HS2 construction updates

[LNW-GW Joint]

Construction of Colne Valley Viaduct. Christ this machine is big

It's difficult to judge overall progress from the videos/photos so far, as they are often from close up.
The viaduct has 56 piers (58 with the abutments), and apparently has a 2-year build timescale (with a further year for finishing).
So the girder needs to advance at about a pier every two weeks.
It was launched on May 31, so has had 5 months to build up momentum.
However, I can only count about 5-6 completed spans in the recent photos (crossing the A412).
The girder can only go as fast as the piers are constructed ahead of it, plus curing time, but I think these are well in hand now with the four piers in the lake now complete.

Tunneling progress is impressive but once started is generally invisible to the public until the final breakthrough.
By contrast the Colne Valley Viaduct is right in the public gaze so will become an iconic symbol of HS2 progress.
I see steelwork for the 450m Wendover Dean viaduct is being delivered to site this month - this will be another very prominent structure.


Edit:
Something else you can see from the drone video in post #1496 is the new bridge which will take the Princes Risborough-Aylesbury railway over HS2 near Stoke Mandeville.
It's visible under construction lying alongside the railway at 9.09-25 in the video.
There's a Chiltern train pictured alongside it for a handy reference.

 

[Dave_Cardboard]

It's difficult to judge overall progress from the videos/photos so far, as they are often from close up.
The viaduct has 56 piers (58 with the abutments), and apparently has a 2-year build timescale (with a further year for finishing).
So the girder needs to advance at about a pier every two weeks.
It was launched on May 31, so has had 5 months to build up momentum.
However, I can only count about 5-6 completed spans in the recent photos (crossing the A412).
The girder can only go as fast as the piers are constructed ahead of it, plus curing time, but I think these are well in hand now with the four piers in the lake now complete.

There was a bit of a "go slow" crossing the A412 as they could only work there at night when the road could be closed. (In case it's not obvious to readers, you can't really be dangling hundreds of tonnes of concrete on cables above live traffic lanes!) It seems to have progressed a bit faster since.

 

[12LDA28C]

Edit:
Something else you can see from the drone video in post #1496 is the new bridge which will take the Princes Risborough-Aylesbury railway over HS2 near Stoke Mandeville.
It's visible under construction lying alongside the railway at 9.09-25 in the video.
There's a Chiltern train pictured alongside it for a handy reference.

I believe that is the final position of the bridge, it certainly seems to be fixed on supports which suggests the Aylesbury - Princes Risborough branch will be slewed / realigned slightly to the west with HS2 diving underneath. The branch line is due to be closed for a few weeks next year for this work to take place.

 

[swt_passenger]

I believe that is the final position of the bridge, it certainly seems to be fixed on supports which suggests the Aylesbury - Princes Risborough branch will be slewed / realigned slightly to the west with HS2 diving underneath. The branch line is due to be closed for a few weeks next year for this work to take place.

Yes it does get slewed west, I’ve dug out a map that shows the move, I’d estimate it’s about 1500m overall realignment:

 

[The Planner]

I believe that is the final position of the bridge, it certainly seems to be fixed on supports which suggests the Aylesbury - Princes Risborough branch will be slewed / realigned slightly to the west with HS2 diving underneath. The branch line is due to be closed for a few weeks next year for this work to take place.

11 weeks from April.

 

[12LDA28C]

11 weeks from April.

Excellent. Let's hope the trackwork can get sorted out for the full length of the branch as it's in a deplorable state at the moment, not helped no doubt by heavy ballast trains working over it most nights.

I'm sure the staff at Banbury depot will be looking forward to the increased workload during those 11 weeks!

 

[Fazaar1889]

HS2 (High Speed Two) Ltd on Instagram: "Some shots to share with you this week to highlight our construction progress . Project Progress Alert [Part 1] Check out these stunning images showing the final Colne Valley Viaduct deck segments being in

130 likes, 1 comments - hs2ltd on November 9, 2022: "Some shots to share with you this week to highlight our construction progress . Project Progress Alert [Part 1] Check out these stunning images showing the final Colne Valley Viaduct deck segments being installed across A412 Denham Road...

www.instagram.com

New photos of the big bridge building machine.

.

.

You two might enjoy these photos (I'm not sure how to tag)

 

[swt_passenger]

You two might enjoy these photos (I'm not sure how to tag)

Ah, you just need to type an @ symbol followed by a username, it will autocomplete as well, @Fazaar1889

 

[ABB125]

It already has been - it was used for the construction of a spectacular motorway interchange in Hong Kong.

