Surprised to see HS2 'Dominique' Launching Girder in moving action across the Colne Valley.

I had a great view of the Launching Girder moving across the Colne Valley after 6 months of watching the progress of the viaduct at the Grand Union Canal near Herefield and Hillingdon.
If you are on Facebook you can join this group for more information ....
/ 932647518871671
See Series 15, episode 1 of Great British Railway Journeys. Michael Portillo visits the HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct on the BBC I Player.
• HS2 COLNE VALLEY
• Peter the Rock admires...
• HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct
• UK’s longest rail viad... The Permanent Way Interstertute.

[@Jamie92208]

Lovely to see the girder moving and also the narrow boat going beneath it. The contrast in technologies over the past 200 years is lovely.

[@StephenWalker42]

Thank you for your kind comments, it is a piece of engineering history.... We have a Facebook group called the Colne Valley Collective if you are interested in the process and history of the Colne Valley....

[@opathe2nd973]

After what happened in Baltimore, I hope the bridge can withstand a canal boat. Good job with this video!

[@StephenWalker42]

Yes I'm sure it will, it's an interesting mix of old and new engineering.....

[@rvnmedic1968]

Great catch, very interesting technology. Cheers from Syracuse, NY

[@StephenWalker42]

Glad you enjoyed this, it is an amazing piece of kit, thanks for watching...

[@happyslappy5203]

"Dominique" the enormous "launching girder" being used to construct the HS2 Colne Valley viaduct is French engineering. The machine is named 'Dominique' in memory of French Bouygues engineer Dominique Droniou who played a leading role in its design and development. In 2016, French company Bouygues was appointed by the Light Rail Manila Corporation as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for an extension of the Light Rail Transit Line 1. Dominique Droniou said: “The company’s reputation as the one of the biggest in the world also puts us in a very good position.”

[@StephenWalker42]

We are certainly grateful for this amazing piece of engineering that has made the Colne Valley Viaduct possible to build. Thanks....

[@johngibson3837]

Nice video mate loving that background sound reminds me ov a steam engine which seems quite fitting, thanks again jon

[@mikenewtonninja9379]

"ov"? the word is spelt "of". or are you trying to be hip and cool like the kids, while indulging in your train spotting hobby?

[@SeanDavies-x7e]

Enjoyed that Stephen, thank you. I'm with Dave..... I know the principle but dont really understand how it works in real like - would love to see a sped-up version of a new section going in to actually see how it's done. The whole thing is an excellent feta of engineering though

[@StephenWalker42]

Thank you for your comments, the whole cycle can take up to a week so I have not been able to do that, the contractors Aline would have had a good opportunity to do that time lapse thing when Dominique went past their site office in Moorhall Road last year, so we will see.

[@jonnoble1551]

Agree, would be good to see an animation of some sort.

[@StephenWalker42]

I have set up a Facebook group to share information on the viaduct.....facebook.com/groups/932647518871671/

[@DaveFiggley]

Fascinating to see Dominique actually moving. Despite your excellent description, I'm still not entirely clear as to how this thing works. All I do know is that they simultaneously add a section each side of any pier to balance the weight but it defies belief as to how much overhang they can achieve through the tensioning of the internal cables. Obviously and neccessarily, there is a gap left at the centre of each span midway between the piers. Do they simply fill that 'by hand'? Thanks for the video. I've just subscribed

[@StephenWalker42]

Thanks for your comments, yes they do have to grout a small gap to each span. They also glue each segment to the last.... which is amazing.... It's taken me over 6 months to understand the process. I will post a link to a technical blog by the Permanent Way institute that Is interesting...

[@StephenWalker42]

See Series 15, episode 1 of Great British Railway Journeys. Michael Portillo visits the HS2 Colne Valley Viaduct on the BBC I Player.

[@PetertheRock.]

Nice one, Steve! I'm impressed with your timing! We're you lucky, did you wait all day, or did you get info from Align? (I suspect the last). Great video!

[@StephenWalker42]

Thanks Peter, I just turned up and it was fortunate that they opened up the canal so I had a good view. So we now know that it moves after the 2 sections have been put on the pier and secured.....

[@PetertheRock.]

Always a pleasure to see this, Steve!

[@TrevorWilliams-fq8mg]

I wonder whst this piece of kit cost . The TBM's on the Crossrail Project western section cost 10.70 million each ar 2010 prices and were paid for by TFL in advance of any contract being placed . Manufacturing the TBM's took 2 years from receipt of order. A TBM looks a lot more complex than this. But this is the only one in the Country.

[@MCJC96]

This launching girder is circa 20 years old and was used in Hong Kong and Saudi prior to this project. It was shipped over.

[@mipamat5804]

Has anybody watched videos of the Chinese version of this girder laying the spans for their high-speen lines.

[@bigutubefan2738]

Yep! It's incredible.

[@adrianaspalinky1986]

#StopHS2

[@bigutubefan2738]

It is going to stop. At Birmingham.

[@CRIMSONANT1]

HS2 is an environmental disaster of epic proportions & Britain's biggest infrastructure mistake in half a century.

[@mikenewtonninja9379]

yes, it is indeed going to stop at Birmingham, and at the other end, Old Oak Common. which means it'll be no quicker to get anywhere than it already takes to get anywhere! what a fantastic use of all our public money 👏