Production begins at bridge segment factory

THE process of manufacturing 1000 concrete segments for the Colne Valley Viaduct is underway at a temporary factory built close to the construction site in Hillingdon, West London.

One hundred metres in length and with an internal volume of 105,000 cubic metres (making it larger than the Royal Albert Hall), the building will produce deck segments for the twomile long structure, each weighing up to 140 tonnes. Their shapes will vary slightly, depending on where they fit into the viaduct.

Concrete for each segment will be poured next to the previous one to ensure a perfect fit when the deck is assembled. When production reaches its peak, around 12 will be produced in a week.

Work on creating the 56 piers of the viaduct began in December. Once construction work has been completed, the factory and surrounding buildings will be dismantled. The area between the viaduct and the Chiltern Tunnel will become chalk grassland and woodland.

HS2 The first deck segment for the Colne Valley Viaduct following production in February.

HS2 An aerial shot of the temporary factory set up to manufacture deck segments for the Colne Valley Viaduct.