Increased TBM Segment deliveries by Lorry into West Ruislip Portal – until 31/05

Deliveries of TBM Segments by Railway have now resumed following the issue with the Rail Siding last week. However, due to Network Rail restrictions on the length of the Train carrying the TBM Segments into West Ruislip Portal HS2/SCS will continue to transport TBM Segments by Lorry into West Ruislip over a 24 hour period 7 days a week until 31/05 while they build up a surplus of TBM Segments in the Segment Yard.

As previously advised, while LBH have allowed unrestricted numbers of Lorries carrying TBM Segments over a short-term period the logistical issues faced by the Haulier mean we do not expect to see more than 30 TBM Segment Lorries each day. While LBH have also allowed these deliveries over a 24 hour period 7 days a week timeframe, we do not expect many deliveries to take place outside of the Core Working Hours (Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm & Sat 8am to 1pm).

Summary below:

• Network Rail have now reopened the SCS Rail Siding for the usual 1 Train per Night delivery into West Ruislip Portal
• The arrival time is as usual (after 11pm, off loading during the night and departing West Ruislip Portal around 7am)
• The Train length will be shorter at present as specified by Network Rail meaning fewer Segments will be arriving on each Train
• SCS hope to be back to full capacity Train deliveries before the 31/05 (the longer Train carrying 140 Segments each)
• Both TBMs are now tunnelling once again which means there is a need to keep deliveries both by Rail and Road ongoing at present
• LBH have agreed in exceptional circumstances (and to enable tunnelling operations to continue) to keep TBM Segment deliveries also coming in by road 24 hours a day 7 days a week until 31/05
• This will allow the surplus stock to build up and compensate for the smaller number of segments incoming by rail.

TBM Segment Delivery to the Railway Siding at West Ruislip Portal

With the TBMs now fully operational, HS2/SCS need a regular supply of Tunnel Segments (the concrete ‘Rings’ required by the TBMs to construct the tunnel lining as they progress) to the West Ruislip Portal Site.

There is a Railway Siding that has now been constructed that will provide direct access from the Chiltern Line into the Segment Yard at West Ruislip so that Tunnel Segments can be directly delivered into Site by Rail rather than by road/lorry. HS2 now plan to run the train up to five nights each week.

The current agreement with Network Rail (updated May 2024) will be for one train to arrive at West Ruislip per night delivering 12 Rings, each comprising of 7 Segments. The locomotive will then divide the train into two parts and shunt them into the Siding. The locomotive will then shut down while the gantry crane unloads the Segments, and the locomotive will restart at around 6am and shunt the train back into one piece prior to departure at around 7am. The volume of rail traffic on the Chiltern Line through West Ruislip means that the train can only deliver Segments at night so the train should arrive at West Ruislip after 11pm.

It is hoped that by the 31/05 the longer Train will be allowed to deliver the original 20 Rings / 140 Segments up to 5 nights a week as before.
Increased TBM Segment deliveries by Lorry into West Ruislip Portal – until 31/05

Deliveries of TBM Segments by Railway have now resumed following the issue with the Rail Siding last week. However, due to Network Rail restrictions on the length of the Train carrying the TBM Segments into West Ruislip Portal HS2/SCS will continue to transport TBM Segments by Lorry into West Ruislip over a 24 hour period 7 days a week until 31/05 while they build up a surplus of TBM Segments in the Segment Yard.

As previously advised, while LBH have allowed unrestricted numbers of Lorries carrying TBM Segments over a short-term period the logistical issues faced by the Haulier mean we do not expect to see more than 30 TBM Segment Lorries each day. While LBH have also allowed these deliveries over a 24 hour period 7 days a week timeframe, we do not expect many deliveries to take place outside of the Core Working Hours (Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm & Sat 8am to 1pm).

Summary below:

• Network Rail have now reopened the SCS Rail Siding for the usual 1 Train per Night delivery into West Ruislip Portal
• The arrival time is as usual (after 11pm, off loading during the night and departing West Ruislip Portal around 7am)
• The Train length will be shorter at present as specified by Network Rail meaning fewer Segments will be arriving on each Train
• SCS hope to be back to full capacity Train deliveries before the 31/05 (the longer Train carrying 140 Segments each)
• Both TBMs are now tunnelling once again which means there is a need to keep deliveries both by Rail and Road ongoing at present
• LBH have agreed in exceptional circumstances (and to enable tunnelling operations to continue) to keep TBM Segment deliveries also coming in by road 24 hours a day 7 days a week until 31/05
• This will allow the surplus stock to build up and compensate for the smaller number of segments incoming by rail.

