HS2 engineers have completed construction of Curzon 2, the tallest bridge on Britain’s new high-speed railway, with the huge steel structure now preparing for a complex launch over the Cross City railway line in Birmingham.
The milestone marks another major moment for the £multi-billion project as work continues across the 140-mile route between London and the West Midlands.
Standing more than 40 metres high once installed — roughly the height of a 10-storey building — the 4,200-tonne structure is expected to become a new landmark on Birmingham’s skyline.
Curzon 2 forms part of the Curzon approaches, a network of five viaducts carrying HS2 services into the new Curzon Street Station in Birmingham city centre. The bridge’s 24-metre-high steel truss has been assembled from 670 individual steel sections using weathering steel, which will gradually darken over time.
The project highlights the scale of engineering still underway across HS2 despite the ongoing programme reset being led by HS2 chief executive Mark Wild.
Greg Sugden, HS2’s Head of Delivery for the Curzon approaches, described the bridge as a reflection of Birmingham’s industrial heritage.
“Curzon 2 is designed to reflect Birmingham’s proud industrial heritage, and it will soon become a recognisable landmark on the cityscape,” he said.
The structure has been built by HS2’s construction partner Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), with around 250 engineers working on the bridge over a three-year period. Construction included installing 32 deep permanent piles in 2023 before assembling the 150-metre-long deck and giant steel truss during 2024 and 2025.
The site itself presented major logistical challenges. The bridge sits within a constrained corridor between the River Rea and the operational rail network, requiring cranes weighing up to 650 tonnes and extensive welding works carried out at height in specially fabricated weather-protected enclosures.
The next stage now involves a carefully controlled launch operation. Using high-precision hydraulic strand jacks, the entire bridge will be slid 180 metres into place across three separate phases.
The most disruptive element of the work will take place between Friday 29 May and Sunday 31 May 2026, when the Cross City Line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley will temporarily close to allow the structure to pass over the live railway.
For the supply chain, the project demonstrates the continued scale of heavy civil engineering activity underway on HS2, even as scrutiny intensifies around programme cost and delivery. It also highlights the growing role of advanced off-site assembly, precision launching systems and complex urban construction techniques in modern rail infrastructure projects.
Beyond Curzon 2, progress continues across the wider Curzon approaches package. HS2 confirmed work is advancing on Duddeston Junction, Curzon 1, Lawley Middleway and Curzon 3 viaducts, which together will form the final approach into Birmingham’s new high-speed terminus.
While significant progress has been made, HS2 acknowledged there remains “a vast amount of work to do” across the route as the programme continues through its latest reset phase.
