A milestone has been reached with the completion of the first of over 50 viaducts that are being constructed as part of the HS2 project.

The structure is a 163 metre-long viaduct at Highfurlong Brook near the village of Aston le Walls in Northamptonshire.

It officially became the first to be completed once the last stretch of parapet along the sides had been installed.

Highfurlong Brook viaduct has seven spans and stands 9 metres above Highfurlong Brook’s floodplain.

Each span has four beams weighing up to 56 tonnes and were lifted into position last year to form the backbone of the structure.

The beams are up to 25 metres long and were manufactured off-site. To reduce disruption for local road users, they were transported to the site overnight.

The deck, which will eventually support the track and electrical system, was poured in situ earlier this year, but parapets along each side were manufactured off-site and installed over the last four months.

Once HS2 is complete, it will have around 500 bridging structures ranging from small road bridges and drainage culverts to massive viaducts such as the record-breaking Colne Valley Viaduct, which will be the longest in the UK when its deck is completed.

Now that the viaduct is structurally complete, the next phase of construction will be to deliver the earthworks that support the railway at either end, after which different contractors will install the rail systems, including track, signalling, power, and communications systems.

Construction of Highfurlong Brook viaduct took two years and was carried out by HS2’s main works contractor EKFB comprising Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction, and Bam Nuttall. Design work was by EKFB’s design partner ASC working with architect Moxon.

“The completion of our first viaduct is a major moment for the HS2 project and I’d like to thank everyone in our integrated project team and supply chain partners who have worked so hard to get us where we are today.

“It’s great to see Highfurlong Brook finished and I look forward to seeing many more of our viaducts, bridges, stations and tunnels come together over the next few years.”

Bill Price, HS2 Ltd’s Project Client

“We have achieved many ‘firsts’ with Highfurlong Viaduct, from the first viaduct to have its full deck installed to the first structurally complete viaduct on the HS2 programme following the recent installation of 136 parapets.

Scott Corsar, EKFB’s Project Manager