A specialist HS2 engineering team has successfully shifted a 112-metre-long, 1,631-tonne steel bridge across Lawley Middleway—part of Birmingham’s ring road—four days earlier than planned.
The complex operation was delivered by HS2’s main works contractor in the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), working alongside heavy-lifting experts Mammoet. To minimise disruption for road users, the move took place during night-time closures, with the structure sliding between 18 and 24 metres each night using a specialist skidding system. This ensured the road remained open during the day.
Starting on 15 August, favourable weather conditions allowed the team to accelerate progress. As a result, Lawley Middleway will fully reopen at 6am on Friday 22 August, three days earlier than the original target of Monday 25 August.
Rather than building the bridge in place, the steel span was constructed over two years on land next to Digbeth Canal, significantly reducing disruption. On 15 August, Mammoet rotated the bridge 90 degrees using two self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs). Over the next four nights, the team combined the SPMTs with a jacking push/pull skidding system—a rare technique and a first for BBV on the HS2 project—to position the bridge across Lawley Middleway.
The new Lawley Middleway bridge forms part of HS2’s approach into Birmingham. High-speed trains will emerge from the 3.5-mile Bromford Tunnel at Washwood Heath and travel across a one-mile stretch of five connected viaducts: Duddeston Junction, Curzon 1, Curzon 2, Lawley Middleway, and Curzon 3, leading directly to Birmingham Curzon Street Station.
With this milestone complete, work on this section of the railway is now at peak productivity. Over the next 12 months, key activities will include:
- The second Bromford Tunnel breakthrough
- Curzon 2 viaduct move
- First Duddeston Junction Viaduct move
- Reopening of Aston Church Road
- Demolition of the old Aston Church Road bridge
- Start of construction on the new Saltley Viaduct
HS2’s Head of Delivery for the Curzon Approaches, Greg Sugden said:
“This is a fantastic achievement for the team, and the culmination of two years’ work, including detailed design, planning, construction and delivery of this highly technical launch operation.
“It is the first steel structure to be put in place for the one-mile stretch of viaducts on the approach to Birmingham Curzon Street Station – a pivotal part of the high-speed railway now starting to take shape.”
Georgios Markakis, Project Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI said:
“This is a proud moment for my team, who have worked hard to deliver this impressive feat of engineering. Through careful planning and expert support from our supply chain, we were able to deliver the operation much quicker than planned.
“Not only have we successfully delivered a milestone feat of engineering on the HS2 project, we’ve also been able to get the road back to normal early – which is good news for everyone.”
Image and video credits: HS2
