BBV Ready for Second HS2 Deck Push Over M6 Viaduct Near Chelmsley Wood

Michael Ghobrial
11 minutes ago
3 min read

Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) prepares to slide the West deck of HS2's M6 South viaduct into place, starting 11 April 2026, with the first 107-metre section over the southbound slip road. The 320-metre twin viaducts, built in weathering steel with 1,250-tonne segments, use hydraulic jacking over live motorway traffic, refining techniques from the 2025 East deck success. This Delta Junction milestone boosts high-speed capacity from London to Birmingham with minimal disruption.

Project Overview

Location: M6 Junction 4, Chelmsley Wood, North Warwickshire, West Midlands.
Client: HS2 Ltd.
Main contractor: Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) HS2 JV.
Part of: Delta Junction (13 viaducts total); M6 South viaducts package.
Contract scope: Twin 320m viaducts spanning M6/M42 carriageways and slip roads.
Deck details: West deck in four 1,250-tonne sections; curved profile, weathering steel.
Technique: Hydraulic jack slide over 102m to piers; 2-day per section.
Programme: First slide 11 April 2026; full completion 2026.
Impact: Boosts Phase 1 reset capacity to Curzon Street, Interchange, London.

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Delivery Partners and Key Stakeholders

Main contractor: Balfour Beatty VINCI handles assembly, launches, and National Highways coordination in West Midlands.
Client: HS2 Ltd directs project, prioritising live-traffic operations.
Highways partner: National Highways oversees M6/M42 access and closures.
Engineering lead: BBV civil engineer Russel Luckhurt manages refined technique, applying 2025 lessons.
Steelwork specialist: Victor Buyck Steel Construction fabricates segments and supports prior slides.
Location context: Adjacent Birmingham Airport; Delta Junction links HS2 arms to Curzon Street and Interchange stations.

Construction and Technical Details

Twin M6 South viaducts cross main carriageways, slip roads, and embankments at Delta Junction, designed for 225mph HS2 trains with minimal visual impact via low-profile piers.
BBV assembles West deck off-line in four segments (unlike East deck's three), addressing tighter site constraints, curved abutments, and compact 36m x 24m launch platform.
Each 1,250-tonne weathering steel section features 36m launch nose for guidance, sliding 102 metres via 96 hydraulic jacks (up to 1,200 tonnes thrust) onto pre-cast piers.
Refinements from 2025 East deck include optimised bedding for heavier progressive loads, enhanced monitoring for tighter geometry, and faster lock-in sequences.
Phased pushes start on slip roads (weekends), escalating to main lanes; full deck integrates with 13 Delta structures, freeing conventional rail for freight/locals.
Challenges: Live M6 proximity (no full closures), logistics amid airport operations, and 23m height precision. BBV ensures early road reopens.

Timeline

East deck: Launched in three stages 2025 (first June, completes September).
West deck prep: Assembly Chelmsley Wood, ready early April 2026.
First slide: 107m section over J4 southbound slip, 11-12 April 2026.
Subsequent stages: Summer 2026 over main M6/M42.
Full viaducts: Operational 2026/27 for HS2 Phase 1 services.

Strategic Importance

For HS2, the West deck advances West Midlands reset, achieving 75% more viaduct progress versus 2024 through efficient phasing. It demonstrates UK innovation: megastructure slides over live motorways, sustaining supply chains in high-speed rail.

For BBV, it reinforces HS2 civils dominance, alongside Bromford Tunnel and Delta viaducts. Early finishes build momentum for Phase 1 delivery.

For infrastructure professionals, viaducts highlight highways-rail synergy, skills vital as HS2 evolves into a national network enabler.

Writer's Opinion

BBV's M6 West deck exemplifies iterative excellence: proven jacks refined for curves deliver safer, swifter results. April kickoff post-2025 tweaks signals mature programming amid megaproject scrutiny.

Industry takeaway: Flawless National Highways collaboration keeps M6 fluid, HS2 on track without shutdowns. For Emilecon readers eyeing resets, West Midlands pipelines thrive; monitor Delta successors.

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