Balfour Beatty VINCI, working for HS2, has achieved a significant milestone by moving an 84-meter, 300-tonne steel viaduct section into place at HS2's Delta Junction in North Warwickshire. This marks the first section of two 158-meter viaducts that will carry high-speed trains over the M42/M6 link roads. The team completed the move ahead of schedule in 11.5 hours during a weekend closure of the motorway link roads, collaborating closely with National Highways to minimize disruption for road users.

The move was executed using a specialist push-pull technique by specialist steelwork company Victor Buyck Steel Construction, working for Balfour Beatty VINCI. This innovative approach allowed the viaduct deck to be built offline and then moved into position, significantly reducing the impact on road users. The completion of this milestone is a proud moment for the team, as stated by Alex Staines, Sub Agent - Composite Structures at Balfour Beatty VINCI.

The Delta Junction is a crucial part of the HS2 project in the Midlands, enabling high-speed trains to travel between London, Interchange Station in Solihull, and Birmingham Curzon Street Station. The construction of the East Link Viaduct in the Delta Junction is not only a key milestone for the HS2 project but also critical to the earthworks mass haul strategy to keep construction traffic off the local roads, as highlighted by Stephen Powell, Head of Delivery - Area North at HS2 Ltd.

The completion of the first launch of the East Link Viaduct is the first milestone of four, with further operations planned in the next eight months to complete the first viaducts on Delta Junction. The project involves a complex and collaborative effort to minimize disruption for road users while enabling this engineering feat to take place, as emphasized by National Highways Senior Network Planner, Frank Bird.

The Delta Junction consists of embankments, cuttings, and a total of 13 viaducts, including precast segmental viaducts, composite viaducts, and low viaducts. The layout of the Delta Junction triangle allows trains to run between London and Manchester without stopping at Birmingham, providing a crucial transportation link. This achievement demonstrates the commitment and expertise of Balfour Beatty VINCI in delivering complex infrastructure projects.

For media inquiries, please contact Talha Haroun at Balfour Beatty.