Willesden Euro Terminal HS2

Costain Skanska JV

38 weeks

Confidential

London

Location & Overview

HS2 is building a high-speed railway to link people across Britain, with over 25 stations connecting 30 million people and is one of the most demanding and exciting transport mega-projects in Europe. This was a major scheme to demolish structures located alongside the River Brent, adjacent to the live mainline railway and close to occupied residential dwellings.

Work, Challenges & Solutions

Works included the lifting, dismantling, temporary works, and demolition of 3 large container gantry cranes, with a combined weight of 678 tonnes, that straddled the live railway line and a neighbouring access rail track for goods removal.

Extensive negotiations and RAMS approval was required from Network Rail and HS2 for this critical activity.

Much of the time, John F Hunt’s skilled team worked alongside live electrical connections, civil engineering operations to create temporary foundations for the crane lifting, and recycling procedures to produce granular fill material in accordance with WRAP protocols.

With chemical cleaning, asbestos removal, tank purging and residue cleaning works, this project was both challenging and rewarding.

Achievements

Crane B was successfully and safely “pulled down” by a 50-tonne excavator onto the pre-formed crush mat of 6F2, following months of meticulous planning and preparation.

The entire scheme involved many of the companies within the John F Hunt Group, therefore providing consistency and enabling an excellent relationship with the HS2 joint venture partners.