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HS2 viaduct weighing 1,300 tonnes slides into place

Martin Heath
BBC News, Northamptonshire
HS2 Ltd Red section of viaduct decking along the HS2 route, which shows as a light brown track on the ground. The decking is supported by concrete pillars. There is a darker area soil to the left of the track, and green fields with trees to the right.HS2 Ltd
Temporary bearings were installed on the concrete pillars for the deck to lie on

A 1,300-tonne viaduct deck has been slid into place for the HS2 project after four years of work.

The 220m (722ft) steel and concrete deck has been installed near the Northamptonshire village of Thorpe Mandeville.

HS2 said the "russet-coloured weathering steel" had been designed to match the "natural" tones of the surrounding countryside.

The sliding operation, which took three days to complete, involved pads made from the same material used on non-stick frying pans.

HS2 Ltd Section of railway route cutting a diagonal swathe across the countryside. The narrow dark red deck is seen along the route, supported by concrete pillars. There are various vehicles at the construction site, and two temporary access roads are on the right of the deck. There are trees and fields in the surrounding area.HS2 Ltd
The viaduct deck was put together at the side of the concrete pillars and then moved into place

The positioning of the viaduct deck is the latest in a series of major engineering projects to be completed for the new fast London to Birmingham rail link.

It was assembled to one side of its final location and then slid into position.

Five concrete pillars were constructed for the deck to sit on, with temporary steel bearings placed on top.

Pads made from the non-stick compound PTFE were used to reduce friction between the deck and the bearings.

The next part of the operation will involve lowering the deck by 60cm (24in) onto the permanent bearings

The deck is one of the 15 major viaducts being produced by HS2's main contractor, EKFB, and is the last of five being built using the sliding technique.

HS2 said it would "help manage flood risk by ensuring that rainwater can continue to run off into existing watercourses".

Sam Arrowsmith with short dark hair and beard, wearing a white HS2 hard hat and orange HS2 top. He is standing in front of two concrete bridges on a surface of exposed soil.
Sam Arrowsmith from HS2 said getting the viaduct deck into position was the "culmination of four years work"

HS2 Ltd's project manager, Sam Arrowsmith, said: "The slide may only have taken three days, but it was the culmination of four years of work – developing the design, completing the groundworks and the piers and assembling the enormous steelwork."

HS2 Ltd Large dark red-coloured steel deck, with small nail-like protrusions on its surface. It is supported by a concrete pillar surrounded by scaffolding. There is a construction road to the right with some red barriers visible. There are trees to the left and in the background.HS2 Ltd
The russett-coloured steel is designed to match the "natural tones of the surrounding countryside"

EKFB's technical director, Janice McKenna, said: "The philosophy was to design the viaducts with architectural input to 'blend' the structures into their respective landscapes and reduce the visual impact on the environment."

The government announced last week that the 2033 deadline for completion of the London to Birmingham railway would be missed, but did not provide a new date.

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