Which junction is it (if you know)? Thanks

 

[Bald Rick]

Which junction is it (if you know)? Thanks

The East Tsing Yi viaduct / interchange, on Route 8 directly above the Kwai Tsing container terminal.

 

[Fazaar1889]

Ah, you just need to type an @ symbol followed by a username, it will autocomplete as well, @Fazaar1889

Ah thanks, I thought it might have been more complex

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The East Tsing Yi viaduct / interchange, on Route 8 directly above the Kwai Tsing container terminal.

I believe it's the structure on the right on this hazy picture taken from a Star ferry.
It certainly dominates the view across the harbour.



This link shows a picture of the girder at work on the interchange section of the project:

Structurae [de]: East Tsing Yi Viaduct & Stonecutters Bridge

East Tsing Yi Viaduct & Stonecutters Bridge, fotografiert von Yves Rialland im Jahr 2007 (ID 128236)

structurae.net

 

[D6130]

Apologies if this has been stated previously, but how is the Quainton Railway Centre being affected by the works and has it had to be relocated? It's not very clear from the otherwise excellent fly-through video.

 

[12LDA28C]

Apologies if this has been stated previously, but how is the Quainton Railway Centre being affected by the works and has it had to be relocated? It's not very clear from the otherwise excellent fly-through video.

It's still where it always was, the main line has been severed and lifted beyond the bridge immediately north of the station and heritage site. Station road itself has been closed but only beyond the Bucks Railway Centre entrance so I believe it's effectively still 'business as usual', indeed their website is currently advertising 'Panto Express' trains on the lead up to Christmas. Oh yes they are!

 

[D6130]

It's still where it always was, the main line has been severed and lifted beyond the bridge immediately north of the station and heritage site. Station road itself has been closed but only beyond the Bucks Railway Centre entrance so I believe it's effectively still 'business as usual', indeed their website is currently advertising 'Panto Express' trains on the lead up to Christmas. Oh yes they are!

Many thanks!

 

[swt_passenger]

Apologies if this has been stated previously, but how is the Quainton Railway Centre being affected by the works and has it had to be relocated? It's not very clear from the otherwise excellent fly-through video.

If you follow this link to an HS2 map of the area, the work is all to do with local permanent road closures, and resulting diversions over a relocated bridge. There’s no apparent impact on the railway centre itself, but road access will be from only the east side of the line.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/529513/C222-ATK-CV-DPP-020-000008-FPD.pdf

 

[D6130]

If you follow this link to an HS2 map of the area, the work is all to do with local permanent road closures, and resulting diversions over a relocated bridge. There’s no apparent impact on the railway centre itself, but road access will be from only the east side of the line.

Thanks for that. I haven't visited the preservation site since moving from Aylesbury to Skipton in 1991, but I seem to remember that a significant proportion of the Society's track and rolling stock were located on the West side of the line opposite the station building. Will that area still be accessible from within the complex, or have they had to move everything to the Up side?

 

[Mikey C]

Thanks for that. I haven't visited the preservation site since moving from Aylesbury to Skipton in 1991, but I seem to remember that a significant proportion of the Society's track and rolling stock were located on the West side of the line opposite the station building. Will that area still be accessible from within the complex, or have they had to move everything to the Up side?

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license.

www.openstreetmap.org

HS2 itself doesn't directly affect their site, though I don't know the construction site has any impact on their operations

 

[swt_passenger]

Thanks for that. I haven't visited the preservation site since moving from Aylesbury to Skipton in 1991, but I seem to remember that a significant proportion of the Society's track and rolling stock were located on the West side of the line opposite the station building. Will that area still be accessible from within the complex, or have they had to move everything to the Up side?

I think everything is unchanged, there are still the two footbridges giving access across the site over the stub of the Network Rail line, (which is currently lifted north of the station). There was no rail connection between west and east sides of the line, indeed no connection with NR at all.

 

[DaveHarries]

If you follow this link to an HS2 map of the area, the work is all to do with local permanent road closures, and resulting diversions over a relocated bridge. There’s no apparent impact on the railway centre itself, but road access will be from only the east side of the line.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/529513/C222-ATK-CV-DPP-020-000008-FPD.pdf

I note that the background mapping refers to the BRC's line as a "dismantled railway" when Google Earth shows that there is track in situ! Also I apologise if this is a silly question but will the new Station ROad incorporate the heritage bridge from the old route or will the bridge over the BRC's line be a newbuild?