TBM Segment Delivery to the Railway Siding at West Ruislip Portal

With the TBMs now fully operational, HS2/SCS need a regular supply of Tunnel Segments (the concrete ‘Rings’ required by the TBMs to construct the tunnel lining as they progress) to the West Ruislip Portal Site.

There is a Railway Siding that has now been constructed that will provide direct access from the Chiltern Line into the Segment Yard at West Ruislip so that Tunnel Segments can be directly delivered into Site by Rail rather than by road/lorry. HS2 now plan to run the train up to five nights each week.

The current agreement with Network Rail (updated May 2024) will be for one train to arrive at West Ruislip per night delivering 12 Rings, each comprising of 7 Segments. The locomotive will then divide the train into two parts and shunt them into the Siding. The locomotive will then shut down while the gantry crane unloads the Segments, and the locomotive will restart at around 6am and shunt the train back into one piece prior to departure at around 7am. The volume of rail traffic on the Chiltern Line through West Ruislip means that the train can only deliver Segments at night so the train should arrive at West Ruislip after 11pm.

It is hoped that by the 31/05 the longer Train will be allowed to deliver the original 20 Rings / 140 Segments up to 5 nights a week as before.

SCS Noise Barrier Testing near Breakspear Road South – 28/05 to 27/10

There will be Noise Barrier testing from the end of May to the end of October for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the HS2/SCS Site to the west of the entrance off Breakspear Road South.
A temporary embankment has been constructed in the area where Noise Barriers have been installed and the structural integrity will be tested. The scope of the testing is to confirm that the pile foundation and the structure will not have any significant changes due to Trains passing the Noise Barrier.
The anticipated level of noise impact is expected to be minimal and will include the use of a generator which will power the instrument that will simulate the movement of the trains passing (the generator will be covered in acoustic barriers to minimise the noise).

The Trains using the HS2 Railway will not likely stop at night so the 24/7 testing is critical to simulate actual stress and strain on the Noise Barrier similar to the operational requirements and in reducing the duration of the test. This is fundamental to assuring Noise Barrier compliance.
River Pinn Realignment and Footpath & Footbridge Construction – May to Oct 2024
From 23/05 to 16/10 HS2/SCS will be carrying out the River Pinn Realignment works. This will involve installing a new Footbridge which will reconnect the U45, U47 and U46 Public Rights of Way and create a new footpath to replace the existing U47.
The scope of works includes:
• The installation of a dam and over pumping system to create a dry working environment for the Realignment of a section of the River Pinn
• The formation of a new channel along the consented route for the River Realignment. This will include all the necessary aquatic features and measures being taken to preserve existing wildlife in the River
• The construction of a new Footpath along the Realigned River course and installation of permanent drainage outlets
• The installation of the new Footbridge structure over the new River channel to connect the U45, U46 and U47 Public Rights of Way
Forward Planning – Newyears Green Lane – Road Closure for removal of Conveyor

• Tue 28/05 to Sat 01/06 (5 days during School Half-Term Holidays)
• Was originally planned to take place 12/02 to 18/02 but HS2 postponed works
• Works are to remove the
• The works are scheduled to take place over 5 days as contingency built-in as they are weather dependant (a Crane will be used to remove the sections of the Conveyor piece by piece)
• If the weather is good then it is hoped the Conveyor can be removed quicker than the scheduled 5 days and the road reopened sooner

Forward Planning – Breakspear Rd South – Road Closure under Railway Bridge for Culvert works

There has now been a change to the methodology of these works which require HS2/SCS to carry out further Trial Holes in order to finalise their design to replace the Culvert that crosses Breakspear Road South near to the Chiltern Line Bridge.

