HS2 construction updates

[ABB125]

The TBMs seem to be doing rough 10m per day. Is that good progress?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Current TBM Status As of 10th August 2021:

TBM Name	Tunnelling Status	Launch date*^1	Distance Tunnelled*^2	Days Since Launch
Florence	Tunnelling	13 May 2021	920 Meters 0.571661 Miles	89 Days
Cecilia	Tunnelling	1 July 2021	330 Meters 0.205052 Miles	40 Days

*^1 Might not be 100% correct. Based on HS2 Press releases.
*^2 Information from https://www.hs2.org.uk/in-your-area/map/#16/51.6130/-0.5241/filter=hs2-stations,hs2-network. Correct as of 10th August 2021.

As far as I can see the maps are still showing the July 9 TBM positions.
Have you got another source?

 

[camflyer]

Distances apparently measured in metres to the nearest 10m, then converted to miles and quoted to the supposedly nearest tenth of an inch!

A textbook example of the difference between accuracy and precision.

 

[Yindee8191]

The TBMs seem to be doing rough 10m per day. Is that good progress?

Average is supposed to be around 15, so it’s not bad. They’re expected to start slow and then speed up though.

 

[Bald Rick]

The TBMs seem to be doing rough 10m per day. Is that good progress?

Very good progress. The first couple of hundred metres are always slow, as the machine is commissioned, and the crew get used to it. If it keeps going like this, it will soon have a better MTIN casualty rate than the 345s!

 

[DJ_K666]

They've reopened the A425 from Southam to Leamington Spa in Warwickshire now and there's a big patch of new tarmac where the road has been reinstated.

I'm guessing that's where the tunnels pass underneath.

 

[Geezertronic]

They are still doing a lot of roadworks by the Interchange site. Drivers have been unable to fully circle around Northway Roundabout for some time now having to take minor diversions while they re-model the road. I won't miss that Roundabout when it is removed that is for sure.

There doesn't appear to be any details that I can find about when the redirection of the A452 over the new bridge over the M42 will occur - I would guess it is a while off as there looks to be an additional bridge that needs to be created on the HS2 land to form the new roundabout (first bridge is already up)

The plans also suggest that the two bridges over the M42 that make up the Northway Roundabout will be replaced by a box tunnel where HS2 will go over towards Coleshill.

Not been down Balsall Common for a while but some of the locals are up in arms about the routing of the trucks in and out of the HS2 boundary

 

[WesternS]

They are still doing a lot of roadworks by the Interchange site. Drivers have been unable to fully circle around Northway Roundabout for some time now having to take minor diversions while they re-model the road. I won't miss that Roundabout when it is removed that is for sure.

There doesn't appear to be any details that I can find about when the redirection of the A452 over the new bridge over the M42 will occur - I would guess it is a while off as there looks to be an additional bridge that needs to be created on the HS2 land to form the new roundabout (first bridge is already up)

The plans also suggest that the two bridges over the M42 that make up the Northway Roundabout will be replaced by a box tunnel where HS2 will go over towards Coleshill.

Not been down Balsall Common for a while but some of the locals are up in arms about the routing of the trucks in and out of the HS2 boundary

Not sure whether it's the poorly-directed detector or the NI (actually Belfast) accent which is the most upsetting to the affronted resident in this video.....

Motion detector with Northern Irish accent shouts as passers-by

Marian Allder told how a siren went off and a loud voice said her presence had been detected - despite being on a public pathway

www.coventrytelegraph.net

The dog was not invited to express an opinion...... [FTR other NI accents are far more pleasant.]

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Not strictly an update but did anyone see this?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1007492/HS2_CorporatePlan_2021-2024_-_Accessibility_FINAL.pdf

Corporate Plan 2021 - 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Basically way too much to quote but the corporate plan with start and completion dates etc for HS2 in the period 2021-2024

 

[Nottingham59]

start and completion dates etc for HS2 in the period 2021-2024

For phase 1 only, I assume?

 

[GRALISTAIR]

For phase 1 only, I assume?

No- Phase 2a update page 62 onwards. Phase 2b page 66.

Partial quote from the top of page 62

Our goal to deliver HS2’s national benefits as quickly as possible was boosted by Royal Assent for the Phase 2a hybrid Bill, achieved in February 2021. Activity is now
ramping up along the 36-mile (58km) route connecting the West Midlands and Crewe, clearing the path for the railway in readiness for the start of main construction work in 2024. Thousands of UK businesses are in line for contract opportunities as we extend the Project’s benefits to the towns and cities of north-west England, north Wales and
Scotland sooner.

Partial quote from page 66.

