HS2 engineers discover 56 million-year-old coastline
HS2 Ltd has released images reconstructing the ancient coastline uncovered by engineers working on the project.
During ground investigation work at Ruislip (West London), engineers discovered an ancient sub-tropical coastline dating back 56 million years.
They found a previously unknown material located up to 33 metres below the surface - it has been named the ‘Ruislip Bed’, and is thought to have been formed from densely wooded marshes on the edge of a sub-tropical sea.
The discovery was made while investigating ground conditions in the area, prior to the construction of the Northolt Tunnel (an 8.7-mile tunnel that will run from West Ruislip to Old Oak Common). HS2 has been investigating the ground at 8,000 locations along the railway’s first phase from London to the West Midlands.
“The ‘Ruislip Bed’ discovery is particularly fascinating, as it is a window into our geological history,” said Jacqueline Skipper, a geological expert from Geotechnical Consulting Group.
“It would have been formed during the Paleocene period, which was a time of intense change, with new animals evolving following the extinction of the dinosaurs. Most of southern England was covered by a warm sea, and this clay helps us to pinpoint where the coastline was.”
HS2 Ground Investigations Programme Manager Steve Reynolds said: “We have been exploring the soil and rocks beneath the surface through various methods, ranging from drilling into the ground and taking samples to using radar technology.
“Our main investigations are almost complete, with over one million laboratory tests undertaken on the samples we have taken. It’s the largest ground investigation programme that the UK has ever seen, and an unparalleled opportunity to learn about the ground beneath our feet.”
HS2’s initial ground investigation programme was due to be largely complete by the end of March.