Work starts on UK’s longest railway bridge

Stretching over two miles across a series of lakes and waterways between Hillingdon and the M25, the Colne Valley Viaduct will also be the longest railway bridge in the UK.

Known as a launching girder, the 160m long bridge-building machine is the only one of its kind in the UK and will be used to lift the concrete deck segments that form the viaduct’s arches into position. Once each section is complete, the machine will inch itself forward into position to build the next stage.

According to HS2 Ltd, 1,000 deck segments will be needed, each weighing up to 140 tonnes. To allow for the gentle curves of the viaduct as it crosses the valley, all the segments are slightly different shapes and made on site at a purpose-built temporary factory close to the north abutment.

In a statement, HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Thurston said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we have started work to assemble the giant deck segments that will form the Colne Valley Viaduct. It is yet another big milestone for HS2 Ltd, as we work to deliver the UK’s new high-speed railway. Once complete, this record-breaking structure will form a key part of the HS2 railway – helping to deliver better connections across the UK, free up rail capacity on the train network, and offer passengers a zero-carbon travel option.”