HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct construction updates

[LNW-GW Joint]

Are there any plans for Dominique to be used elsewhere?

I think Dominique is a design (by Dominique Droniou of Bouygues) as much as a physical piece of steelwork, and is built/modified for each specific construction job.
It's been around for at least 20 years since its first big Hong Kong job in 2004.
Droniou seems to work for VSL, a Swiss bridge builder acquired by Bouygues.
VSL's list of projects includes the Hong Kong and Colne Valley jobs and many others, including the new Queensferry bridge in Scotland.

VSL International - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

VSL International (for Vorspann System Losinger) is a specialist construction company founded in 1954. VSL contributes to engineering, building, repairing, upgrading and preserving transport infrastructure (bridges, tunnels, retained earth walls for roads), buildings and energy production facilities. Based in Switzerland, VSL is owned by French construction company Bouygues.
VSL specialises in post-tensioned concrete, stay-cable systems and heavy lifting, while its subsidiary Intrafor focuses on ground engineering and foundations. The company has also developed its proprietary systems, mostly related to post-tensioning and stay-cable, and has 370 patents.

In fact, there's a picture of the Colne Valley bridge construction, and other reference builds, on the VSL web site.

Bridge deck construction | VSL

As a world leader in deck construction since the 1950s, VSL provides the design of methods, specialist equipment and works execution.

vsl.com

 

[swt_passenger]

Things are moving quickly, Wandering Northerner has just (evening of the 25th) uploaded a short video showing that the launch girder Dominique has now moved forward onto the last pier, and he suggests the reason there’s a large (concrete looking?) area been laid down adjacent to the start of the embankment is for space for the dismantling of Dominique:

 

[Fazaar1889]

New £1.6bn UK bridge will weigh 700 times more than a whale

This new bridge is part of the HS2 leg out of London and is now more than 90% complete.

www.express.co.uk

Fun fact, the bridge will weigh 700 times that of a whale

 

[stuu]

Fun fact, the bridge will weigh 700 times that of a whale

It really is a paper for imbeciles.

 

[masekwm]

Thanks for linking my video above, the pad is surely there for dismantling Dominque?

 

[swt_passenger]

View attachment 164326

Thanks for linking my video above, the pad is surely there for dismantling Dominque?

It definitely looks in exactly the right place, it seems that the pad area has only become apparent quite recently though, looking at video from a couple of weeks ago. I wonder as well if there are also a pair of concrete pads built into the embankment that the gantry will move its main legs onto, then it will be in position for cranes to operate alongside it? The pads being within those red and yellow portable barriers?

 

[masekwm]

Looks like there is?

 

[Flying Phil]

Thanks for the updates. It is interesting to see how well it is fitting into the landscape already - despite some people describing the construction as a huge scar across the landscape.

 

[duffield]

Fun fact, the bridge will weigh 700 times that of a whale

Well, it *is* "whale-weigh" bridge.

(I'll get my coat).

 

[Snow1964]

New video of Colne Valley viaduct,
looks like just one viaduct section was still to be added

Presumably Dominique will be moved forward alongside the pad and dismantled, and the temporary road will removed once remaining side panels are added

 

[swt_passenger]

New video of Colne Valley viaduct,
looks like just one viaduct section was still to be added

Presumably Dominique will be moved forward alongside the pad and dismantled, and the temporary road will removed once remaining side panels are added

Just as we were discussing a few posts back, on Sun/Mon. The probable locations to support the legs of Dominique are even more obvious in todays video.

 

[66C]

Do you think the last piece of the jigsaw won't fit... or is there a topping out ceremony planned for the longest viaduct in the country.

 

[PLY2AYS]

There‘s an explanation of sorts on an HS2 web page I saw linked somewhere. A cutting to modern slope angle standards would have apparently meant vast quantities of spoil would have to be taken elsewhere. The cut and cover means it can be stored locally and replaced, with the landscape reinstated as it was. Sounds dubious, but that’s a quick summary.

Also would help greatly with masking additional noise, which, however expensive, would negate impact on the local residents.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Sep 2024 ==

Fun fact, the bridge will weigh 700 times that of a whale

That’s a ridiculous figure. Whales aren’t that heavy… surely.

 

[zwk500]

That’s a ridiculous figure. Whales aren’t that heavy… surely.

Blue whales weigh 130-150,000kg normally, so reasonably hefty. Exceptional weights up to nearly 200t have been recorded I think.

 

[swt_passenger]

Blue whales weigh 130-150,000kg normally, so reasonably hefty. Exceptional weights up to nearly 200t have been recorded I think.

I’m surprised they didn’t report its length in customary exaggeration units such as “Olympic sized” swimming pools…

 

[PLY2AYS]

Blue whales weigh 130-150,000kg normally, so reasonably hefty.

It’s just a bizarre metric to use… entirely unrelatable.

I’m surprised they didn’t report its length in customary exaggeration units such as “Olympic sized” swimming pools…

Which begs the question; how many blue whales to one Olympic swimming pool?

 

[swt_passenger]

Do you think the last piece of the jigsaw won't fit... or is there a topping out ceremony planned for the longest viaduct in the country.

There was a mention of a ceremonial lift of the final segment on 5 Sep. But it’s only from the comments section of one of the YouTube videos I saw, referred to in post #237.

 

[stuu]

I’m surprised they didn’t report its length in customary exaggeration units such as “Olympic sized” swimming pools…

Length of double buses surely? Olympic pools is the SI unit for volume

 

[Snow1964]

Various media reports that final segment was installed today in front of workers. Now officially supersedes Tay Bridge as UKs longest

Contractors building a new viaduct for HS2 today made history as they lowered into place its final deck segment in an operation that crowns it as Britain’s new longest rail bridge.

