Stanton Precast has won the contract to deliver three ‘green tunnels’ for HS2.
The contract was awarded by HS2’s main works contractor EKFB: a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial and BAM Nuttall.
This contract has enabled Stanton Precast to increase its workforce by 50% and new production sheds, casting and storage areas are being built to accommodate the work.
Four miles worth of tunnel will be built in over 13,000 segments at the company’s Derbyshire factory before being shipped and assembled on site by engineering firm Matière.
Once complete, the structures will be covered with earth and landscaped to blend in with the surrounding countryside.
The first tunnel, 2.5 kilometres in length, will begin assembly in Chipping Warden, Northamptonshire, early next year.
Designed as a double arch, the tunnel will have two separate halves for southbound and northbound trains.
Five different concrete precast segments will be slotted together to achieve the double arch – one central pier, two side walls and two roof slabs. Each one will be steel reinforced, with the largest weighing up to 43 tonnes.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2024.
“This is an exciting opportunity for all involved to demonstrate engineering excellence and leave a legacy that improves people’s lives.
“The Chipping Warden ‘green tunnel’ is a demonstrable feat. It combines a myriad of innovative techniques, from promoting safety by taking the construction process off site to delivering an end product that will benefit the surrounding environment.
“This off-site manufacturing is the result of the collaboration between some exceptional teams, using international engineering expertise.”
The Chipping Warden tunnel will be followed by two similar structures at Wendover, Buckinghamshire and Greatworth, Northamptonshire.
