HS2 launches final viaduct on the approach to Curzon Street station
posted on 21st Aug 2026 17:46
On 14 August 2026, HS2 engineers have completed the first major phase of work to launch the Duddeston Junction Viaduct over the Birmingham to Derby railway lines. It marks the start of a huge operation to cross six railway tracks - three freight lines and three passenger lines - which is expected to conclude next summer.
Duddeston Junction is the first, and longest, in a series of five interconnecting viaducts - known as the Curzon Approaches - which weave through Birmingham’s industrial heartlands on the approach to Curzon Street Station. While Curzon 2 is visually striking, Duddeston Junction Viaduct stands out for its geometry and complexity. The structure follows a varying horizontal curve and has a three percent gradient, rising from the ground to sit 12 m above the existing tracks. This makes construction, logistics and alignment significantly more challenging.
This month, the engineering team behind the build and launch operation reached their first major milestone, as they successfully launched the first 170 m of the 705-metre-long structure over two key freight lines that transport goods into the city.
HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), began the extensive preparation works for Duddeston Junction Viaduct in 2023, moving major utilities and tackling heavy ground contamination ahead of diverting two of the three freight lines onto a new bridge and embankment. This vital step would create a safe working space for construction and assembly of the viaduct and its supporting piers and portals.
To move the freight lines, BBV constructed the Duddeston Mill Road Underbridge. In partnership with Network Rail, the two railway lines were then re-aligned, establishing a 20 m wide way between the existing lines. The realigned tracks cross the new bridge, creating the clearance needed for HS2’s construction. The entire programme is being delivered in a heavily constrained site, with BBV’s team of up to 90 operatives and engineers working in a tight space sandwiched between six live railway lines and a busy industrial estate.
The weathering steel viaduct is formed of 14 spans, each around 55 m long and cumulatively weighing up to 6,835 tonnes. To successfully cross all six railway lines, the team must assemble and launch seven spans. Each completed span is added to the rear of the structure, which is then pulled forward, using a tried and tested slide technique. After safely clearing the railway lines, the seven remaining spans will be lifted and lowered into place by crane on the opposite side of the railway.
Duddeston Junction Viaduct is supported by one abutment, two steel piers, four portals and eight concrete piers. It is the longest viaduct on the Curzon Approaches by over 400 m - eclipsing Curzon 1 which measures around 300 m. HS2 and BBV are now working with Network Rail to plan for the next phase of works - crossing the passenger railway lines - which is scheduled to begin in December.
John Emery, Senior Sponsor at Network Rail, said: “We’re proud to play our part in enabling the impressive yet complex installation of the Duddeston Junction Viaduct across one of the region’s busiest rail corridors which is needed for our partners at HS2 to construct Britain’s new high-speed railway. The striking new structure will eventually span all six lines of the existing railway which carries a mixture of over 200 passenger and freight services daily. By working closely with HS2 and adopting innovative engineering solutions where construction effects the existing railway, we’re continuing to minimise disruption to passengers and freight as much as possible.”
The HS2 route through inner city Birmingham is rapidly taking shape. Once complete, trains will emerge from Bromford Tunnel and travel in a cutting through Washwood Heath. They then begin their ascent through Saltley on a retaining wall, which connects to Duddeston Junction Viaduct. At this point, the high-speed railway is approximately 12 m above ground, providing safe clearance over the six railway lines below. The vital work will take place between 29 and 31 August 2026.
