Giant HS2 Bridge Prepared for Landmark Move Over Lawley Middleway

In a major milestone for the HS2 high-speed rail project, a 112-metre-long, 1,631-tonne steel bridge is set to be moved into position over Lawley Middleway in Birmingham. Constructed adjacent to the Digbeth Canal over the past two years, the span forms part of a one-mile sequence of five viaducts bringing trains from the Bromford Tunnel into Curzon Street Station.

To minimise disruption to road traffic, the bridge was built off-site and will be positioned using a combination of self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) and a skidding system with a jacking push/pull mechanism. This hybrid approach, a first for Balfour Beatty VINCI on HS2, will see the structure rotated 90 degrees before being moved into place in 12-metre nightly increments between August 15 and 23. Lawley Middleway will close between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am during these operations, reopening fully each morning.

Once installed, the Lawley Middleway bridge will link the Bromford Tunnel’s west portal to the Curzon 1, Curzon 2, and Curzon 3 viaducts, leading directly into Curzon Street Station. This section, known as the Curzon Approaches, requires careful coordination within Birmingham’s dense urban network of roads, railways, and canals. More than 250 workers, including welders, fixers, joiners, and apprentices, are contributing to this complex phase. Over the next year, related works will include additional viaduct moves, tunnel breakthroughs, and the construction of the new Saltley Viaduct.