Cross City Line Reopens After Major HS2 Viaduct Installation

Rail services on the Cross City line have resumed following a planned three-day closure that enabled HS2 engineers to complete a significant stage in the construction of the UK's new high-speed rail network.

The route between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley reopened on Monday, 1 June, after being closed from 29 to 31 May. During the shutdown, teams installed a 150-metre section of viaduct close to the future HS2 Curzon Street station site.

Recently released drone footage showcases the scale of the Curzon 2 viaduct, with West Midlands Railway trains now operating beneath the structure. Once finished, the viaduct will carry HS2 services into Birmingham city centre, spanning the existing railway corridor between Duddeston and Birmingham New Street.

The installation was carried out using a specially developed engineering technique created by HS2 in partnership with Network Rail. This fully restrained method allows further sections of the viaduct to be manoeuvred into position while regular train services continue to operate below.

The work forms part of a broader programme aimed at delivering HS2 infrastructure while reducing disruption to passengers and maintaining the operational capacity of the existing rail network.

Patrick Cawley, Director for On Network Works at Network Rail and HS2, thanked passengers for their cooperation during the closure.

He said: "We appreciate the patience shown by passengers while this essential work was undertaken. Over the course of the three-day possession, teams successfully and safely installed the 4,200-tonne Curzon 2 viaduct over the Cross City line.

"The innovative approach being used means construction can continue on the remaining sections of the structure while train services are back in operation, helping to minimise future disruption and keep customers moving."