The construction of one of the longest ‘cut-and-cover’ tunnels on the HS2 project has taken a major step forward with the opening of the realigned A361 over the top of the structure near Chipping Warden in West Northamptonshire. Set to stretch for 2.5km, the shallow ‘green tunnel’ is being built inside a cutting, with the […]
HS2 has completed a major river enhancement in Warwickshire, which at 749 metres is the most significant realignment of a natural river on the project. The re-naturalisation of the River Cole near Coleshill in Warwickshire will improve the existing river environment by creating more meander bends and enhancing habitats in the river and along its […]
A specialist HS2 engineering team is preparing to move a 112m long, 1,631 tonne steel structure over a section of Lawley Middleway – part of Birmingham’s ring road this August. The operation will be delivered by HS2’s main works contractor in the Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) and their bridge move contractor Mammoet. Rather than […]
Rail enthusiasts heading to Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering event in Derby this weekend (1-3 August) will have the opportunity to see the concept designs for HS2’s Class 895 trains. HS2 is joining forces with rail industry representatives to take part in what is believed to be ‘The Greatest Gathering’ of historic and modern trains and […]
Construction of Britain’s new high-speed railway has passed a major milestone with excavation of the 8.4-mile Northolt Tunnel under London. The fourth of four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) being used to dig the twin-bore tunnel – the second-longest on the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands – completed its work yesterday. The machine, […]
After completing the 3.5-mile mission to excavate the first section of the Bromford Tunnel, linking North Warwickshire and Birmingham, HS2’s giant tunnel boring machine (TBM) Mary Ann is being stripped down ready to take on her next tunnelling adventure. The first stage in the process to disassemble the 1,600-tonne machine saw the TBM’s 8.62-metre diameter […]
HS2 revealed the first section of platform to be installed for Britain’s new high-speed railway on Thursday 29th May. In the underground box at HS2’s Old Oak Common station, engineers have begun installing the platform slabs which passengers will use when boarding or alighting high-speed trains in the future. Six platforms are being built at […]
HS2 has delivered another boost to regional economies along the West Midlands – London growth corridor, as it confirms that over 5,000 unemployed people have progressed into jobs on Britian’s biggest construction project. The latest data from HS2 Ltd shows that an additional 199 jobseekers joined the workforce between January and March 2025, taking the […]
HS2 is donating thousands of pieces of ballast to the Bluebell Railway in West Sussex as the rail industry unites to mark 200 years of rail travel. Some 4,000 tonnes of ballast – enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool – was used by HS2 in specially constructed sidings while tunnelling work was carried out […]
HS2’s giant tunnelling machine Mary Ann broke through today [9th, May 2025], marking the end of her mission to excavate the first bore of what will soon become the longest railway tunnel in the West Midlands. The 125-metre-long machine began constructing the 3.5-mile (5.8km) Bromford Tunnel, which starts at the Warwickshire village of Water Orton […]
