One of the ‘twin’ bridges is the Westbury Viaduct (Image: HS2)
There are currently many exciting projects on the go across Britain, including ambitious feats of engineering.
One of these is an ‘unusual’ pair of new bridges that are three miles apart and built using similar designs.
HS2 workers are celebrating two milestones, with the successful completion of a 2,695 tonnes deck slide for the Westbury viaduct, and the construction of the abutments – substructures at the ends of the bridge span supporting its superstructure – at either end of the nearby Turweston viaduct.
Set low in the landscape to the east of the town, the twin bridges cross the floodplain of the River Great Ouse.
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One of the completed abutments for the Turweston Viaduct (Image: HS2)
This passes under the new high-speed railway twice as it flows through Buckinghamshire and West Northamptonshire.
The deck of the Westbury viaduct, which is 320m long – was assembled in three stages.
These range from 84m to 135m, with each one pushed out from the north abutment before the next section was attached behind it.
Engineers were also celebrating at the nearby Turweston viaduct, with the completion of the two abutments.
Officials say their focus will now turn to assembling the deck girders – which support the upper part of the viaduct – ready for launch of the 591-tonne structure early next year.
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The estimated cost of the HS2 line from London to Birmingham is thought to have ballooned to as much as £66billion.
The viaducts along its route will eventually carry trains to and from Old Oak Common – the temporary terminus before the network’s Euston interchange is operational – and the huge new station at Birmingham Curzon Street.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced on October 30 that cash would be provided so that tunnelling from Old Oak Common into Central London can begin.
But private investment will still need to be raised to construct HS2’s permanent Euston terminus.