It's still where it always was, the main line has been severed and lifted beyond the bridge immediately north of the station and heritage site. Station road itself has been closed but only beyond the Bucks Railway Centre entrance so I believe it's effectively still 'business as usual', indeed their website is currently advertising 'Panto Express' trains on the lead up to Christmas. Oh yes they are!

Hopefully the track will be put back in when the diversion of Station Road is completed: as far as I can see from that map in the link the HS2 line isn't running on the formation of the BRC route and that there will have to be one long bridge over both lines.

Dave

 

[swt_passenger]

I note that the background mapping refers to the BRC's line as a "dismantled railway" when Google Earth shows that there is track in situ! Also I apologise if this is a silly question but will the new Station ROad incorporate the heritage bridge from the old route or will the bridge over the BRC's line be a newbuild?

I think the only uses of “dismantled railway”, to the left of the BRC correctly refer to the former curve leading away to Verney Junction, and the former Ashendon Junction to Grendon Junction link, which is now replaced by a road anyway

The existing NR track is on the map, it’s just shown as a single grey line. The existing station road bridge will still be needed, and the drawing clearly shows two separate new bridges, one new Station Road Overbridge above HS2, and another just a little further to the northeast named as the Aylesbury Link Overbridge

 

[Fazaar1889]

video about the viaduct with new footage

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Nov 2022 ==

From what I read elsewhere (can’t remember the source) the gap is filled by casting in situ.

Seems like you were right!

 

[TheHSRailFan]

Apologies if this has been stated previously, but how is the Quainton Railway Centre being affected by the works and has it had to be relocated? It's not very clear from the otherwise excellent fly-through video.

HS2 (like everyone else has said) basically skims it. You will only have to worry when East West Rail (Update thread linked) revitalises their Aylesbury spur for the project which is currently shelved.

 

[Bletchleyite]

HS2 (like everyone else has said) basically skims it. You will only have to worry when East West Rail (Update thread linked) revitalises their Aylesbury spur for the project which is currently shelved.

In essence the through Network Rail line lops Quainton Road in half. I don't think EWR Aylesbury would really change that, though there might be changes at Aylesbury Vale Parkway. Doubling it wouldn't change that either, there's a spare bit of trackbed. As I understand it there's no access between the two halves of the preserved operation nor to the mainline - Quainton Road shuttles operated by Chiltern (when those have operated) ran on the mainline which still has a platform at Quainton.

This is all clearly visible on Google Maps aerial view.

 

[12LDA28C]

HS2 (like everyone else has said) basically skims it. You will only have to worry when East West Rail (Update thread linked) revitalises their Aylesbury spur for the project which is currently shelved.

'Currently shelved'... although the track is being relaid to 90mph line speed so maybe futureproofing for when it's eventually approved?

 

[Bletchleyite]

'Currently shelved'... although the track is being relaid to 90mph line speed so maybe futureproofing for when it's eventually approved?

At least if the track's there to passenger standards it just requires someone to find a unit and crew to get it going.

 

[The Planner]

'Currently shelved'... although the track is being relaid to 90mph line speed so maybe futureproofing for when it's eventually approved?

You can't run the service without it being 90 so its a requirement rather than future proofing.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You can't run the service without it being 90 so its a requirement rather than future proofing.

I think the point was that if there was no intention of ever running it the line would either not be reconnected or just done as a low speed freight only line.

 

[12LDA28C]

I think the point was that if there was no intention of ever running it the line would either not be reconnected or just done as a low speed freight only line.

Indeed. The line has to be reconnected to serve Calvert waste disposal site. This however would clearly not have to be a 90mph line.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Nov 2022 ==

You can't run the service without it being 90 so its a requirement rather than future proofing.

As the only 'service' that would use the line north of Quainton (if the Aylesbury spur was not built for passenger services) would be the 'binliner' trains to Calvert, there would be no requirement for 90mph running and it could remain a 30mph freight line as it has been for decades.

 

[JamesT]

Indeed. The line has to be reconnected to serve Calvert waste disposal site. This however would clearly not have to be a 90mph line.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Nov 2022 ==



As the only 'service' that would use the line north of Quainton (if the Aylesbury spur was not built for passenger services) would be the 'binliner' trains to Calvert, there would be no requirement for 90mph running and it could remain a 30mph freight line as it has been for decades.

How much more expensive is rebuilding it as a passenger-grade line over a freight-only?