HS2 completes M42 bridge lifting works

By Danny BallPublished On: September 25th, 2026Categories: News, Top Stories

HS2 engineers have completed the lifting of six spans over the M42, following a four-weekend programme of construction works led by Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV).

The final spans at the Water Orton viaduct site were installed during the weekend closure, with the motorway reopening at around 4am on Monday, 21 September.

Engineers completed work on the final beams for HS2’s ‘twin box’ structure, three miles south near the NEC.

Twin box structure reaches structural completion

A300-metre-long twin box will carry the railway over the M42. The structure consists of two boxes because of the angle at which the railway crosses the motorway.

A 150-strong team installed the final 44 beams over the southbound carriageway during the September closure, completing the roof structure.

The roof comprises 175 individual beams, each weighing between 56 and 92 tonnes. A 300-tonne crawler crane lifted the 23-metre-long beams into position between supporting walls and columns on either side of the carriageway.

The structure is 10 metres high, with two 145-metre-long walls and 46 internal columns supporting the 9,800-tonne roof.

Water Orton viaducts form part of the ‘delta junction’, linking Birmingham with the mainline heading north. They cross the M42, A446, Birmingham to Peterborough railway line and River Tame.

Final Water Orton works continue

A team of 75 installed the final two spans of Water Orton Viaduct 2 over the southbound carriageway.

Each 45-metre-long span was constructed from 18 precast segments manufactured at BBV’s concrete batching plant in Kingsbury. Once assembled, the 1,000-tonne spans were moved into position using self-propelled modular transporters before being secured with tensioning cables inside the viaduct.

BBV’s Design Joint Venture, comprising Mott MacDonald and SYSTRA, designed the structures.

BBV will now extend Water Orton 2 by a further 40 metres to close the remaining gap above Gilson Road. Engineers will install the parapets along the viaducts.

Oliver Shore, Project Director for Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “The twin box and Water Orton Viaducts are three major structures that cross the busy M42 motorway. In just four weekends, we’ve completed the bridging works on each of them, closing the gap over the north and southbound carriageways.

“This was a huge engineering challenge and I’m so proud of the way our teams have responded.

Their skill, dedication and hard work throughout the summer means we can move forward to the next exciting phase of our work.”

Further motorway closure planned

A further M42 closure is planned from 9pm on Friday, 23rd October to 5am on Monday, 26th October, allowing engineers to install viaduct parapets above the motorway.

National Highways used the closures to carry out its own works, including demolition of Bickenhill Bridge at the northern side of the M42 junction 6 roundabout.

HS2 said the project is now at peak construction, with teams working to increase productivity. Other progress includes platforms at Old Oak Common, completion of the first ‘green tunnel’ and the Curzon 2 viaduct on the approach to Curzon Street.