Key moment for new Solihull rail station as 'most significant structure yet' is slotted into place

Key part of station put into place in Solihull

A major construction project to build to a new railway station has reached its most significant moment yet, according to developers. Twenty workers and a 650-tonne crane were needed to lift 15 huge bridge beams into position at the HS2 Interchange station site.

The beams form the ‘building blocks’ of a road bridge that will take vehicles over the high-speed railway and onto the station car parks. They weigh a total of 565 tonnes and are the foundations of the two-lane bridge which will stretch just under 65 metres once finished.

Due to be completed in early 2025, the next phase of construction will see a concrete deck placed on top of the beams before parapet walls are installed and surfacing takes place. It represents the most significant structure yet built as part of the new station development, HS2 said.

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It said the project - part of the controversial and now downsized high speed rail link originally planned to connect London with the north via Birmingham - would trigger huge growth in Solihull, supporting 30,000 jobs, up to 3,000 new homes and 70,000 square metres of commercial space.

HS2 said the new station, being built alongside the Curzon Street terminus in Birmingham city centre, would provide easy access to the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport via an elevated mass transit system.

The 150-hectare site for Interchange Station sits in a triangle of land between the M42, A45 and A452. Once operational, the new station will serve passengers travelling on the new high-speed line to London and destinations in the north.

Ailsa Waygood, HS2 Ltd’s project client for Interchange Station, said: “We’re very proud to mark this engineering milestone and I’d like to thank everyone involved for delivering the operation safely and precisely during particularly challenging weather conditions.

“As we approach a new phase of construction, we are excited to bring our plans for Interchange Station to life. Interchange will be transformational for the Midlands, providing new jobs and supply chain opportunities, and becoming one of the best-connected transport hubs in the UK.”

Maddy Belgrove, Site Sub Agent for Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “HS2’s Interchange Station is really beginning to take shape, now we’ve safely and successfully lifted the 15 bridge beams into place. This five-day operation required a huge amount of planning and precision, and I’m really proud of the way the team has responded to this challenge, especially during the recent bad weather.”

HS2 is building more than 500 bridging structures route wide, which range from small footbridges to major viaducts, such as the West Link and East Link Viaducts – two parallel structures in North Warwickshire and the first viaducts to be built in HS2’s Delta Junction.