- 120 colossal beams installed on a 14,500-tonne box structure which will carry HS2 under the A46 Kenilworth Bypass
- The huge box is currently being built on land next to the A46, rather than beneath the carriageway itself, significantly minimising long-term disruption
Balfour Beatty VINCI has successfully completed the installation of 120 giant concrete beams on a 14,500-tonne box structure that will carry the HS2 line under the A46 Kenilworth Bypass in Warwickshire.
The beams, ranging between 13 metres and 24 metres in length, were carefully lifted into place using three giant cranes. This milestone, achieved ahead of schedule in just 14 days, represents a significant step forward in the delivery of this innovative engineering project.
Built on land adjacent to the A46, the structure avoids the need for up to two years of traffic management measures that would have been required if constructed beneath the carriageway itself. This innovative construction method minimises disruption for road users while delivering the complex works safely and efficiently.
With the beams now installed, the next steps include completing the deck – the flat surface on top of the beams – and installing parapets. In spring, the structure will be moved into its final position beneath the A46 using a state-of-the-art jacking mechanism designed by Freyssinet. This system will guide the box across a raft at a speed of up to 2.5 metres per hour over a distance of 64 metres.
Preparatory works for this “box push” procedure are already underway. In collaboration with National Highways, Balfour Beatty VINCI and HS2 will close a section of the A46 between Festival Island (Coventry) and Thickthorn Island (Kenilworth) for two weekends in February, ahead of a full closure planned for spring 2025.
During the February closures – from 8pm on 7 February to 6am on 10 February, and 8pm on 14 February to 6am on 17 February – engineers will upgrade safety barriers, adjust the central reservation layout, and complete drainage works.
John McNiffe, Project Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said:
“The safe and successful installation of 120 giant beams is another great achievement for the Balfour Beatty VINCI team delivering this box bridge slide in Warwickshire. This 14-day operation required extensive planning and precision, and I am incredibly proud of how the team rose to the challenge.
“The next stage involves constructing the deck and installing parapets before the bridge is moved into position under the carriageway, enabling HS2 trains to pass underneath.”
Vicki Lee, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd, said:
“I’d like to congratulate the entire site team for successfully moving such a large number of beams into place as we approach the final phase of the A46 box’s construction.
“I also thank motorists in advance for their patience as we prepare for the box push in spring and start initial preparation work during the February weekend closures. These closures allow us to carry out important works directly on the carriageway, which would be unsafe to undertake during live traffic.”
David Patmore, Network Planner for National Highways, added:
“Our primary concern is that works on our network cause minimum disruption for road users while ensuring the safety of both the workforce and those using our roads.
“We work closely with HS2 and its partners and welcome the innovative techniques being used to minimize disruption while delivering such a major, complex project. It’s good news that works are progressing so well, and we are grateful for drivers’ patience as the scheme moves towards the box push in spring.”
Tim Akers, Engineering Manager for the Mott MacDonald SYSTRA Design Joint Venture, which is part of Balfour Beatty VINCI’s Design Joint Venture, said:
"We're incredibly proud of the part we've played in the development of this structure. Significant collaboration between HS2, National Highways, and Balfour Beatty VINCI allowed the design to evolve from a traditional ‘top-down’ approach to an offline construction method, with rapid and safe automated installation that reduces the impact on road users.”
Construction of HS2 is progressing rapidly between the West Midlands and London, supporting over 31,000 jobs. In the West Midlands, recent progress includes the completion of the first stage of a bridge over the M42 motorway and the installation of two 159-metre-long steel spans of HS2’s River Cole Viaducts near Coleshill in North Warwickshire.
ENDS
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Notes to editors:
- Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group with over 26,000 employees driving the delivery of powerful new solutions, shaping thinking, creating skylines and inspiring a new generation of talent to be the change-makers of tomorrow.
- We finance, develop, build, maintain and operate the increasingly complex and critical infrastructure that supports national economies and deliver projects at the heart of local communities.
- Over the last 115 years we have created iconic buildings and infrastructure all over the world. Currently, we are working to deliver Hinkley Point C, the first UK nuclear power station in a generation; constructing the world-class arts and cultural facility, the Lyric Theatre, in Hong Kong; and designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining the Automated People Mover superstructure at one of the busiest airports in the world, Los Angeles International Airport.
Image: Giant HS2 box structure under A46 approaches final phase of construction: A46 Kenilworth Bypass box structure-5
