First HS2 platforms installed at Old Oak Common
HS2 has reached a major milestone at Old Oak Common in West London, with the installation of the first precast platforms on what will become one of the UK’s busiest interchange stations.
The high-speed platforms—constructed using precast concrete slabs made offsite in Worksop—are the first to be revealed on the new national railway line and mark a shift in the project from civil engineering to station fit-out and mechanical services.
A total of six underground platforms are being installed for 400-metre HS2 trains, arranged in three ‘island’ configurations inside the vast 850-metre station box. Each platform sits atop a 1.59-metre-high invert wall and includes a services void for power and infrastructure. The 1,960 precast slabs, up to 4 metres long, are manufactured by Explore Manufacturing, highlighting the role of UK concrete manufacturing in major infrastructure delivery.
Steve O’Sullivan, project director for Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA, said: “The installation of the first high-speed platforms at Old Oak Common marks a defining moment. It’s a powerful symbol of progress... laying the foundations of what will become one of the UK’s most important interchange transport hubs.”
The station’s construction partner, BBVS JV, is also progressing ground floor works in preparation for the station superstructure. Above-ground, eight more platforms will be installed later this year to serve the Great Western Mainline, Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express.
When complete, Old Oak Common will offer connections to over 100 stations nationwide. The project is also fuelling regeneration: HS2 estimates its presence will catalyse 22,000 new homes and nearly 19,000 jobs within 1.5 miles of the site.
Despite the progress, HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Wild has signalled a wider “reset” of the project to control costs and improve efficiency. However, this latest phase demonstrates the concrete sector’s continued role in delivering key components of the UK’s largest infrastructure programme.
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