HS2’s Interchange Station in Solihull has taken a step forward 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 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, with work currently underway on design. HS2’s main works civil contractor for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), 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.
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 BBV, 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.
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.”
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.
Ends
