Concrete defines progress on HS2’s Curzon Approaches
HS2 has released a new construction update showcasing rapid progress on the Curzon Approaches – the 5.6 km stretch guiding high-speed trains into Birmingham’s city centre.
The route runs from the eastern portal of the twin-bore Bromford Tunnel to the landmark Curzon Street station. Along the way, teams are delivering an intricate series of bridges, viaducts and retaining structures, with concrete playing a central role in much of the engineering.
At the heart of the route are the Curzon No. 1 and No. 2 viaducts. These elevated structures are now well underway, built with over 10,000 m³ of structural concrete and more than 1,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement. Two piers remain to be constructed before work shifts to completing the deck.
“Every part of this project is about precision and integration,” said Greg Sugden, head of delivery for the Curzon Approaches at High Speed Two. “We’re delivering complex concrete and composite structures in one of the most challenging urban environments in the UK. When complete, these viaducts will be among the most recognisable elements of Birmingham’s future skyline.”
Further west, the 300 m-long Curzon No. 3 Viaduct is rising above the Digbeth Canal corridor. This structure transitions from a single trackbed into a four-fingered layout to feed platforms at the station. A key visual feature of the Curzon No. 3 Viaduct is its V-shaped concrete piers, which reduce the deck’s footprint while improving light and flow beneath.
Elsewhere, work continues on the Duddeston Junction Viaduct—another major concrete and steel hybrid structure requiring 17 piers and spanning over 600 m. Space constraints and live railway interfaces have made this a technically demanding element of the route.
“The scale of what we’re building here often goes unseen,” Sugden added. “But from the Saltley retained fill and canal underbridges to the portal reception shafts at Washwood Heath, there’s a huge amount of complex civil engineering that’s already taken shape.”
The project is also preparing for the launch of the 116 m-long Lawley Middleway Viaduct later this year. Once complete, it will provide another key link in the approach to the UK’s first brand-new intercity terminus since the Victorian era.
Overall, the Curzon Approaches form a vital component of HS2’s West Midlands infrastructure, which is forecast to add £10 billion to the region’s economy over the next decade.
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