyte]

What do you envisage the changes in spec from HS2 to classic trains on the network? I know its a generic question but I am currently looking into obtaining as much information as I can, on an assignment for uni. Much appreciated if you could help

Sorry can you re-phrase this question. I don't understand.

 

[Domh245]

As @jyte says the question isn't overly clear. If you are asking about the difference between the HS2 stock (classic compatible) and a generic other high speed train in the UK, the main differences that come to mind include an increase in installed power, signalling systems specifically for running on the High speed line (TVM430 will be most likely unless it's been announced differently) which will be supplemented by traditional UK systems such as AWS and TPWS on the 'classic compatible' sets, a different pantograph design optimised to work with the LGV style OLE (compare the pantographs of a 395 designed for HS1, compared to a more generic Brecknell-Willis High Speed Pantograph as used on most other UK stock), and no doubt some other differences.

 

[edwin_m]

Probably the most significant difference is the need for folding/sliding steps to bridge the gap to the UIC-gauge platforms that are further away from the track than UK ones. Eurostars 373s have something similar.

 

[Bald Rick]

As @jyte says the question isn't overly clear. If you are asking about the difference between the HS2 stock (classic compatible) and a generic other high speed train in the UK, the main differences that come to mind include an increase in installed power, signalling systems specifically for running on the High speed line (TVM430 will be most likely unless it's been announced differently) which will be supplemented by traditional UK systems such as AWS and TPWS on the 'classic compatible' sets, a different pantograph design optimised to work with the LGV style OLE (compare the pantographs of a 395 designed for HS1, compared to a more generic Brecknell-Willis High Speed Pantograph as used on most other UK stock), and no doubt some other differences.

The signalling on HS2 will be ETCS Level 2.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Maybe the "pre qualification technical summary" published by the Govt. may help Gavin_Yates...

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ock_-_Pre-Qualification_Technical_Summary.pdf

 

[kcajtam]

As @jyte says the question isn't overly clear. If you are asking about the difference between the HS2 stock (classic compatible) and a generic other high speed train in the UK, the main differences that come to mind include an increase in installed power, signalling systems specifically for running on the High speed line (TVM430 will be most likely unless it's been announced differently) which will be supplemented by traditional UK systems such as AWS and TPWS on the 'classic compatible' sets, a different pantograph design optimised to work with the LGV style OLE (compare the pantographs of a 395 designed for HS1, compared to a more generic Brecknell-Willis High Speed Pantograph as used on most other UK stock), and no doubt some other differences.

The Brecknell-Willis High Speed Pantograph was used on the Eurostar e300, which was designed for LGV Nord and HS1

 

[gsnedders]

The Brecknell-Willis High Speed Pantograph was used on the Eurostar e300, which was designed for LGV Nord and HS1

I imagine the 395 uses a different design because unlike the e300 (in the form of the NoL sets) they're never expected to operate on any other OHLE?

 

[Domh245]

The Brecknell-Willis High Speed Pantograph was used on the Eurostar e300, which was designed for LGV Nord and HS1

For high speed running they use pantograph (a) from this picture, which as I understand it is a French design known as GPE (Grand Plongeur Unique - Large single plunger), the advantage of which is that the head of the pantograph can respond more rapidly to contact wire oscillations because it slides up and down the tube which is attached to the rest of the pantograph. A bit of research suggests that Faiveley made the actual units fitted to the 373s and it is known as a "Faiveley GPU high speed", but it certainly isn't to the conventional Brecknell Willis High Speed design, where the pantograph head pivots around the end of the upper arm.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

Use of slab track was discussed earlier in this thread. In HS2's opening presentation to the House Of Commons Committee for the phase2A bill, it was stated that phase2A will also be on slab track.

 

[Snapper]

Well, there was the project specification I referred to. I know that's even older, but are you positively saying that ballasted track has been explicitly written out of the civils contracts?

At the start of the Phase 2a hearings at the beginning of the week, Prof McNaughton stated that slab track would be used for Hs2.

https://www.parliament.uk/documents...phase-2a/Hansard-HSRBC-19-03-18-Afternoon.pdf

"90. The track it sits on is of a German design. The picture is actually taken in Korea. Now, I’ve chosen this picture not for any other reason I think, than to make a second point which is, if you look at the track, it is a continuous concrete slab. Conventional railways are built on concrete sleepers, but in some parts of the world, and for Phase 2A of high speed, like Phase One, our track is based on a continuous concrete slab. It is actually pre-cast and set in on a foundation. And the reason for that is that this is a very heavily used railway. In Phase Two, 12 trains an hour running at high speed is, in engineering terms, quite challenging. So, a continuous concrete slab enables us to run a safe service, but with minimal maintenance"

Yesterday the latest Stophs2 petition ground to an ignominious end after 6 months, over 70,000 short of target. I've crunched the numbers and analysed what it means for their campaign here. https://paulbigland.blog/2018/03/22/crunching-the-final-numbers-on-the-stop-hs2-petition/

 

[HSTEd]

The benefits of slab track in this application are pretty enormous, especially in terms of reduced maintenance requirements.

 

[Snapper]

New blog. Someone pass StopHs2's Joe Rukin a fire-extinguisher, his pants are on fire - again. https://paulbigland.blog/2018/03/23/joe-rukins-pants-are-on-fire-again/

 

[nbdm]

There are currently large gas diversion works going on near the delta junction, around Water Orton and the A446 road until May.
After this is complete I think HS2 will move into the compound setup for the gas works on the site of the Rugby club who are also moving.

There is also a construction compound near to the M6 which is to be used for the Bromford tunnel and nearby works.

 

[Ploughman]

Will the route of HS2 affect the yard of Andrew Goodman at Wishaw?
Going off the link in the previous post the yard is not far away.