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BALFOUR BEATTY VINCI SUCCESFULLY LIFTS 15 BRIDGE BEAMS INTO PLACE AT HS2 ’ S INTERCHANGE STATION
Balfour Beatty VINCI marks a major milestone at HS2 ’ s Interchange Station in Solihull after a 20-strong team carefully lifted 15 colossal bridge beams into position .
Hoisted into place onto existing abutments and piers using a 650-tonne crane , the concrete beams form the ‘ building blocks ’ of a road bridge that will take vehicles over the high-speed railway and onto the station car parks .
The giant beams weigh a collective total of 565 tonnes and are the foundation of the two-lane bridge , which will stretch 63.5 metres once finished . Due to be completed in early 2025 , the next phase of construction will see a concrete deck placed on top of the beams , before parapet walls are installed and surfacing work can take place .
It represents the most significant structure yet built as part of the new station development .
HS2 ’ s Interchange Station will be the catalyst for huge growth in Solihull , driving economic transformation for the region . The plans , being led by the Urban Growth Company , will support 30,000 jobs , up to 3,000 new homes and 70,000 square metres of commercial space .
The new high-speed station will provide easy access to the nearby National Exhibition Centre , Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport via the Automated People Mover ( APM ) – an elevated mass transit system .
The 150-hectare site for Interchange Station sits in a triangle of land between the M42 , A45 and A452 . Once operational , the new station will serve passengers travelling on the new high-speed line to London and destinations in the north . It will put commuters within 38 minutes of the capital .
The contract to build Interchange Station was awarded to Laing O ’ Rourke last year , with work currently underway on design . Balfour Beatty VINCI , is currently preparing the site where the new station will be built and carrying out preliminary civil engineering work – ready for full construction to start in early 2026 .
Maddy Belgrove , Site Sub Agent for Balfour Beatty VINCI , said : “ HS2 ’ s Interchange Station is really beginning to take shape , now we ’ ve safely and successfully lifted the 15 bridge beams into place .
“ This five-day operation required a huge amount of planning and precision , and I ’ m really proud of the way the team has responded to this challenge , especially during the recent bad weather .”
Ailsa Waygood , HS2 Ltd ’ s Project Client for Interchange Station , said : “ We ’ re very proud to mark this engineering milestone and I ’ d like to thank everyone involved for delivering the operation safely and precisely during particularly challenging weather conditions .
“ As we approach a new phase of construction , we are excited to bring our plans for Interchange Station to life . Interchange will be transformational for the Midlands , providing new jobs and supply chain opportunities , and becoming one of the best-connected transport hubs in the UK .”
Managed by Balfour Beatty VINCI , last week ’ s complex operation was delivered by a team of 20 people in a space of just five days . The pre-cast concrete bridge beams were manufactured by family-run business Shay Murtagh Precast , with additional support from Sian Formwork Ltd and Ainscough Crane Hire to complete the installation work .
HS2 is building more than 500 bridging structures route wide , which range from small footbridges to major viaducts , such as the West Link and East Link Viaducts – two parallel structures in North Warwickshire and the first viaducts to be built in HS2 ’ s Delta Junction .
As construction continues at pace between the West Midlands and London , HS2 now supports more than 31,000 jobs . When complete , Britain ’ s new high-speed railway will create quicker and more reliable journeys , driving economic growth while crucially freeing up space for more local trains on the most congested part of the existing West Coast Main Line .
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