HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct
As a part of the Align joint venture consisting of three international and privately-owned infrastructure companies; Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick, we are constructing the C1 package of the UK High Speed 2 line (HS2). Not only does this include delivering the record-breaking Colne Valley Viaduct which will be the longest railway bridge in the UK, but we are also constructing HS2’s longest twin-bore tunnel, reaching 10 miles long.
Purpose
- VolkerFitzpatrick, as part of the Align joint venture alongside Bouygues Travaux Publics and Sir Robert McAlpine, is delivering the C1 package of High Speed 2 (HS2). The package comprises 23.9km of high-speed rail infrastructure, including the Colne Valley Viaduct, the Chiltern tunnels, five ventilation and intervention shafts and the South Heath Cutting.
- The infrastructure forms part of HS2’s wider programme to improve connections between Britain’s major cities and release capacity on the existing rail network for more local and freight services.
What we did
- Through the Align joint venture, VolkerFitzpatrick is helping deliver the 23.9km C1 section of HS2, including the 10-mile twin-bore Chiltern Tunnel and 3.4km Colne Valley Viaduct, alongside ventilation and intervention shafts, portals and associated earthworks.
- The Chiltern tunnels were excavated using two 2,000-tonne tunnel boring machines, with 112,000 concrete segments used to create the tunnel lining and 38 cross passages connecting the two tunnels.
- The Colne Valley Viaduct was constructed using more than 1,000 precast concrete deck segments, installed using a purpose-built launching gantry. As part of the wider VolkerWessels UK contribution, VolkerStevin constructed four temporary jetties, providing vital access and working platforms over water to support construction of the viaduct piers.
Project successes
- The Align joint venture has delivered major milestones on HS2, including the 10-mile Chiltern Tunnel and 3.4km Colne Valley Viaduct, now the UK’s longest railway bridge.
- The viaduct has received significant industry recognition for its engineering and delivery, including Rail Bridge Project of the Year at the NCE Bridges Awards 2026 and Engineering Excellence at the British Construction & Infrastructure Awards.
- Sustainability has also been central to the project, with innovative approaches to carbon reduction recognised at the NCE Bridges Awards, alongside work to restore construction areas and create new habitats as part of HS2’s green corridor.
