A new bridge to facilitate direct rail services between Oxford and Cambridge has been lifted into position over the HS2 line near Calvert in Buckinghamshire, UK.
It will support East West Rail services, which will connect Oxford, Bicester, Bedford and Cambridge.
This is located largely along a route, which was shuttered in the 1960s.
The bridge was assembled on site and lifted into position by a team headed by HS2 main works contractor EKFB. The team also comprises Ferrovial Construction, Bam Nuttall, Eiffage, and Kier.
EKFB project director Dave Newcombe said: “The Calvert area is home to an important interface between two new railway networks which will see HS2 running underneath the East West Rail line.
“The build of this intersection, carried out by EKFB, was clearly thought out with our local communities at the forefront of our plans.”
The bridge weighs more than 315 tonnes and has a length of 35m.
It is said to be designed to naturally age to a dark brown colour.
It will cross HS2’s 3.4km Calvert cutting, which is one of the longest in the project.
Nearly 685,000m³ of material will be used to create the cutting, which will have a depth of up to 9.7m and will be wide enough to support the addition of more local rail lines alongside the HS2 line later.
HS2 is carrying out 650,000m³ of earthworks, two smaller road bridges as well as a footbridge for East West Rail in the Calvert area.
HS2 senior project manager Paul Marshall said: “HS2 will transform journeys between London, Birmingham and the major cities of the north but it’s vital that we also maintain and enable links for communities on either side of the line.
“That’s why we have been working closely with East West Rail to get this crucial bridge into position and I’d like to thank everyone involved in getting us to this important moment for both our projects.”
HS2 is projected to enhance north-south railway services with zero carbon travel.
The project is expected to support over 29,000 jobs.
Recently, HS2 revealed the designs of the Bellingham Bridge, designed by British artist Liz West.
