The Planner
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A good few paths in for material by rail and spoil if you do a search in RTT. New Bilton, Rugby Up Side, Appleford, Oxford Banbury Road etc
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HS2 construction updates
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Various places. There’s a lot of spoil, coming from lots of sites, so it can’t all go the same way.
Some tunnel drives don’t need a logistics railway - it can all be done by conveyor. I don’t know the proposals for the HS2 tunnels.
Dave_Cardboard
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Press release from HS2 regarding demolition of western ramp at Euston. Includes link to a timelapse video of the works.
mediacentre.hs2.org.uk
Also found some video shot from one of the tower cranes at Euston:
vimeo.com
Significant structural work on Euston station complete as construction of the HS2 London terminus begins
First structural work to prepare London Euston station for new high-speed rail complete Timelapse footage of western ramp demolition at Euston station released: https://network-rail.wistia.com/medias/exx8fkvoqx
Also found some video shot from one of the tower cranes at Euston:
HS2 Euston Walkden House V1
This is "HS2 Euston Walkden House V1" by Zute Lightfoot on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
vimeo.com
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59CosG95
Established Member
Perhaps worthy of its own thread, but the OLE design has been decided to be an SNCF LGV variant.
https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/s...ins-electrification-procurement/56874.article
Always thought it would be more likely to take off than a new design IMO.
https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/s...ins-electrification-procurement/56874.article
Always thought it would be more likely to take off than a new design IMO.
jyte
Member
Presumably similar to the HS1 stuff then as well? There might be some maintenance elements shared between the two, then?
civ-eng-jim
Member
Makes sense to use a proven system - and 300m quid for 589 track km is a bargain! (I must be missing something?)
civ-eng-jim
Member
Might be a bit more robust than HS1 which is "only" a 300kph railway. HS2 will be 360kph.
I thought that the use of the SNCF system had been confirmed for a while now? I certainly recall previous stories about SNCF and HS2 specifically about the OCS
The thing to remember here is that they're putting the OCS up above a building site, rather than an active railway - making it an awful lot quicker and simpler! No short shifts in the dead of night or expensive weekend possessions, and no need for specialist safety training to get on to the worksite other than what you'd expect for a generic work-at-height building site.
The thing to remember here is that they're putting the OCS up above a building site, rather than an active railway - making it an awful lot quicker and simpler! No short shifts in the dead of night or expensive weekend possessions, and no need for specialist safety training to get on to the worksite other than what you'd expect for a generic work-at-height building site.
Which is why I can't understand not electrifying EWR at the time of construction, but that's another argument.
jyte
Member
Ah yeah! And north of Ashford it's 225kph, right?
225kph St Pancras-Ebbsfleet, then 300kph Ebbsfleet-Dollands Moor.
And, more importantly, no bridges to raise, track to drop, signalling to immunise, platform buildings / furniture to amend etc. And it’s almost entirely plain line; not that much in the way of complex junctions.
Also, I suspect that this is literally the cost of the OLE, ie not the power supplies or distribution.
Pete_uk
Established Member
So, no bespoke, overly expensive new OHLE?
I think we need a lockdown to stop the spread of 'common sense'!
BTW how fast is HS1 in MPH?
I think we need a lockdown to stop the spread of 'common sense'!
BTW how fast is HS1 in MPH?
Correct, the power supply and distribution is covered by other contacts.
And HS2 is 360kph -> 225 mph
There was a thread a few years back and the general consensus was that its 140 in the London tunnels when it drops (obviously) for the approach to St Pancras.
Sorry should read up as Liam had already replied! It sure feels faster than 140 leaving London.
It’s not often more than 125mph on a javelin on that section.
"That section" being London Tunnel No. 2? (St Pancras - Stratford Intl in case it's actually No. 1!)
St P to Ebbsfleet.
Now that construction is underway it would be extraordinary for phase 1 to be stopped.
Oppoisition to Phase 2b will fade over the next few years as it will be a smaller scheme, and fewer people will be affected. Once the diggers have done the bulk of the work through the Chilterns and Staffordshire (2026?) all that will be left are the protests from the east side of the pennines. If phase 2B isn't underway it might be cancelled post 2025 election, but phase 1 and 2a are likely to be fine.
Is there a good site with the construction timeline - what starts when, what work is being done when, etc?
Has phase 2a notice to proceed been issued yet?
Oppoisition to Phase 2b will fade over the next few years as it will be a smaller scheme, and fewer people will be affected. Once the diggers have done the bulk of the work through the Chilterns and Staffordshire (2026?) all that will be left are the protests from the east side of the pennines. If phase 2B isn't underway it might be cancelled post 2025 election, but phase 1 and 2a are likely to be fine.
Is there a good site with the construction timeline - what starts when, what work is being done when, etc?
Has phase 2a notice to proceed been issued yet?
TheDavibob
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The Bill is still stuck in the Lords, I believe (with indefinite delay due to the Situation).
This thread is to discuss HS2 construction only please.
