HS2 completes first viaduct at Delta Junction
Precast concrete segments form key railway structure on high-speed rail link
HS2 has completed the first viaduct at Delta Junction in North Warwickshire, marking a major step in the construction of the high-speed railway. The River Tame West Viaduct, a 472-metre single-track structure, was built using an innovative cantilever method, the first of its kind in the UK.
Innovative Construction Method
A team of 40 workers from HS2’s contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI, used a specialist cantilever system to install 190 pre-cast concrete segments. These segments were manufactured at HS2’s dedicated pre-cast factory at Lea Marston and lifted into place span-by-span using a 22-metre-high mast with temporary post-tensioning cable stays and a 14-metre-high swivel crane.
“This is the first time in the UK we’ve used this innovative technique to build segmental viaducts,” said Nicolas Gallone, pre-cast segmental viaducts project manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI. “It’s an efficient and flexible process using cable stays from the cantilever structure to keep the viaduct in place, while a mast and swivel crane are used to position each segment. It’s a great achievement for the whole team, and work now continues using this technique on the other eight pre-cast segmental viaducts in the Delta Junction.”
The method, originally developed by Campenon Bernard (now part of VINCI Construction), enables faster and more controlled construction. Each 45-metre span length is completed by placing segments onto 42-metre truss beams, moving them into position with a skidding trolley, and securing them with post-tensioning techniques. The temporary cable stays are then removed, leaving the final structure in place.
Progress at Delta Junction
The River Tame West Viaducts will carry three rail tracks in total, consisting of one single-track viaduct and one double-track viaduct. Work has now started on the double-track section.
“The completion of the River Tame West single-track viaduct is a big milestone for the Delta Junction team,” said Sam Hinkley, lead senior project manager at HS2 Ltd. “In this very complex construction area, we’re building a network of 13 viaducts to carry new high-speed trains over motorways, existing rail lines, rivers and floodplains. Nearly 10,000 people in the West Midlands are delivering this world-class engineering, which will lay the foundations for Britain’s future rail network.”
Alongside the River Tame West Viaducts, construction is also underway on the single-track River Tame East Viaduct and the two Water Orton Viaducts, making Delta Junction one of the most complex sections of the HS2 railway. In total, nine of the 13 viaducts will use the precast segmental construction method, covering 6,500 m.
Looking Ahead
The project will eventually install 2,742 pre-cast concrete segments for all nine viaducts at Delta Junction, with the final deck segments expected to be in place by late 2026. Once completed, HS2 will provide faster and more reliable rail services between London and the West Midlands, while also freeing up capacity on existing lines for local and freight services.
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