HS2 completes Old Oak Common foundations

Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA has completed foundations at 850-metre-long underground station base at Old Oak Common for HS2. 

The station base, which will house six platforms for high-speed trains, has been constructed using 76,000 m³ of concrete and 17,000 tonnes of reinforced steel.

The base slab covers 45,000 sq m, more than six football pitches, and reaches nearly two metres thick at its deepest point. 

Construction began in April 2023 and required 91 separate concrete pours to complete.

The excavation of the box was completed in the summer of 2024 with sub-contractor removing 1.3 million tonnes of London clay. 

To create the base slab, the team installed blinding layers of shingle for drainage before a matt could be laid on top.

A 1.85 metre high reinforcement layer was then installed before concrete was poured to complete the slab, completing the foundations for the station area.

Balfour Beatty Vinci SYSTRA joint venture (BBVS) will construct the station.

When complete, the station houses six underground platforms to allow high-speed services to reach central London the West Midlands.

It will also have eight surface-level platforms to be constructed to provide an interchange to the Great Western Railway, Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express.

Work is now underway on the six HS2 service platforms with wall frameworks being installed ready for concrete pouring. 

The high-speed platform slabs are currently being manufactured by Explore in Worksop and installation will begin this spring.

Steve O’Sullivan, project director for Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA, said: “With the completion of the base slab, we have achieved another significant milestone at Old Oak Common. 

“In less than two years, we have carried out 91 concrete pours of between 600m3 and 1 000m3 each. Logistically, this has been a huge undertaking, requiring detailed planning and collaboration between HS2, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA and our supply chain partners.

“This latest step will enable us to progress to the next phase of works, with construction of the high-speed platforms already underway”. 

HS2’s project client for Old Oak Common, Peter Gow, said: “Completing the base slab of the underground station box is a key milestone in building HS2’s new super hub station in West London. 

“This is the final stage in completing the foundations for the high-speed station, and will be where HS2 tracks are laid, platforms are constructed and the station building and roof built above.

“At Old Oak Common we are making significant progress in building this state of the art, environmentally friendly, transport hub which will be a key part of the HS2 route.”