A team of specialist engineers is preparing to move a giant, 1,631-tonne steel bridge into place over a section of Lawley Middleway, part of Birmingham’s ring road, in a complex operation scheduled for August.
The 112-metre long structure, which has been built on land next to Digbeth Canal over the past two years to minimise disruption, will be moved into its final position using a combination of techniques, a first for HS2’s main contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV).
The operation, led by BBV and their bridge move contractor Mammoet, will begin on 15th August. The bridge will first be jacked up onto two self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) and rotated by 90 degrees. A combination of the SPMTs and a skidding system will then be used to move the structure 12 metres each night between 16th and 23rd August, allowing the road to remain open during the day. The road will be closed between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am from Garrison Circus to Curzon Circus from 15th to 24th August, with a diversion route in place.
The new bridge is a key part of the railway’s approach to Birmingham. It is one of a series of five connected viaducts that will carry high-speed trains out of the Bromford Tunnel and into the platforms of Curzon Street Station.
HS2’s Head of Delivery for the Curzon Approaches, Greg Sugden, said: “The team have worked hard to get us ready for yet another significant feat of engineering, marking a further step forward in the construction of the high-speed railway into Birmingham. The Curzon Approaches is a complex and challenging section, with the railway being carefully designed and constructed through an urban landscape and network of roads, railways and canals.”
Georgios Markakis, Project Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “This operation is a first for BBV, combining SPMTs and a skidding system to lift, rotate and move this giant structure into place. Work is progressing well on this whole section of the Curzon Approaches, delivered by a team of more than 250 people, including steel welders, steel fixers, joiners and engineering apprentices. Importantly, we’ve worked closely with Transport for West Midlands and Birmingham City Council to plan the operation during the low traffic holiday period and keep the road open during the day, minimising disruption to road-users.”
The successful completion of this bridge move will be followed by a series of other major milestones over the next 12 months, including the second Bromford Tunnel breakthrough and further viaduct moves.