Phase 2b extends HS2 to Manchester and Leeds as part of the classic Y-shaped network and is being considered as part of the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the Midlands and the North. The IRP is looking at the scope, integration and delivery of HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), Midlands Rail Hub and other major Network Rail schemes. In line with the Government’s instructions, we are continuing to develop a hybrid Bill for the Phase 2b western leg, extending the railway from Crewe to Manchester with a connection to the West Coast Main Line (WCML) south of Wigan. The western leg will allow HS2 trains to serve destinations including Preston, Carlisle, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

As far as I can see the maps are still showing the July 9 TBM positions.
Have you got another source?

The data on the map page has been updated to the August 10 figures today.
Florence seems to be doing about 14m/day and Cecilia 10m, which must be close to forecast.
Cecilia is about to finish the tunnel section under the M25 corridor, so that removes one of the construction risks.

 

[Geezertronic]

Not sure whether it's the poorly-directed detector or the NI (actually Belfast) accent which is the most upsetting to the affronted resident in this video.....

Motion detector with Northern Irish accent shouts as passers-by

Marian Allder told how a siren went off and a loud voice said her presence had been detected - despite being on a public pathway

www.coventrytelegraph.net

The dog was not invited to express an opinion...... [FTR other NI accents are far more pleasant.]

I also saw that. I couldn't work out whether the detection was taking place on a path that has been temporarily closed (and communicated as closed) for HS2 work or not

 

[AM9]

I also saw that. I couldn't work out whether the detection was taking place on a path that has been temporarily closed (and communicated as closed) for HS2 work or not

Clearly something has to be done about that if it is triggered by anybody using the diverted footpath. Maybe plenty of delberate triggering it from that path by walkers disguised as 'swampys'.
As for Ms Allder's comment about deleting pictures of her, - if she protests that they were taken when she was on a public footpath (in this case a sanctioned diversion) then she should know that there is no law preventing the taking of pictures of people on public land. She can't have it both ways!

 

[Ethan1852]

Geoff Marshall has released a video on the Chiltern Tunnels.

 

[Ianno87]

Great video I thought!

 

[Mikey C]

That stockpile of tunnel rings!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The Chiltern TBM positions have been updated today, only 10 days since the previous update.
Hopefully this greater frequency will continue.
Florence is at 1068m, Cecilia at 484m, so both close to the target rate of 15m per day.
Looks like they are settling in well.
In Your Area Map | High Speed 2 (hs2.org.uk)

 

[59CosG95]

Not sure whether it's the poorly-directed detector or the NI (actually Belfast) accent which is the most upsetting to the affronted resident in this video.....

Motion detector with Northern Irish accent shouts as passers-by

Marian Allder told how a siren went off and a loud voice said her presence had been detected - despite being on a public pathway

www.coventrytelegraph.net

The dog was not invited to express an opinion...... [FTR other NI accents are far more pleasant.]

We've used those at Werrington Grade Separation as well - certainly gave me a helluva shock before a shift on track one Saturday night!

 

[brad465]

As tracking HS2 discussion is really difficult on this forum, apologies if this isn't the right thread or a new thread would be better, but an article in the Financial Times is reporting Ministers are set to cut back the eastern leg of HS2, resulting from a dispute with the Treasury to reign in spending due to the covid situation:

Subscribe to the Financial Times

A subscription to the Financial Times provides you with the insights and perspective you need to succeed, now.

giftarticle.ft.com

Britain’s most expensive infrastructure project is set to be radically scaled back, as the Treasury attempts to control public spending that has ballooned during the Covid crisis.

 

[snowball]

As tracking HS2 discussion is really difficult on this forum, apologies if this isn't the right thread or a new thread would be better, but an article in the Financial Times is reporting Ministers are set to cut back the eastern leg of HS2, resulting from a dispute with the Treasury to reign in spending due to the covid situation:

Subscribe to the Financial Times

A subscription to the Financial Times provides you with the insights and perspective you need to succeed, now.

giftarticle.ft.com

The current set of claims on this subject started on Sunday and has been under discussion in another thread since then. See this thread from post #268 onwards (near bottom of page 9):

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/could-should-hs2-eastern-leg-be-shelved.220612/page-9

 

[brad465]

The current set of claims on this subject started on Sunday and has been under discussion in another thread since then. See this thread from post #268 onwards (near bottom of page 9):

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/could-should-hs2-eastern-leg-be-shelved.220612/page-9

Great, thank you for confirming, I'll put the post in there.

 

[Mojo]

Could someone advise me - I thought the alignment of HS2 was set in stone some years ago? We recently had a letter advising that the final alignment of the tunnel route has just been chosen, and as a result, it will be closer to hundreds of homes than previously expected. Sadly however no idea of what that means.

