HS2 Bromford Tunnel Portal

[@Rail_Focus]

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[@PLuMUK54]

I live less than half a mile from all of this activity, but without videos like this, I'd have no idea anything was being done. Thank you for uploading.

[@CHRIS-xm1do]

As a retired construction plant op I love watching these type of videos, although I know all about the methods being used. It brings back many happy memories from my working days.

[@clivewilkins1754]

Excellent explanation, pitched just right. Well done Sir !

[@Rail_Focus]

Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@Sim0nTrains]

It always impressive how HS2 is being built, great video

[@Rail_Focus]

Thanks Simon, it is truly impressive.

[@TrevorWilliams-fq8mg]

Good description of the methodology. This is known as top down construction, building the basement upside down. It couldn't be built the traditional way of bottom up because it is too deep to build with a piled retaining wall. A diaphragm wall is the only retaining wall solution there is at that depth but it's much slower and more expensive.

[@Rail_Focus]

Thanks. It's amazing what's involved in excavating a "simple" cutting.

[@TrevorWilliams-fq8mg]

Building the basement the "normal" way would be to build the retaining wall, excavate the basement and pile from the bottom of the basement. But with the depth of the basement the ramp gradient would be too steep to get the piling rig into and out of the basement so the piles are constructed from ground level and progressively cut down as excavation work takes place. This is a much slower way to build but the only way with a 30 metre deep basement.

[@mikewilson8513]

I live on the south side of the city (Bromsgrove is closer to me than the city centre is !) So I really had no idea of the construction of the Birmingham end of HS2. Incredible civil engineering. Excellent informative video. Thanks.

[@Andrewjg_89]

Nice overhead view of what HS2 will look like once it’s completed. Epic video.

[@Rail_Focus]

Thank you 🙂

[@jermainetrainallen6416]

Great vid. Good to see more progress on the Bromford Tunnel. Keep up the good work👍

[@Rail_Focus]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[@markiliff]

Excellent animated graphic

[@Rail_Focus]

Thank you

[@MrGreatplum]

Great video, Chris - really informative and interesting!

[@Rail_Focus]

Thank you 🙂

[@paulprescott7913]

HS2 is an engineering marvel, however its like an electric car. A solution to a problem that doesnt exist.

[@chris8405]

Oh the problem exists alright - the UK is suffering from almost a decade and a half of low growth, and many of the cities HS2 will link to have had very low productivity for decades. Reliable and high capacity transport links are vital for the UK to become wealthier. We are pretty rubbish at investing for the future and in time what Sunak did will be recognised as short-termist stupidity, sabotaging the prospects of those yet to join the workforce.

[@Rail_Focus]

What a nonsense statement this is.

[@thorley1969]

@@chris8405 pretty much spot on but so many people fail to recognise it.

[@Roy-gi5ul]

A totally unnecessary vanityb project, given the parlous state of global finances. Compared to even the tiny distances in England (make no mistake, the other constituent nations don't merit consideration) the total mileage is infinitesimal, just to save twenty minutes off a journey between London and Birmingham! So much for the original vision!😅😂😂😂

[@SirKenchalot]

Great video and some amazing shots in there. Lookinf rowrd to more videos on this topic.

[@Rail_Focus]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@Daniel-S1]

Thanks.

[@UK.RoadsCyclingandTransport]

Hopefully this opens in my lifetime (before 2050) jokes aside this is very impressive, fantastic update Chris

[@Rail_Focus]

Will definitely be able to travel between Birmingham and Old Oak Common by then 😉

[@UK.RoadsCyclingandTransport]

@@Rail_Focus 🤞

[@DavidKnowles0]

@@Rail_Focus I suspect you be able to walk through the tunnel to Euston by then, whether trains will be using it is a different story.

[@fantasyfleet]

It’s videos like this that help highlight why HS2 is so eyewateringly expensive. It’s practically the worlds only under ground high speed railway,

[@Rail_Focus]

[see] Gotthard Base tunnel 🙄

[@Falstaff1893]

Nobody mentions how Tory Donor Construction firms created their OWN Taxpayer funded for profit industry to build this rail project & remember when they asked the Govt for £Billions more in funding & then announced it was being cannibalised due to money shortages FFS !!!

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@richardwells4370]

Totally agree it’s a waste of money, we are broke , , the country cannot afford a pot to piss in , and this vanity project is costing billions, may be three times over budget , as usual , these govt Capitol projects always are ,a lot of individuals are making a killing out this 🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@explorebirmingham9414]

White elephant

[@Rail_Focus]

@@explorebirmingham9414 🙄

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

1:04 A foggy day in London town. They're really rare nowadays so you were unlucky with the lighting in this shot. 3:03 These props aren't seen in our Victorian forbears' cuttings, so why now? I get that they're one solution and I'm making the assumption that it's a cheaper one. Not needed way back when (or since right up to today); not visually beneficial (ie ugly); not matter if their absence is more costly, not on a national pride project, nor one costing this much. Why‽

[@Rail_Focus]

@@JP_TaVeryMuch I can't think of any 'Victorian' cuttings this deep through Murcia mudstone or clay that don't have sloped side. Most early era cuttings with sheer sides were cut or blasted through solid stone

[@ncooper8438]

Did he say why the tunnel was needed, or did i miss that part?