Some posts have been moved to https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-order-to-increase-funding-to-the-nhs.204206/
Thank you
Some posts have been moved to https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...-order-to-increase-funding-to-the-nhs.204206/
Thank you
As noted by The Davibob, although there has been plenty of time put into it I don't think there will be much progress with the High Speed Rail (West Midlands - Crewe) bill for a while yet. Once it receives Royal Assent that's only consent to build the line in place though. I don't know what they plan to do but I'd guess a Full Business Case will be published. Perhaps they will simply update the one published for Phase 1.
I don't think that the next High Speed Rail bill will be deposited for a while either.
I don't think that the next High Speed Rail bill will be deposited for a while either.
Dave_Cardboard
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They are still hoping to get the Phase 2A Bill though Parliament by the end of 2020. There are only 35 petitions of the Bill for the Lords to consider and some of them have been settled already, withdrawn or not selected. The original Lords programme from March 2020 had them hearing all petitions over a timescale of about two weeks. After that, there's a day or so for Opposition amendments to be considered, a "Special Report" to be written, and the remaining Parliamentary stages of Report, Third Reading and Royal Assent which usually don't take much more than a few days, albeit spread over a few weeks. If I remember correctly, the Lords' Second Reading debate didn't even go to a division (vote) and was thusly passed unanimously, therefore one one expects the remaining Lords votes to be something of a formality.
A newsletter published on the Staffs and Cheshire HS2 "Commonplace" web sites has some commentary on what's upcoming for Phase 2A in the second half of 2020...
A newsletter published on the Staffs and Cheshire HS2 "Commonplace" web sites has some commentary on what's upcoming for Phase 2A in the second half of 2020...
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Dave_Cardboard
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Whilst I'm here, I happened across a "photo diary" of HS2 works on The Chiltern Society's web site. I'll link the "front door" below, but it's divided into various locations, just click into each thumbnail and there's a batch of photos behind each one, including (at time of posting) some aerial views of construction sites and plenty of ground level shots of "digger action." I'll resist posting any directly as there's dozens if not hundreds of them to peruse at time of posting (and they are not my images.) Enjoy.
chilternsociety.org.uk
HS2 Photo Diary - Chiltern Society
HS2 The construction of the HS2 high speed railway line will have a major impact on the Central Chilterns and the Colne Valley Regional Park. Some of these locations will […]
chilternsociety.org.uk
On Friday I went for a walk around Amersham
There's a linear work along the valley to the south of the town - almost like they are going to tunnel cut-and-cover a couple of hundred metres north of the actual line.
But those tunnel linings are a little small!
That's because this is a water pipe, not a railway! It's to protect against the risks of tunnelling, with Amersham's pumping station enhanced and Chalfont St Giles' water sent up to Amersham to be treated and then sent back as its pumping station hasn't got room for the upgrade. It's sort of HS2-related, but is rather tangential to the actual scheme (it's almost certainly something that has helped the HS2 budget balloon). However these works are being called HS2 works by locals.
I wouldn't be surprised if, in a couple of years, a very similar long worksite in a similar place is done for the 'Misbourne Greenway' (part of the HS2 cycle route), but there's not been any joined up thinking.
Anyway, the other HS2 prep-works in the town are around the shaft site - improving a road junction next to it to allow HGVs to access it better. These works having been going on and off (mostly off) for over a year now. Actual works on the shaft began on the 4th (when this road closure was to be over - but they are making hay while the virus keeps traffic down and keeping it closed until the end of September, giving them space to do some more work), but there wasn't any evidence of a start on the shaft.
And it's nearly done - presumably the lights will only go red when something wants to turn right (onto the main road - only cycles would be allowed to turn off it heading towards the roundabout, even though buses go and do a u-turn at the roundabout).
Just this filter lane allowing direct access from the A413 to build (though one existed beforehand!) and this bit of the works is done.
There's a linear work along the valley to the south of the town - almost like they are going to tunnel cut-and-cover a couple of hundred metres north of the actual line.
But those tunnel linings are a little small!
That's because this is a water pipe, not a railway! It's to protect against the risks of tunnelling, with Amersham's pumping station enhanced and Chalfont St Giles' water sent up to Amersham to be treated and then sent back as its pumping station hasn't got room for the upgrade. It's sort of HS2-related, but is rather tangential to the actual scheme (it's almost certainly something that has helped the HS2 budget balloon). However these works are being called HS2 works by locals.
I wouldn't be surprised if, in a couple of years, a very similar long worksite in a similar place is done for the 'Misbourne Greenway' (part of the HS2 cycle route), but there's not been any joined up thinking.
Anyway, the other HS2 prep-works in the town are around the shaft site - improving a road junction next to it to allow HGVs to access it better. These works having been going on and off (mostly off) for over a year now. Actual works on the shaft began on the 4th (when this road closure was to be over - but they are making hay while the virus keeps traffic down and keeping it closed until the end of September, giving them space to do some more work), but there wasn't any evidence of a start on the shaft.
And it's nearly done - presumably the lights will only go red when something wants to turn right (onto the main road - only cycles would be allowed to turn off it heading towards the roundabout, even though buses go and do a u-turn at the roundabout).
Just this filter lane allowing direct access from the A413 to build (though one existed beforehand!) and this bit of the works is done.
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