HS2 completes installation of second M6 viaduct

HS2 Ltd has successfully completed the installation of its second viaduct over the M6 motorway near Chelmsley Wood. The final section of the 4,750-tonne structure was positioned above the north and southbound carriageways at junction 4/4a using large hydraulic jacks. To minimize disruption to motorists, the engineering work was conducted while vehicles continued to travel on the motorway below.

With this milestone, both M6 South viaducts are now structurally complete. The east deck, designed to carry high-speed trains toward London stations at Old Oak Common and Euston, was finished in 2025. The west deck, moved into place on October 24, will facilitate travel toward Birmingham’s Curzon Street Station and northern destinations including Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow.

The two 320-metre-long parallel structures are constructed from weathering steel and supported by concrete piers. Due to site constraints, the decks were launched using different incremental stages via strand jacks. Following the installation, engineers will proceed to form raised embankments on either side of the viaducts.