The final roof segment of HS2’s new Burton Green tunnel has now been installed, marking a major milestone for the 700-metre-long structure in the West Midlands.
Designed to integrate the new railway into the surrounding village and landscape, HS2 engineers completed the construction of the tunnel near the town of Kenilworth and, in doing so, finalised the main structure of one of five ‘green tunnels’ being built along the route.
The 16-metre-wide, twin-box tunnel will enable the passing of high-speed trains beneath the village of Burton Green, with an internal wall separating trains travelling in each direction.
Engineers and ecologists are now set to turn their attention to the tunnel’s 500-metre-long green roof, which is set to receive new trees, plants and shrubs in order to help it blend into the surrounding landscape.
Once development is complete, the Kenilworth Greenway, which provides a route between Balsall Common and Kenilworth via Burton Green for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, will be reinstated close to its original alignment above the tunnel.
The finished scheme aims to restore the original character of the Kenilworth Greenway, reconnecting it with the wider ecological landscape above the buried tunnel. Material excavated during the tunnel’s construction is now being used for wider landscaping works, whilst the planting of native trees and shrubs will create habitats for wildlife and restore vegetated connections with the nearby Black Waste Wood and Little Poors Wood.
Built using the cut-and-cover method, the tunnels are shallower than conventional deep, twin-bore tunnels, and are covered with vegetation in order to reduce their visual impact and better integrate the railway into its surroundings.
Work is now continuing on the tunnel’s final elements, including escape walkway and fire protection for the upper walls.
