HS2 has started production of 2,742 concrete segments which will be used to build Delta Junction, a network of nine viaducts in the West Midlands.
The segments are made on-site in a purpose-built open-air factory in Kingsbury, Warwickshire.
The 55,000 square meter site employs around 1,000 people in total. A team of 200 people are building the viaduct network in Water Orton and Coleshill.
The precast yard is expected to produce up to eight segments per day, weighing between 50 and 80 tonnes. The sections have a height of 3.5 meters and come in two different widths – 7 or 11 meters, to support single track and double track sections of the railway.
The work involves a combination casting technique, where each segment is cast against the next segment on a production line to create a seamless viaduct deck when installed.
A 54 meter long gantry crane lifts each segment during the manufacturing cycle, before transport to Water Orton and Coleshill for on-site assembly.
The HS2 Delta Junction forms two spurs that bifurcate the HS2 main line between London and the North. Trains will travel between Birmingham Curzon Street Station Terminal and the North, and between Curzon Street and the South, representing around 10km of HS2 tracks.
The project is being delivered by HS2’s main works contractor for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV). The joint venture is building 90km of HS2 between Long Itchington in Warwickshire to central Birmingham and into Staffordshire.
Delta Junction HS2 Senior Project Manager Panos Psathas said: “We are delighted to see this next milestone on the Midlands section of HS2 as the first segments roll off the production line ready for the BBV team to begin to build the viaducts next year.
“Kingsbury precast segment factory is an important HS2 site in the Midlands. It is also home to the BBV Skills Academy, which provides training opportunities in a range of disciplines for people in the region.”
BBV project manager Pascal Albertelli, who is overseeing the construction of the viaducts, said: “Seeing the first segments roll off the production line recently at our precast yard in Kingsbury was a very proud moment for me and the my team, who have worked tirelessly over the past two years to get to this point.
“It’s a fascinating phase of the project to be involved in, because of its scale and the production methods we’ve introduced here.”
The first segments made at Kingsbury will be used to build the 500m River Tame West Viaduct near Water Orton. This viaduct crosses the valley of the River Tame and connects Watton House Embankment with Faraday Embankment for trains traveling from London to the north.
Construction of the substructures supporting the viaduct deck began earlier this year, while construction of the deck will begin in late 2023.
