{"id":527887,"date":"2026-09-02T21:25:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T11:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railuk.com\/?p=199311"},"modified":"2026-09-02T21:25:00","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T11:25:00","slug":"hs2-installs-first-section-of-new-saltley-viaduct","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=527887","title":{"rendered":"HS2 installs first section of new Saltley Viaduct"},"content":{"rendered":"

Construction of the new Saltley Viaduct moved a step closer this August Bank Holiday weekend, after HS2 engineers successfully installed the first section of the new bridge over the Birmingham to Derby railway lines.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The original Saltley Viaduct, which spanned a 183\u2011metre section of the B4114, closed to vehicles and pedestrians in May 2026.  It was then demolished so that a new, taller structure could be built in its place, allowing high speed trains to safely pass below.<\/p>\n

The replacement viaduct is being built and installed by engineers working for HS2\u2019s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV). The construction programme is being delivered in phases to reflect the complexity of crossing the Birmingham to Derby rail lines, the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, the River Rea and ultimately the future HS2 railway line.<\/p>\n

The first 55-metre-long steel section was assembled on land adjacent to where the original viaduct once stood. It was then driven into place over the Birmingham to Derby railway lines during the Bank Holiday weekend \u2013 a distance of around 125 metres – using self-propelled-modular- transporters (SPMTs).<\/p>\n

This first phase of work was delivered in conjunction with Network Rail, during a temporary closure of the railway, which re-opened to passengers as planned this morning (Tuesday, 1 September).<\/p>\n

Nic Ryder, HS2 Ltd\u2019s project manager for the works said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOur engineering team is making fantastic progress and everyone worked incredibly hard over the Bank Holiday weekend to ensure we were finished in time for the railway to reopen.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the three months since the road closed, they have demolished the original structure and successfully installed the first span of the replacement bridge, putting us on track to proceed to the next phase.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

With phase one of four complete, engineers are now assembling the second 35-metre-long span, which will cross over the new HS2 railway line. This span will be lowered into place by crane in October.<\/p>\n

Spans three and four, which cross the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, will be installed later this year.  Engineers will then complete the tie in from the perimeter of the railway line to the abutment upon which the structure rests. A new bridge over the River Rea will also be constructed and will form part of the overall realigned B4114.<\/p>\n

Dan Binns, Senior Project Manager for Balfour Beatty VINCI, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe new Saltley Viaduct is the latest HS2 structure to emerge in this area of Birmingham, after BBV engineers safely manoeuvred the first 55-metre span over an existing rail line.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe chose the same technique used on the neighbouring Aston Church Road bridge two years ago, where the span was assembled next to the railway, before being driven into place on wheels to minimise the impact on rail passengers as much as possible.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The new viaduct is expected to open to motorists and pedestrians in November 2027 with significant safety and design enhancements. It will be four and a half metres wider, to provide additional space for cyclists and pedestrians, and the new wider walkways will feature LED lighting in the panels.<\/p>\n

HS2 Ltd and BBV worked closely with Birmingham City Council, Transport for the West Midlands and National Express Ltd to ensure safe and effective diversion routes and bus provisions were put in place throughout the construction phase.<\/p>\n

HS2 Ltd has also awarded Birmingham City Council over \u00a32.5 million in funding to leave a road safety legacy along the route of the railway.  The funding, which is allocated for improvement initiatives, must be spent by the end of December 2026.<\/p>\n

Image credit: HS2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Construction of the new Saltley Viaduct moved a step closer this August Bank Holiday weekend, after HS2 engineers successfully installed the first section of the new bridge over the Birmingham to Derby railway lines. The original Saltley Viaduct, which spanned a 183\u2011metre section of the B4114, closed to vehicles and pedestrians in May 2026.\u00a0 It [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53,1089,16017,47,16148,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-527887","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-high-speed-rail","category-hs2","category-industry-news","category-rail-news","category-rail-projects","category-uk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t