A record-breaking viaduct constructed for the HS2 rail line has received a reward from the Royal Fine Art Commission for its attractive appearance.
The Colne Valley viaduct , which has cost £1.6billion to build, received the third annual Building Beauty award from the trust, which recognises stylish and impressive engineering skills on a wide range of construction projects.
The team of judges noted that the new viaduct offers a pleasant contrast from the Korda Lake it travels over, thanks in part to its many curves and angles.
They explained: “For such a massive object, it treads lightly and moves delicately – even the expansion joints are elegant, and the decking is poised on bearings.
“There is nothing gratuitous or pedestrian here, no applied ornament. The ornament is the structure itself. The result is a breath-taking composition, its drama enhanced by its curving form as it crosses the lakes, the curve of the whole picking up the curves of the individual arches, and then each curve reflected in the water.”
Spanning the two-mile distance between Hillingdon and the M25 on the outskirts of London, the Colne Valley viaduct is the longest railway bridge in the UK, replacing the Forth Bridge in Scotland.
Constructed between May 2022 and September 2024, the viaduct passes several lakes, the River Colne, and the Grand Union Canal, in addition to the green spaces offered by the valley.
The viaduct includes 54 arches of up to 80 metres in order to keep it rigid and a number of unique deck segments which were constructed on site.
Loïc Menard, Align Project Designer, highlighted his hopes that the viaduct will become one of the most iconic elements of the HS2 project.
He added: “We are delighted to win Engineering Award for the design and construction of the viaduct, which has been a huge technical challenge for everyone involved.
“Once the stunning design was finalised the challenge was to get it built, and huge credit should go to all the different teams involved within Align, working with our numerous supply chain partners. This is an award for everyone on the project, building what I have no doubt will be the most iconic feature of HS2.”
The Colne Valley viaduct is just one of the many new bridges required for the HS2 rail line project, with some estimating more than 500 building structures will be needed
During Phase One of the line, 140 miles of track and four stations will be constructed, taking the line from Birmingham to London in under 50 minutes.
Nevertheless, it will still be a long time before Brits can hop on the 225mph trains, with the first journeys not due to take place until between 2029 and 2033.
