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HS2 construction updates

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hwl

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I am slightly puzzled why they bothered with this announcement today after all they gave the official go ahead a few months back and obviously some work has been going on for some time. The problem it seems to me for HS2 is that the majority of the population and the press were against HS2 even before covid and its even more so now, so getting on with as little publicity as possible would seem the best option to me at the moment.
Start of main contracts not just preliminary ones. (The cancellation cost just went up lots...)
Some sites won't see much change in activity levels but work will soon start in plenty more places.
 
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civ-eng-jim

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Some good photos from Twitter (Don't know the original source) of the north portal for the tunnel under Long Itchington Wood. Rich earthy soil excavated on what was a mono culture field to the profile of the tunnel portal with a lovely chalky stratum exposed. Really taking shape

Shows how the contractor has minimised tree/vegetation loss here by retaining the boundary hedges where they can.

Does anyone know what TBMs are used for this? Presumably the ones from the Chilterns tunnels will be knackered.
 

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yorkie

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Can we stick to HS2 construction updates please?

If anyone wishes to discuss media reporting of the rights/wrongs of HS2, you are welcome to do so, but it belongs elsewhere, thanks :)

(Edit: I've split some posts
here)
 
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swt_passenger

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Regarding the people mover between the Interchange and the airport, is this going to be an extension of the existing ex-Maglev link from International Station or a new build line?
It’s not really clear if it extends or duplicates, but the Dft summary here says it will definitely be a through service: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-reveals-designs-for-automated-people-mover
The dotted line is on a different route to the existing one, but whether that’s accurate for construction or just a rough guide I don’t know.
 

JamesT

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It’s not really clear if it extends or duplicates, but the Dft summary here says it will definitely be a through service: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hs2-reveals-designs-for-automated-people-mover
The dotted line is on a different route to the existing one, but whether that’s accurate for construction or just a rough guide I don’t know.

The text does mention
This includes modifying the alignment of the people mover as part of a major redevelopment at Birmingham International Station to create a new, multi-modal transport exchange.
I suspect it may end up being a replacement rather than an extension. It says the journey takes 6 minutes from HS2 to the Airport and there will be departures every 3 minutes. That implies at least 4 vehicles to me. The current cable-pulled system works fine for two vehicles shuttling back and forth, but I can't see how you'd extend it for multiple vehicles making multiple stops.
 

class26

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My understanding is that it will be a replacement system. The present system would not cope with the amount of pax suggested.
 
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Does anyone know what TBMs are used for this? Presumably the ones from the Chilterns tunnels will be knackered.

As I understand it, TBM's are like race cars - they're built "just good enough" to do the job required. Some bits of them are salvaged and reused, but substantially each TBM is built bespoke for the job in hand then thrown away (sometimes literally - cutters get buried for example.) Not to mention that they have to be customised for the ground conditions, diameter, etc.

Also, the Long Itchington TBM is presently programmed to start in June 2021 whereas the Chiltern TBM's are not expected to finish until 2023, so clearly there's programme overlap.

There's 10 TBM's on order for the main running lines - 2x for OOC-Euston, 4x for OOC-West Ruislip (dug from both ends and meet in the middle) 2X for Chilterns, 1x for Long Itchington (digs both bores) and 1X for Bromford (digs both bores) plus possibly a smaller one for a temporary "logistics tunnel" between the OOC station box and the Willesden "Eurotunnel" railhead. And some tiddlers for utility diversions (gas/water at Harvil Road for example.)

Culled from various documents in the public domain over the years, most recently the HS2 Ltd Corporate Plan (link below) my most up to date estimate of approximate TBM launch dates is 2023-Dec for OOC-Euston, 2022-Jun Northolt, 2021-Apr Chiltern, 2022-Mar Bromford, 2021-Jun Long Itchington.



When do we actually find out if the line will get built to Leeds/Sheffield?

I would suggest when a Bill is deposited in Parliament and said Bill has passed the "second reading" vote. Forgive me if I'm teaching Granny to suck eggs, but for the avoidance of doubt, second reading is the vote that "matters" in Parliamentary proceedings and technically Parliament could knock down a Bill in subsequent stages, but it rarely happens once a second reading vote has succeeded.

Of course, once such a Bill has passed through Parliament (and become an Act or Parliament) the Government could cancel or by de facto cancel it by not funding it, but if would be difficult politically to do so when Parliament has expressed it's will, not to mention the present Tory government needs to do everything it can to be seen to deliver on it's promises to new found chums in the North.
 
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RSimons

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I see that electricity substations are being built to provide power for the TBMs. What will be their fate once the tunnels have been bored?
 

edwin_m

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I see that electricity substations are being built to provide power for the TBMs. What will be their fate once the tunnels have been bored?
Wouldn't be surprised if they were needed long term to provide power for ventilation and the various other services needed in a modern tunnel.
 

hwl

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do we know where traction power will be fed into HS2?
A few from memory:
(general locations)
Old Oak common (just west of station in Crossover box)
Calvert
Birmingham 2 feeds close together one near airport just south of interchange station and the other near the East - West split Junction

So probably 2 more in the gaps either side of Calvert
 

gingertom

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A few from memory:
(general locations)
Old Oak common (just west of station in Crossover box)
Calvert
Birmingham 2 feeds close together one near airport just south of interchange station and the other near the East - West split Junction

So probably 2 more in the gaps either side of Calvert
so not anywhere near the tunnel portals. Likely then the substations referred to in post 524 will be reused for ventilation and auxiliary supplies.
 

swt_passenger

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A few from memory:
(general locations)
Old Oak common (just west of station in Crossover box)
Calvert
Birmingham 2 feeds close together one near airport just south of interchange station and the other near the East - West split Junction

So probably 2 more in the gaps either side of Calvert
I think you’ve got them all so far, I remember a national grid document that I saw that definitely only had 3 grid supply point (GSP) locations on phase 1, (ie the two feeds you mention near Birmingham would come from just one location on the grid).

