HS2 and their main works contractors Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) have moved a 1,600 tonne steel and concrete bridge into place in Saltley, Birmingham in just five hours.
The new Aston Church Road bridge, which is 84 metres long and 21 metres wide, was moved over the existing Birmingham to Derby railway line.
The bridge will also sit above the new HS2 tracks as high speed trains travel in and out of Birmingham.
The composite bridge is made of a concrete deck cast over steel girders with glass reinforced plastic panels used as permanent formwork.
HS2’s head of delivery, Steve Powell, said: “This is another great construction milestone for HS2 in the West Midlands, with our teams using the most innovative techniques to deliver feats of engineering safely and efficiently.
“It’s also a great example of how the new infrastructure we’re building for HS2 also upgrades the local road network, providing big improvements for local communities.”
To prepare for the bridge move, a 9,000m2 platform was made and 62 piles constructed to support concrete structures.
READ MORE: UK transport secretary begins transport infrastructure review
Around 4,000m3 concrete and 490 tonnes of reinforced steel has been used in the construction operation.
The bridge now sits on three structures – an abutment to the West of the existing rail tracks, a pier consisting of two columns on the East of the existing tracks, and an abutment to the East of the pier.
In the coming weeks, all the other structures around the bridge, along with the steel assembly of the parapet panels, will be completed.
Over the next 14 months, the original Aston Church Road bridge will be demolished to create the extra space for the HS2 line to pass through, and works will get underway to connect the new bridge to the existing road network.
Project manager for the Saltley Area for BBV, Dan Binns, said: “There’s an enormous feeling of pride within the team after safely manoeuvring an 84 metre, 1,600 tonne bridge into place last weekend.
“This was a complex operation, made even more challenging because the bridge needed to be driven over four existing network rail lines, requiring years of precise planning and preparation.
“We purposely chose to move the bridge on wheels, so it could be built offline first, then moved across in just five hours, greatly reducing the impact on rail passengers.”
Achievements and innovations in public transport planning will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector
