HS2 Euston - Development, design and construction news (not speculation, please)

[Nottingham59]

Two recent developments to report:

The budget documentation yesterday states “The government is working with Lendlease – the Euston Master Development Partner – and the London Borough of Camden to identify parts of the station site for early release and development in coming months, and progressing plans to realise the vision for an internationally-leading life-sciences hub at the heart of the Euston Quarter.”

Full steam ahead for Lendlease at Euston, Budget confirms | Construction News

Lendlease will work up new plans for development around London's Euston Station, the government confirmed in today’s Spring Budget, amid a growing rift

www.constructionnews.co.uk

Camden council are claiming that "Euston’s regeneration has the potential to support 34,000 jobs including 2,300 in Life Sciences, 2,500 homes and £41bn accumulated GVA by 2053."
Summary here:

https://www.camden.gov.uk/documents/d/guest/the-economic-rationale-for-euston-s-regeneration-23-02-24-final-issue

 

[eldomtom2]

This is just regarding non-rail development though, right?

 

[JamieL]

This is just regarding non-rail development though, right?

The non-rail development that will limit the new network capacity and be a bottleneck for a century to come.

 

[Nottingham59]

The non-rail development that will limit the new network capacity and be a bottleneck for a century to come.

Indeed. HS2 chose Euston as it was the only place remaining in central London that could handle 16tph 400m trains. And now Sunak wants to build houses on the site.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The non-rail development that will limit the new network capacity and be a bottleneck for a century to come.

On the other hand, the commercial deal will pay for whatever smaller rail developments are approved.
(Replacing the funds the original project squandered in its failed plans).

 

[mike57]

Whats the odds on HS2 ever reaching Euston, cant be any better than 50/50, and each sell off or reduction in scope makes it less likely in my opinion.

 

[JamieL]

Indeed. HS2 chose Euston as it was the only place remaining in central London that could handle 16tph 400m trains. And now Sunak wants to build houses on the site.

Yes, short-sighted mediocracy engulfed in failure and corruption. Tory mismanagement in action.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Yes, short-sighted mediocracy engulfed in failure and corruption. Tory mismanagement in action.

I'm not saying I support the decisions about Euston, but Labour has its own back-catalogue of project cancellations and mismanagement.
I'd also blame incompetence and poor programme management before making any accusations of corruption.
The project was out of control, and needed to be put out of its misery.
We are lucky HS2 Phase 1 (from OOC) survived.

 

[Kenny G]

If only the decision had been made initially to link with HS1 via St Pancras notwithstanding the effect on Camden market.

 

[Snow1964]

Written answer 11th March in Parliament

Lord Berkeley Labour​

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest design for the approach tunnels and grade separation works for the HS2 approaches to Euston; how many station platforms are they designed to accommodate; whether this design has received full safety approval and from whom; and whether they plan to place a copy of the plans in the Library of the House.

Lord Davies of GowerParliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)​

HS2 Ltd is responsible for designing and building the Euston Approaches. The Company is continuing to progress with the existing design for the approach tunnels and grade separation in line with the requisite technical, safety and environmental standards at all times. The design of the HS2 tunnels has been refined to minimise ground movement and settlement mitigation measures have been developed to be compatible with the operation of the existing railway. As set out on the Network North Command Paper the HS2 station at Euston will comprise 6 platforms which can accommodate the trains we will run to Birmingham and onwards.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Department for Transport written question – answered at 11 March 2024

www.theyworkforyou.com

 

[Nottingham59]

I see "continuing to progress with the existing design for the approach tunnels and grade separation". If that still means what it used to mean, then that is good news.

 

[chris2]

This is the plan from the HS2 website. Presumably this is the plan referred to above.

@Nottingham59 can you explain the significance of the grade separation in the design? Presumably if the design is unchanged it *could* still serve an 11-platform station. Where might constraints be introduced and what impact would these have on future expansion?