[@Rail_Focus]

Did you not watch the whole video then? To answer your question, no I didn't go into details about why the tunnel is needed.

[@PLuMUK54]

The tunnel will go under a lot of infrastructure, and it was decided that this was a less intrusive method. Apparently, the cost difference between tunnelling and rerouting existing infrastructure was minimal, whilst the disruption is considerably less.

[@DavidChallis-dj3ek]

Like we need a high speed trip to Birmingham... waste of money that nobody asked for...

[@Rail_Focus]

🥱

[@jmatthewsuk]

Do shut up. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

[@geoffreywassall2280]

All this concrete and excavation surely cannot be any good for the environment

[@Rail_Focus]

If it generates even a relatively modest modal shift from air to rail (Manchester and Glasgow flights) then the embedded carbon will be easily paid back. Can't

[@paulwordsworth9047]

What a waste a money . Well over budget, the money should have been spent on our railways for improvement s

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@peterjohnson1739]

Paul Wordsworth - Your comment makes no sense. HS2 is the biggest single investment in Britain’s railways in over a century. It will deliver the biggest single improvement to the railway network in our lifetime.

[@sirjohng1]

The Victorians built railways quicker with picks and shovels using PRIVATE CAPITAL. Modern railway construction is paid for by the never ending finance of enslaved TAXPAYERS and, in this case, started at £36 Billion and now, with a large section now cancelled is at £150 Billion and rising. Construction began in 2017, SEVEN YEARS AGO and is still nowhere near finished.

[@Rail_Focus]

Many thousands of railway workers also died building the railways. "Victorian" isn't a standard we should aspire to.

[@neilbrooks5099]

Wonderful project. The U.K. s transport network is pathetic compared to Germany and france . The French have a fantastic rail network, we have British rail, need I say more. Also the motorway system on the continent is years ahead of the U.K., Britains motorway network is a fraction of what Germany and france has yet we are always amazed why our motorways are so congested. Of course the greens have the solution to congestion, put petrol up £6 a litre so that only the rice can drive or go abroad on holiday. Little wonder that in Europe generally the green vote is plummeting, I wonder why.

[@adriancarter825]

Massive waste of money ever

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@adriancarter825]

@@Rail_Focus it is and wok go down in history as such .

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@adriancarter825]

@@Rail_Focus it is and definitely will go down in history as the biggest destroyer of ancient woodland , green belt land , country side , farm land etc , AND THE BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY EVER.

[@Rail_Focus]

Absolutely nonsense. "Biggest destroyer" is a lie cooked up by HS2 opponents with no basis in reality. See: Scottish wind farm construction, construction of the motorway network and WWII land reclamation.

[@John-pp2jr]

2:11 began not begun

[@Rail_Focus]

Bore off

[@PeterUn-h1i]

What is the point, doesn't go to Birmingham centre, and on ward stations, and doesn't go to London. Don't bother replying heard all the hs2 engineers bs before. How many people have died because money wasn't spent on NHS, i personally know one.

[@Rail_Focus]

It does go to Birmingham City centre. Claiming people have died to pay for HS2 is an utterly ridiculous argument. Best educate yourself on the difference between CapEx and Opex. However, the entire budget for HS2 spread over many years would fund the NHS for less than 6 months.

[@PeterUn-h1i]

@@Rail_Focus you obviously are not a brummie, digbeth is not Birmingham centre. So educated yourself. Wasted money on railway no one wants means money can't be spent on NHS. Trains not running another 10 years absolute joke.

[@Rail_Focus]

🥱

[@PeterUn-h1i]

@@Rail_Focus yeah you got no answers. Ps HS2 money is government money, so it does effect NHS, as 50% of people will get cancer I know what I would want my taxes to go to.

[@PLuMUK54]

I am a Brummie, and know that that the walk from the completed Curzon Street Station to New Street Station will be approximately 5 minutes. HS2 will not exactly be on the edge of the city.

[@Cryptomoonboybradford]

Im on the 13t hitachi down in the hole 🤘

[@Rail_Focus]

Ace

[@grahamfisher5436]

Be funny if they bored into Anchor ⚓️☎️ 🫢😉🤫 And carried on straight through it 😂 Great video And indeed ! Its incredible! all the ginormous structures that we have, can and do build below our feet