This means that there will still be the 2 Week Road Closure between 29/07 to 11/08 but this will be to excavate further Trial Holes (rather than replacing the Culvert). Once HS2/SCS are confident on their designs they will present them to LBH to agree a further Road Closure in order to install the replacement Culvert. This means that there will have to be not 1 but 2 Road Closures of Breakspear Road South in order to replace this Culvert which is not good news for residents nor those who use this busy road.

LBH will push for the final Road Closure to be carried out at a quieter time so it is likely that the final Road Closure will coincide with School Holidays (with the anticipated length of the final Road Closure also being 2 weeks).

At present the existing Culvert near the Chiltern Line Bridge does not have the required capacity to take away water run off from the road and as a consequence this area of road is susceptible to flood related issues. The installation of a new Culvert will be able to handle a larger volume of water and should therefore lead to less of a threat of flooding in this area.

Programme of works:

• Mon 29/07 to Sun 11/08 – Full Road Closure for excavating of Trial Holes (2 Weeks during School Summer Holidays)
• TBA – Full Road Closure for Culvert replacement works (2 weeks possibly later in 2024)

please note the responses from LBH at the foot of this notice

from HS2

We’re writing to let you know about some planned works that we will be carrying out in your area.

HS2 Works Notification: Tunnel segment deliveries by road.

We are writing to update you on how tunnel segments are delivered to our West Ruislip site. We normally use the rail siding for segment deliveries, but are currently unable to do so until a

safety audit has been completed.

To maintain supply of segments to build the new high-speed rail the tunnels, we will need them to be delivered to West Ruislip by road from Thursday 2 May 2024, using our approved lorry routes.

We are not sure how long we will need to make deliveries by road but we will keep you informed.

Lorry movements for segment deliveries will be included in the existing limit of 550 lorry movements a day.

Most tunnel segment deliveries will be during core working hours (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to1pm). However, there may be some HGV movements outside core hours.

The association checked with LBH and got this:

HS2/SCS approached LBH yesterday 30th  April as the Rail Siding at West Ruislip Portal is temporarily out of use which means that the overnight Trains carrying TBM Segments cannot deliver to West Ruislip Portal for up to the next 2 weeks.

HS2/SCS requested that LBH allow increased TBM Segment deliveries by road while there are no deliveries by Rail and LBH have allowed this to make sure there is enough TBM Segments being delivered to keep the TBMs tunnelling.

For context, each Train delivers 140 TBM Segments, while each lorry carries 3 TBM Segments, so deliveries by Rail are very much the preferred method in usual circumstances.

LBH have allowed in these exceptional circumstances that the TBM Segment deliveries by road be consented to take place over a 24hr period 7 days a week over the next 2 weeks (or hopefully sooner once the Rail deliveries commence again). 

In reality, with the logistical issues faced by the Haulier there is not likely to be more than 30 lorries each day delivering the TBM Segments by road. Please note that since Feb 2024 HS2/SCS had been allowed up to 24 TBM Segment deliveries by road each day between 8am & 10pm, so while there will be an increased timeframe to get the Segments delivered by lorry (24hrs a day) we would not expect much of an increase in overall numbers on the roads around Ickenham.

and this:

Just to add that if the project can’t get deliveries of segments then a major part of it comes to a standstill.

The consent has been given due to the exceptional circumstances.  The incident at the rails sidings appears on face value to be relatively minor but does require an investigation and a safety audit which has ruled out any further rail deliveries until that has been successfully concluded.  If anything, this shows how safety is paramount to the project which is a primary objective and supported. 

As said above, the ANL is not commensurate with the scale or nature of the request.  The Council has only consented to the additional movements for a short while, and because these are exceptional circumstances.  Not to consent it would cause excessive delays to project.  Given the limited increase in movements and the short time frame, on balance, the correct course of action was to allow the request subject to monitoring movements and minimising those outside core hours.   

The deliveries mentioned (24 per day) have been monitored with the majority coming inside core hours and on most days, 100% in the core hours.  

There is likely to be a change to the deliver patterns, albeit the project has indicated to a minimal extent, to service the TBMs whilst the rail deliveries are not operable.  

This is a large scale project, and incidents are bound to happen.  We are fighting hard to get HS2 Ltd to improve the comms; this ANL was not reflective of the situation and we have made our disappointment known.