 

[snowball]

The original purpose of the grade separation was to allow a good number of simultaneous arrivals and departures without conflicting movements. As shown by the plan at your link, arriving trains could use either the east or west track, while departing ones could use the middle track. With the number of platforms being reduced to six, they might have removed the grade separation, but they haven't. However they may still introduce constraints elsewhere, for example by putting foundations of buildings where other platforms would have been, preventing future increase in the number of platforms.

 

[Nottingham59]

This is the plan from the HS2 website. Presumably this is the plan referred to above.

@Nottingham59 can you explain the significance of the grade separation in the design? Presumably if the design is unchanged it *could* still serve an 11-platform station. Where might constraints be introduced and what impact would these have on future expansion?

A track layout without grade separation seriously limits the number of trains per hour a terminus can handle.

Think about a terminus served by a twin-track railway from the North. A train arriving on the left-hand running line, which needs to access the easternmost platform won't conflict with departures from other platforms. But when the arriving train needs to access the westernmost platform, it blocks departures from all other platforms. Similarly, a departure from the easternmost platform will block all arrivals, whatever platform they are heading to.

HS2 looks like it's keeping its two approach tunnels, so arriving trains can be fed into the throat from the east side or the west. So whatever the destination platform of the arrival, there will always be some platforms from where a departure can be simultaneously launched towards the central departure tunnel.

Which means that HS2 Euston should still be able to handle 18tph (eventually, after much investment north of Crewe) if you handle the passenger flows and can keep platform reoccupation times down to 15 minutes or so.

 

[hwl]

Written answer 11th March in Parliament

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Department for Transport written question – answered at 11 March 2024

www.theyworkforyou.com

Interesting - one of the chief Euston NIMBYs asking the question in hope that the the scale of the grade separation is being scaled back

 

[Nottingham59]

For convenience, here is the diagram of the HS2 Euston tunnel layout.

https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Euston-Approaches-Map.pdf

It has been used in the March 2024 construction update, so presumably survived the Sunak cull of platforms down to six.

 

[chris2]

Thanks for the answers @Nottingham59 and @snowball.

It looks as though phase 1 is ultimately going to be built as originally designed. Which to my mind is the best scenario for the hope of keeping options open at Euston; if other elements of phase 1 were to be descoped it would make provision for future expansion at Euston harder to justify.

 

[Yindee8191]

Even if buildings are constructed that block some of the planned locations for platforms, surely they could expand a bit by taking a couple of platforms off the conventional station anyway? Obviously it’d be disruptive but once Ph1 to Euston is open the Birmingham trains at least can switch over, freeing up some space to move more platforms to the HS2 station. Even say two more platforms could mean better resilience and extra services.

 

[Nottingham59]

Even if buildings are constructed that block some of the planned locations for platforms, surely they could expand a bit by taking a couple of platforms off the conventional station anyway? Obviously it’d be disruptive but once Ph1 to Euston is open the Birmingham trains at least can switch over, freeing up some space to move more platforms to the HS2 station. Even say two more platforms could mean better resilience and extra services.

They did that in effect by taking platforms 18 and 17 for HS2.

The HS2 tracks are significant lower than the existing station, and AIUI the HS2 tracks plunge downwards towards the tunnels. So they would have to demolish part of the existing station and dig out the ground to add new platforms for HS2 on that side.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I would also think thatHS2 trains to/from Euston could use either tunnel bore from/to Old Oak Common.
So the Euston layout needs to accommodate any of those options for maximum flexibility.

 

[Yindee8191]

They did that in effect by taking platforms 18 and 17 for HS2.

The HS2 tracks are significant lower than the existing station, and AIUI the HS2 tracks plunge downwards towards the tunnels. So they would have to demolish part of the existing station and dig out the ground to add new platforms for HS2 on that side.

Oh yeah, I’m well aware it’d need to be a big and complicated project. But if it’s possible then it may become necessary when demand rises.

