Thanks to the new HS2 line, the journey time between Birmingham and London will be reduced to just 49 minutes, compared to the current 1:20 hrs, helping to boost both local employment and investment, and bringing new regeneration projects to Birmingham.
Sarens is working with Martifer UK offering various mobile and crawler cranes for offloading, pre-assembly works and installation in pick and carry of the steel infrastructure that will be used in the construction of the Curzon Viaduct, one of three on the new railway line.
The new HS2 rail link, which will link the city of Birmingham with London's Zone 4 after it opens in 2026, will have a significant economic impact on the city, with a £1.4bn economic uplift, along with the creation of 36,000 net jobs and the construction of over 4,000 new homes in the area. It will also reduce the travel time between the two cities to 49 minutes compared to the current 1:20h, which will serve to boost local investment and trigger multiple regeneration schemes to attract new residents and visitors.
As part of this project, in addition to the new Curzon Street station, which will be its backbone, three new viaducts - Curzon 1 and 2, and Duddeston - will be built on the final section near the station, which will concentrate much of the region's rail traffic. Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, is working together with Martifer UK, steel supplier for the construction of these infrastructures, offering various mobile and crawler cranes for offloading, pre-assembly works and installation in pick and carry duties.
Sarens have also helped to develop and support Martifer UK’s documentation given their unique position and understanding of the HS2 Birmingham leg due to continued interface directly with Balfour Beatty Vinci (BBV) joint venture, main construction contractors, and the supply chain. For this work, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026, Sarens conducted a thorough pre-study, which led to the selection of mobile cranes ranging from 30 to 200 tons, a 100-ton telescopic crawler crane, and several lattice boom crawlers ranging from 400 to 750 tons.
During Sarens’ tasks and due to proximity of client assets, all steelworks are staged and staggered, and require beams to be lifted from pre-assembly area and carried to final location due to space constraints on site.
The new Curzon viaducts will not only contribute to improving Birmingham's rail network, but will become architectural attractions in their own right. For example, the 150-meter-long Curzon No.2 Viaduct is designed by British artist Liz West, and will feature a 25-meter-high truss that will feature a dynamic color palette to the apertures of the steel truss, framing views of the city. This ensemble will be called Out of the Blue, and will become a tourist attraction in its own right, both day and night.
Sarens UK team has extensive experience in the country. They have been able to support the construction of the Hinkley Point C power station using the SGC250 ring crane known as Big Carl, the largest land based crane in the world. Sarens has also undertaken the Process Module and Process plant movements and lifts for the FAST project at the Fawley refinery, the installation of a 5000te concrete culvert on the rail line close to Glasgow, as well the movement of a 4000te ship block for new Class 26 Frigates.
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 65 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/