HS2 Curzon 2 bridge set for 180-metre move

HS2 Curzon 2 bridge construction has been completed just outside Birmingham city centre. The structure is the tallest bridge on the new HS2 network. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Final checks are now under way, as Railway-News reported. The bridge will then be launched across the Cross City railway line. Also, its completion marks further progress on the Curzon approaches. These structures form the final mile of the route into the new Curzon Street Station.

Curzon 2 is one of five viaducts forming the approach to the Birmingham terminus. The bridge is 24 metres high. It has been assembled from 670 separate steel sections, welded together into triangular units.

The 4,200-tonne structure has been built from weathering steel. It is due to move into place in three launch stages. It is expected to reach its final position on Friday 5 June. The bridge will sit above an existing Victorian railway viaduct that stands 17 metres high.

Once secured, the tip of its arched truss will reach more than 40 metres. That is comparable to the height of a 10-storey building.

Curzon approaches prepare for a three-phase launch

Greg Sugden, HS2’s Head of Delivery for the Curzon approaches, said:

Curzon 2 is designed to reflect Birmingham’s proud industrial heritage, and it will soon become a recognisable landmark on the cityscape – just like the Rotunda and the BT Tower.

I’m immensely proud of the civil engineers, welders and apprentices that have each played a part in its construction and we stand ready for the final challenge – launching the bridge over the adjacent railway line.

The super-structure has taken three years to build. It has involved 250 engineers working for Balfour Beatty VINCI. Work began in 2023. It included the installation of 32 permanent piles, each around 30 metres deep. In 2024, teams built the 150-metre deck on seven piers. Those piers belonged to the neighbouring Curzon 1 viaduct. More than 500 separate parts were lifted into place by crane. The team then assembled the truss using 4,200 tonnes of steel.

According to HS2’s media centre, the deck and truss will now be slid 180 metres. The operation has three stages. This move takes the structure from its current position on Curzon 1’s piers. It will end at its final supports beside the Birmingham–Lichfield railway line. In its final location, Curzon 2 will be supported by four concrete piers. They will be positioned in pairs on either side of the line.

Cross City railway line closure supports bridge move

The first stage will be carried out at night to avoid disruption to passenger trains. During this phase, the bridge will be moved forward by 50 metres. It will then reach the boundary of the railway line.

The second stage will involve a short closure of the Cross City line. The closure will run between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley. This will allow the viaduct to be pushed 93 metres across the two railway tracks. The closure is scheduled from Friday 29th May to Sunday 31st May 2026.

The final stage will move the bridge a further 37 metres. It will then dock and be locked securely into place on all four piers.

Other Curzon Street Station viaduct works continue

Meanwhile, work is continuing across the other connected viaducts that make up the Curzon approaches. These viaducts mark the route into Curzon Street Station:

• Duddeston Junction – the first stage of a six-phase launch was completed on 2–4 May 2026. The second launch is planned for later this year.

• Curzon 1 – the next phase of work will begin after the Curzon 2 launch. Curzon 2 is currently resting on Curzon 1’s piers.

• Curzon 2 – the structure is complete and prepared for launch.

• Lawley Middleway – the first launch phase, covering a 112-metre section, was completed in August 2025. The second and third phases are now in progress.

• Curzon 3 – this viaduct will connect to the platforms at Curzon Street Station. Concrete deck works at the station end have been completed. Construction over Digbeth canal is due to begin later this year. This work will follow completion of the steel piers on both sides of the canal.

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