 

[Snow1964]

Barhale and UK Power Networks are constructing a micro tunnel to carry 45MW power supply under Regents Canal to TBMs boring towards Euston

Partnership to build micro-tunnel for HS2 power supply - Energy Live News

UK Power Networks and Barhale have partnered to construct a micro-tunnel beneath the Grand Union Canal in West London, facilitating the delivery of 45MVA electricity supply for HS2

www.energylivenews.com

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Barhale and UK Power Networks are constructing a micro tunnel to carry 45MW power supply under Regents Canal to TBMs boring towards Euston

Partnership to build micro-tunnel for HS2 power supply - Energy Live News

UK Power Networks and Barhale have partnered to construct a micro-tunnel beneath the Grand Union Canal in West London, facilitating the delivery of 45MVA electricity supply for HS2

www.energylivenews.com

They can prevaricate about the station works but there's so much sunk cost here already that they ought to just get on and complete the tunnels.

 

[Winthorpe]

They can prevaricate about the station works but there's so much sunk cost here already that they ought to just get on and complete the tunnels.

The point of 'sunk costs', in economic decision making, is the sunk cost should not be taken into consideration when deciding on the future.

But I agree completely, no sane individual would argue not to complete the tunnels to Euston. It's the familiar kicking the can down the road: the political decion into a new parliament, and the costs into a future accounting period.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

The point of 'sunk costs', in economic decision making, is the sunk cost should not be taken into consideration when deciding on the future.

But I agree completely, no sane individual would argue not to complete the tunnels to Euston. It's the familiar kicking the can down the road: the political decion into a new parliament, and the costs into a future accounting period.

In any sane analysis you say we've spent X so far and need Y to complete but if we mothball and come back in the future it becomes Y+Z to complete so it will then cost even more than now. Even majority of Tory politicians know that HS2 without Euston is pointless so build the tunnels now while they can prevaricate about what the solution for funding the station is.

 

[Winthorpe]

In any sane analysis you say we've spent X so far and need Y to complete but if we mothball and come back in the future it becomes Y+Z to complete so it will then cost even more than now. Even majority of Tory politicians know that HS2 without Euston is pointless so build the tunnels now while they can prevaricate about what the solution for funding the station is.

I agree with you. I’m pointing out that the delay is to push the increased cost into the future. It is done on political logic, not on any other logic.

 

[themiller]

Don’t the TBMs have to be clear of OOC before tracklaying etc can be started in the station due to the length of the tail-end equipment? I’m thinking power cables, spoil disposal etc. Or is there sufficient room for all this and a safety zone?

 

[Snow1964]

Don’t the TBMs have to be clear of OOC before tracklaying etc can be started in the station due to the length of the tail-end equipment? I’m thinking power cables, spoil disposal etc. Or is there sufficient room for all this and a safety zone?

Yes, somebody gave details once (can't find it) but have to be driven few hundred meters to be clear of the station.

And would be really difficult getting muck out and segments in, if they were restarted towards Euston when station was open, so in practice non starter to leave them at launch position.

I suspect plan is to utilise crews when a TBM drive elsewhere is finished, as that's cheapest and easiest option over next 5 years

 

[hwl]

Yes, somebody gave details once (can't find it) but have to be driven few hundred meters to be clear of the station.

And would be really difficult getting muck out and segments in, if they were restarted towards Euston when station was open, so in practice non starter to leave them at launch position.

I suspect plan is to utilise crews when a TBM drive elsewhere is finished, as that's cheapest and easiest option over next 5 years

Possibly me.

Several issues at play:
1. The TBMs need to be physically out of the chamber + a reasonable margin not to impact the fit out of the box including platforms. This need to happen reasonably soon.
2. Spoil extraction has generally shifted to slurry systems (for all the geologies encountered by HS2) which makes spoil handling easier.
3. Running a limited service level on 6 platforms for testing or Birmingham with no track laid at the eastern end of the station (box) would allow segment supply if things really dragged on.
4. TBM staffing etc. (and supply chain especially segment manufacture) as recognised in Crossrail 2 (and other similar actual and planned projects overseas) a longer overall tunnelling period with more serial rather than parallel is better (including construction station boxes /caverns after TBM passes) after rather.

