Giant HS2 bridge moved into place in central Birmingham

A specialist HS2 engineering team is preparing to move a 112 m 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 building the bridge in situ, disruption to road users has been drastically reduced by constructing the steel span on land next to Digbeth Canal over the last two years. In preparation for the move, the structure will now be jacked up onto two self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs).

On 15 August, heavy lifting engineering experts Mammoet rotated the bridge 90 degrees using the SPMTs. From 16 to 23 August, a skidding system - with a jacking push-pull mechanism, will then be used alongside the SPMT to move the structure into place across Lawley Middleway. This combination of techniques is rarely used and is a first for BBV on the HS2 project. To minimise disruption to road users, the span will be moved in night-time operations - moving around 12 m every night, ensuring that the road remains open during the day.

The section of Lawley Middleway will be closed between 10.00 pm and 6.00 am from Garrison Circus to Curzon Circus from 15 to 24 August. A clearly signed diversion route will be in place during the night-time closures and the road will be fully open again at 6.00 am on 24 August. The official diversion route has been planned to avoid entering the Birmingham Clean Air Zone (CAZ), but drivers can use alternative routes if they prefer.

Finally, the HS2 engineering team has moved the steel structure four days ahead of schedule. From the first day of the move on 15 August, the team - helped by favourable weather conditions, were able to get ahead of programme, meaning the road will be back to normal from 6 am on Friday 22 August instead of the planned full reopening on Monday 25 August.

Lawley Middleway bridge forms part of the railway’s approach to Birmingham, with high-speed trains travelling out of the west portal of the 5.6 km Bromford Tunnel at Washwood Heath and onto a one mile stretch of five connected viaducts - Duddeston Junction, Curzon 1, Curzon 2, Lawley Middleway and Curzon 3 which links onto the platforms of Curzon Street Station.

Now at peak productivity, work will progress on this section of the railway with the second Bromford Tunnel breakthrough, Curzon 2 viaduct move, first Duddeston Junction Viaduct move, reopening of Aston Church Road, demolition of the old Aston Church Road bridge and start of construction of the new Saltley Viaduct - all set to happen over the next 12 months.