Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA has completed works on Old Oak Common station's six high-speed underground platforms, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of the UK's most complex railway stations.
The platforms, each extending 450 metres in length, will serve HS2's new fleet of high-speed trains connecting London with the West Midlands and destinations further north.
Working alongside specialist supply chain partners, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA oversaw the construction of the platforms within the station's underground box. The works involved the installation of almost 2,000 precast concrete platform slabs, each weighing up to five tonnes, following the construction of reinforced concrete invert walls below platform level.
Delivered using a carefully coordinated construction programme, teams worked simultaneously from either end of the station before connecting in the centre to complete the three island-platform arrangement. The design incorporates service voids beneath the platforms to accommodate future operational infrastructure.
The project now moves into its next phase, with fit-out activities underway including the construction of equipment and staff accommodation, installation of lifts and escalators, and preparation for final architectural finishes.
Steve O'Sullivan, Project Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA, said: "The completion of the high-speed platforms represents a major step forward in the delivery of Old Oak Common station and is testament to the dedication, expertise and collaboration of our teams and supply chain partners.
"As one of the most technically challenging stations currently under construction in the UK, this achievement demonstrates the progress being made to transform a complex design into a world-class transport hub. We are now focused on the next stage of construction as the station continues to take shape."
Old Oak Common will become one of the UK's best-connected transport interchanges, linking HS2 services with the Elizabeth line, Great Western Main Line and Heathrow Express. In addition to the six high-speed underground platforms, eight surface-level platforms are being constructed as part of the wider station development.
Construction continues across the site, including work on the station superstructure, surface-level platforms and rail connections that will integrate Old Oak Common into the wider HS2 network.
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Notes to editors:
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Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group delivering the complex, critical infrastructure that keeps economies moving and communities connected.
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With around 26,000 employees, we finance, develop, build, maintain and operate essential infrastructure across the UK, US and Asia, combining deep engineering and construction expertise with long-term investment capability.
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For over one hundred years, we have delivered landmark projects around the world. Today, our teams are helping to deliver major programmes including Hinkley Point C, the UK’s first new nuclear power station in a generation; the Lyric Theatre in Hong Kong, a world-class cultural venue at the heart of the West Kowloon Cultural District; and the Knox Street Development in Dallas, Texas, a major mixed-use scheme helping to reshape one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
Image: Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA contractors on site