The gently-curved 3.4 kilometre (2.1 mile) long structure on London’s north-western edge stretches across the Colne Valley near the M25 motorway and the village of Denham. It will carry high speed trains running to and from the capital at speeds of up to 320km/h (200mph).

The viaduct’s completion means that the 3.3km Tay Bridge linking Fife and Dundee has finally ceded the crown of Britain’s longest rail bridge to HS2, a record it had held since 1887.

The Colne Valley viaduct’s construction is being managed by the main works contractor Align JV – a team consisting of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine and VolkerFitzpatrick. It is one of 500 bridging structures on the HS2 project which also include footbridges, drainage culverts and innovative 'green bridges' for wildlife.

Building work on the viaduct’s deck began in May 2022. Over the following 28 months a dedicated team of highly-skilled engineers used a massive launching girder to lower into place the bridge’s 1,000 uniquely-shaped deck segments.

Edging forward from north to south and supported on the viaduct’s 56 piers, the 160 metre long launcher used a balanced-cantilever method to lower deck segments into place to form half an arch either side of a pier before moving to the next pier to complete the arch span by repeating the process.

The 1,000 pre-cast segments are made on-site at a purpose-built factory. Each of the segments is uniquely shaped to enable the structure to curve as it carries the high speed line up to 10 metres above land and water across the Colne Valley.

Once the main civil engineering phase of construction ends, the factory and surrounding buildings will be removed and the whole area between the viaduct and HS2’s 10-mile tunnel beneath the Chiltern Hills just to the north will be transformed into an area of chalk grassland and woodland as part of HS2’s ‘green corridor’ project.

The viaduct’s construction will next move into the rail systems installation phase as it progresses towards becoming an operational part of the new high speed railway between 2029 and 2033.

Britain gets its new longest rail bridge in major HS2 milestone

Installation of final deck segment sees HS2 viaduct break 137-year old record Work on the 2.1-mile long deck of Colne Valley Viaduct started in May 2022 1,000 pre-cast segments made at purpose-built factory on-site

mediacentre.hs2.org.uk

UK’s longest railway bridge is completed on outskirts of London

The 2.1-mile Colne Valley Viaduct will carry high-speed trains between the M25 motorway and the Buckinghamshire village of Denham

www.standard.co.uk

 

[swt_passenger]

Various media reports that final segment was installed today in front of 200 workers

A short YouTube video has just appeared. The sky above was probably busy with numerous drones flying into one another…

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I think the viaduct has been taken a few months longer to build than originally planned, but Dominique has certainly caught up a lot of time recently.
They must have got the hang of it now, and it must be easier to build on dry land rather than over water, and in decent summer weather.
I wonder how long it will take to dismantle the haul roads along the entire length, including a significant stretch over water?
There will now be frequent "finished" events going forward as structures are completed, all making a positive impression for the project.
TBM Shushila should complete its 8km drive at Northolt West in a couple of months' time.

 

[Bald Rick]

A short YouTube video has just appeared. The sky above was probably busy with numerous drones flying into one another…

Thats unless the storm wiped them out. It absolutely belted it down there about 1500.

 

[Snow1964]

Recent Construction look ahead has been published.

Removal of the temporary construction jetties and landscaping is now ongoing through to June 2025 or September 2025 (depending on location).

The launching girder will be dismantled and removed via Jews Lane

Around Coptall tunnel, conveyor is expected to operate until February 2025

Looks like already working on various landscaping sites and wildlife habitats

Lots of other info on link

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Hillingdon-September-2024-Construction-look-ahead-Align-SCS.pdf

 

[QueensCurve]

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

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

Please correct me if I am wrong, but it will not be the longest railway bridge in the UK, that remains The Tay Bridge at 2m 364yd.

 

[swt_passenger]

Please correct me if I am wrong, but it will not be the longest railway bridge in the UK, that remains The Tay Bridge at 2m 364yd.

There seem to be a variety of lengths online for the Tay Bridge, but Network Rail’s own page has it as 2m 73yd?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Tay Bridge is shown in the Sectional Appendix as 2m360y, and in Quail as 2m18ch, or 178 chains.
178ch is 3.58km.
The Colne Valley viaduct is quoted as being 3.4km, so at first sight you are right.
HS2 quotes the Tay Bridge at 3.3km, so maybe they are measuring different things.

 

[Geogregor]

 

[swt_passenger]

V

The Tay Bridge is shown in the Sectional Appendix as 2m360y, and in Quail as 2m18ch, or 178 chains.
178ch is 3.58km.
The Colne Valley viaduct is quoted as being 3.4km, so at first sight you are right.
HS2 quotes the Tay Bridge at 3.3km, so maybe they are measuring different things.

I suppose there’s a discussion point about whether the brick built land viaducts on the Tay approaches are a part of the main bridge? I see even the wiki on the Tay bridge has two completely different sets of dimensions, ie it’s different in the text and the table of dimensions.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

New video of Colne Valley viaduct,
looks like just one viaduct section was still to be added

Presumably Dominique will be moved forward alongside the pad and dismantled, and the temporary road will removed once remaining side panels are added

Another great video of an impressive structure but it does also illuminate a pretty impressive construction haul road below it that most road users would be delighted with. Hopefully you will get down there and show how the site is progressively demobilised over next year.

 

[SteelWeelApeal]

I thought the viaduct out of London Bridge towards Greenwich is the longest?