HS2 engineers have now successfully installed the first section of a new bridge over existing Birmingham to Derby railway lines, moving the construction of the new Saltley Viaduct another step closer to realisation.
The original Saltley Viaduct spanned a 183-metre section of the B4114, and was closed to vehicles and pedestrians in May 2026 before being demolished to make way for a new, taller structure.
The replacement viaduct is now being built and installed by engineers working for HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), and will be delivered in phases to reflect the complexity of crossing the Birmingham to Derby rail lines, the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, the River Rea and ultimately the future HS2 railway line.
Over recent weeks; the first 55-metre-long steel section of the viaduct was assembled on land adjacent to where the original structure previously stood. The segment was then driven into place over the Bank Holiday weekend using self-propelled-modular- transporters (SPMTs).
This first phase of work was delivered in conjunction with Network Rail, and was carried out during a temporary railway closure – which, as of Tuesday 1 September, has ceased, with all passenger services now resumed.
Nic Ryder, HS2 Ltd’s Project Manager for the works said:Our engineering team is making fantastic progress and everyone worked incredibly hard over the Bank Holiday weekend to ensure we were finished in time for the railway to reopen.
In the three months since the road closed, they have demolished the original structure and successfully installed the first span of the replacement bridge, putting us on track to proceed to the next phase.
With the first phase now complete, engineers have begun assembling the second 35-metre-long span, which will cross over the new HS2 railway line itself. This span will be lowered into place in October, with spans three and four, which cross the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, set to be installed later this year, before engineers complete the tie in from the perimeter of the railway line to the abutment upon which the structure rests.
Additionally, a new bridge will be constructed to sit over the River Rea, which will form part of the overall realigned B4114.
The new viaduct is expected to open to both motorists and pedestrians in November 2027. It will come with safety and design enhancements, and be four and a half metres wider in order to provide additional space for cyclists and pedestrians, with the new wider walkways set to feature LED lighting in the panels.