There’s National Grid info online that refers to Quainton rather than Calvert - but that’s not necessarily significant, they could be two names for the same supply, ie the GSP and associated ATFS compounds don’t have to be co-located.

AIUI there’s another supply for phase 2A, the ATFS will be Newlands, near Rugely; but there’s been some changes to the power source, I think it’s now a 5 mile cable route (maybe underground) from a GSP on the 400kV grid at Parkgate.

For an autotransformer feeder (ATF) system, having only 3 Grid supplies on the length of phase 1, is comparable to the GWML only having 3 grid supplies in England.
 

Bald Rick

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so not anywhere near the tunnel portals. Likely then the substations referred to in post 524 will be reused for ventilation and auxiliary supplies.

I can’t imagine that the construction power demand is anywhere near that needed to keep 36tph going at 400km/h. A TBM heads a couple of MW. There must be getting on for 100MW at each traction feeder.
 

ABB125

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I can’t imagine that the construction power demand is anywhere near that needed to keep 36tph going at 400km/h. A TBM heads a couple of MW. There must be getting on for 100MW at each traction feeder.
I wouldn't want to be paying the electricity bill when trains start running... :D
 

Philip Phlopp

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I can’t imagine that the construction power demand is anywhere near that needed to keep 36tph going at 400km/h. A TBM heads a couple of MW. There must be getting on for 100MW at each traction feeder.

The trainsets will be getting on for close to 20MW for the 400m units, so it's unsurprising really.
 

hwl

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I think you’ve got them all so far, I remember a national grid document that I saw that definitely only had 3 grid supply point (GSP) locations on phase 1, (ie the two feeds you mention near Birmingham would come from just one location on the grid).

There’s National Grid info online that refers to Quainton rather than Calvert - but that’s not necessarily significant, they could be two names for the same supply, ie the GSP and associated ATFS compounds don’t have to be co-located.

AIUI there’s another supply for phase 2A, the ATFS will be Newlands, near Rugely; but there’s been some changes to the power source, I think it’s now a 5 mile cable route (maybe underground) from a GSP on the 400kV grid at Parkgate.

For an autotransformer feeder (ATF) system, having only 3 Grid supplies on the length of phase 1, is comparable to the GWML only having 3 grid supplies in England.
"Calvert"/ Quainton
Former Met Granborough Road Station good yards with a cable down the former line to Quainton. Not sure where the actual connection will be to the OHLE.
 

AM9

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The trainsets will be getting on for close to 20MW for the 400m units, so it's unsurprising really.
I assume that their average draw for the whole run is way below their rated maximum. There's also the diversity gain from regeneration.
 

Philip Phlopp

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"Calvert"/ Quainton
Former Met Granborough Road Station good yards with a cable down the former line to Quainton. Not sure where the actual connection will be to the OHLE.

And pretty much the same spot for feeding EWR and part of the Chiltern, should the money ever be forthcoming. They keep all the electric at East Claydon, you see...

I assume that their average draw for the whole run is way below their rated maximum. There's also the diversity gain from regeneration.

Yes, as per HS1, LGV etc.
 

edwin_m

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I think the northbound trains will be going flat out, if that's the right term to use, on the climb to the Chilterns. When I ran a little spreadsheet a few years back it showed that they can't actually reach maximum speed on the climb.
 

AM9

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I think the northbound trains will be going flat out, if that's the right term to use, on the climb to the Chilterns. When I ran a little spreadsheet a few years back it showed that they can't actually reach maximum speed on the climb.
Which means that the southbound will be coasting for at least some of that section.
 

mwmbwls

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With TBM’s now boring the first HS2 tunnels – Tunnel Talk has reported that suggestions have been made for revisions to the Wendover section

HS 2 Wendover Tunnel simplification proposal by Mwmbwls, on Flickr

https://www.tunneltalk.com/TunnelTalk.php#

http://www.thehs2.com/phase1/maps/showmap.php?place=Wendover Dean&

At a time when the rising costs, environmental impact, deliverability and long-term objectives of HS2 are under scrutiny, two independent expert reports show that construction of a short 4.2km tunnel through the section of the HS2 Phase One route at Wendover would be simpler, cheaper and quicker than the current proposed scheme. It would also mitigate damaging environmental impact.

By simplifying the scheme to just one method of construction with hugely reduced surface impact, the risks associated with creating exit and re-entry points such as subsidence and its effect on adjacent properties and utilities will be minimised.

The Wendover tunnel would provide savings of £322 million to £325 million in construction costs and £750 million in maintenance costs.

It has local and Parliamentary support and contractors are now calling for an independent engineering assessment of the cost and practicality of the tunnel proposal. It would be similar to the North Downs tunnel at Bluebell Hill that was constructed to mitigate the environmental impact of HS1 as it passed through Kent and the High Weald AONB.

Is it too late for mitigation measures to be considered?
 

Ianno87

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Which means that the southbound will be coasting for at least some of that section.

And, later in the section, every train will be braking (I would presume regenerative) to stop at Old Oak Common.
 
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