 

[reddragon]

Could someone advise me - I thought the alignment of HS2 was set in stone some years ago? We recently had a letter advising that the final alignment of the tunnel route has just been chosen, and as a result, it will be closer to hundreds of homes than previously expected. Sadly however no idea of what that means.

When a railway act is created, a precise route of the railway is not defined, instead there are what are know as limits of deviation from a notional alignment. The limits of deviation can be narrow or 100s of metres wide.

The letter most likely indicates that the tunnel will be within the approved limit of deviation but nearer properties to one side than the centre line.

All railway acts are the same.

 

[edwin_m]

Could someone advise me - I thought the alignment of HS2 was set in stone some years ago? We recently had a letter advising that the final alignment of the tunnel route has just been chosen, and as a result, it will be closer to hundreds of homes than previously expected. Sadly however no idea of what that means.

Depends where you are. Anything south of Crewe has legal powers approved or in the process, and is unlikely to change by more than a few metres here an there. But I suspect you are referring to the tunnel under south Manchester where a route change was recently consulted on and agreed by the Secretary of State. The legal process hasn't started yet but will presumably go ahead based on the "new" alignment.

 

[Mojo]

Depends where you are. Anything south of Crewe has legal powers approved or in the process, and is unlikely to change by more than a few metres here an there. But I suspect you are referring to the tunnel under south Manchester where a route change was recently consulted on and agreed by the Secretary of State. The legal process hasn't started yet but will presumably go ahead based on the "new" alignment.

It’s the London tunnel.

 

[hwl]

It’s the London tunnel.

Is the variation <25m?
The Euston end was very undefined in reality.

 

[gallafent]

An interesting half hour programme on BBC Radio 4 this morning, “The Briefing Room”.

It's available to stream or download at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000z0rh …

HS2: On Track?​

HS2, a high-speed railway linking up London, the Midlands and the North of England has been in development for more than a decade. It was described by Boris Johnson as the ‘spine’ of a new network to deal with the ‘great musculoskeletal problem of UK transport’. The ‘spine’ is costing an arm and a leg.

In 2012 the project was priced at £32.7bn. That was revised to £55bn in 2015. Last year a review by civil engineer Doug Oakervee said the final figure could top £100bn. The Chancellor Rishi Sunak has already warned that Covid has severely damaged public finances and that will likely impact decisions made in the comprehensive spending review taking place this autumn.

So how is HS2 progressing and is its completion threatened by its rising costs?

Joining David Aaronovitch in The Briefing Room are -

Nick Kingsley, Managing Editor of Railway Gazette International
Bridget Rosewell, Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission
George Parker, political editor at the Financial Times
Tony Travers, Professor in the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics

Producers: Ben Carter, Kirsteen Knight and Sharon Hemans
Editor: Jasper Corbett
Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

 

[Ethan1852]

Current TBM Status As of 3rd September 2021:

TBM Name	Tunnelling Status	Launch date*^1	Distance Tunnelled*^2	Days Since Launch
Florence	Tunnelling	13 May 2021	1270 Meters 0.7891414 Miles	114 Days
Cecilia	Tunnelling	1 July 2021	710 Meters 0.441174 Miles	65 Days

*^1 Might not be 100% correct. Based on HS2 Press releases.
*^2 Information from https://www.hs2.org.uk/in-your-area/map/#16/51.6130/-0.5241/filter=hs2-stations,hs2-network. Correct as of 3rd September 2021.

 

[TheHSRailFan]

It seems that Google does not want to update satellite imagery all at once, they are rather updating parts of the map on Google Earth Pro at certain points.
I don't really want to bother with screenshotting and noticing differences. I am sadly not an expert with Google Earth Pro(more of a Google Maps person, however, google refuses to update maps.google.com satellite imagery for a long time. So it's better to see newer images on Earth Pro). I will try and find a replacement or even draw out a line that you can download and insert into google earth pro.

For now though,
Image 1 & 2: the newest imagery along the route shows a lot of major works around Ufton woods(Especially the now gone road just outside of 'codemasters'/Dallas Burston Polo Club) with the TBMs seen at the north end of the tunnel.
Image 3: The Chiltern Tunnels North Portal site is starting to look like it's getting ready. Just looks now that they are/were waiting for some pylons to be diverted and removed.
Image 4: The Chiltern Tunnel Vent Shafts are in full swing. South Portal Image still is the same as what it looked like in March last year.
Image 5 & 6: North London Northern Tunnel portal site seems to start taking shape. Old Oak Common images are of March this year but not much since the last image. All the London Tunnels Vent Shaft sites are in full swing.
Image 7: Can't really describe Euston at the moment. But it looks to be a working full swing site.


(Again, Won't really be doing these. But I'll find a way on Google Earth Pro)