Colne Valley Viaduct
HS2 Railway Bridge in Harefield / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Colne Valley Viaduct is a bridge, under construction as of 2024, which will carry the High Speed 2 railway over the Colne Valley Regional Park and the Grand Union Canal, in Hillingdon, west London. When completed, its length of 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) and a weight of 116,000 tonnes will make it the largest railway bridge in the UK. It is one of the largest single civil engineering works of HS2 Phase 1.[2]
Colne Valley Viaduct | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51.5859°N 0.4900°W / 51.5859; -0.4900 |
Carries | High Speed 2 |
Crosses | Colne Valley Regional Park |
Locale | Harefield |
Owner | Align MWCC |
Characteristics | |
Total length | 2.1 miles (3.4 km)[1] |
Height | 10 metres (33 ft)[1] |
Rail characteristics | |
No. of tracks | 2 |
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
Electrified | 25 kV 50 Hz AC |
History | |
Architect | Align MWCC |
Construction start | March 2021 |
Construction end | Under construction |
Statistics | |
Daily traffic | High speed passenger trains |
Location | |
A contract for the section of the railway pertaining to the viaduct was awarded during 2017 and the design concept was released to the public on 19 January 2018. Preparatory work commenced shortly thereafter, including a compulsory land purchase and the establishment of temporary facilities, including a factory, onsite. Construction of the viaduct commenced during March 2021 with completion of the main deck due to occur during 2024 with full completion expected for May 2025.[3] Protestors have occasionally occupied the site, and allegations over the viaduct's aesthetic and environmental impact upon the area have been made.