We are already seeing the more "serial" approach to staffing on TBMs and slightly more TBMs reuse than originally planned but no overall supply chain efficiency because the contracts were already let.
Originally all three pairs of "London" tunnels [SCS (Skanska Costain Strabag) as contractors and segments from PACADAR on the Isle of Grain] would have been on going at the same time as would the later end of the Chiltern tunnel works [Align JV (Bouygues, McAlpine, VolkerFitzpatrick) with segments made at the launch site] so there wouldn't have been serial staffing.
Chiltern has progressed well and the London tunnels has all started later or will be starting late so the are now opportunities for TBM staff to move been separate tunnelling runs and segment supply rate to be slowed which will help the cash flow.

The two Northolt West tunnels (eastbound boring) should complete in February and April 2025 based on current progress rate which aligns well with the proposed Euston tunnels starting in Summer 2025 which suggests the staff will move from there to the Euston machines and the segment logistics will only supply two pairs of bores at the same time not three as originally planned.

The two Northolt East (westbound boring from Acton) should complete in Dec '25 and the second ~23months post launch (potentially up to 4 month earlier is progress is good).

If Euston Tunnels start in summer 2025 the TBMs (but not the non TBM elements at the Euston end) should complete between Summer and Christmas 2027 which won't cause any issues for track laying and testing. A potential very minor questionable slowing down opportunity does exist with a slow initial rate launch till the Northolt East tunnels complete to the segment manufacture and supply rate would remains at roughly just over one pair of tunnels beyond the next 12months.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Segment supply/spoil removal for the Euston tunnels will be via the recently-completed Logistics tunnel at the east end of the OOC station area.
I guess the question is whether the OOC station build can complete while that tunnel, and its necessary support equipment (conveyors etc) is still in use.
There is then the question of fitting out the Euston tunnels from the OOC end, although by then maybe the Euston portal will also be available for that.
(Though without a physical connection at Euston that might be difficult).


There is a decent article on the Guardian/Observer web site today, about the issues at Euston (and more widely on HS2).
I think there is some guarded optimism that a way through will be found at Euston, but it might need a new government to change the current mindset.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news...am-raise-new-fears-over-hs2s-route-and-future

In the vision of HS2 published by the government a decade ago, a gleaming new station should now be taking shape at Euston, with the first high-speed trains to whisk passengers from London to Birmingham just a couple of years away.
Things have not, of course, quite panned out like that. The scars of the early works are evident in the area of central London surrounding the station: the vanished buildings, parks, trees, pubs and half of Drummond Street. Portholes on the hoardings that line the way to the remaining south Asian restaurants allow a view on to a mothballed site where a muddy Euston pond is forming.
...
The team of contractors – Skanska Costain Strabag – working on the zone leading to the station, which is known as Euston Approaches, make it clear that a pause was never welcome. Its managing director, James Richardson, said: “We have to continue with critical works now – otherwise it would make it difficult, if not impossible, to revive in the future.”
Many of the 3,500 workers here have been redeployed within the firms, but some continue preparing the future tunnels out of Euston, including a giant concrete box where HS2 trains will switch lines to different platforms. More than 1,000 deep piles have been planted in the narrow sliver of ground between John Nash’s historic villas in Regent’s Park and the west coast mainline.
...
Proponents see the decision to cancel the short “phase 2a” stretch from Birmingham to Crewe as particularly galling, given its relatively low cost and the advanced stage of the works. Congestion is likely to increase around existing bottlenecks once HS2 services start.
Rail leaders are now looking for alternative solutions that do not cause more years of disruption on the west coast mainline. As a senior rail source put it: “A high-level strategic planner might say you will probably come to a conclusion that more or less mirrors HS2.”