Category Archives: News

HS2 event May 15

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from HS2


We would like to invite you to a community drop in event.

• Date: Thursday 15 May 2025
• Time: 4pm to 7.30pm
• Venue: Ickenham Village Hall, 33 Swakeleys Road, Ickenham, Uxbridge UB10 8DG

Our engagement team and technical specialists will be available to update you and answer your questions on the following areas:
• Construction of Headhouse at West Ruislip
• Update on Tunnelling progress
We will use drone footage of HS2 sites in the area to show how construction is progressing.

For further details please follow this link. https://www.hs2.org.uk/events/hs2-scs-community-event-ickenham-village-hall/#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=bac77dec-f629-4c9c-9ed8-9a9554bb0000

Forecourt sale at the URC

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From URC

Yes folks, we’re holding the first of our 2025 forecourt sales on Saturday 3rd May, from 10am to 12 noon, ADMISSION FREE.  There will be the usual exciting variety of goods available, including our famous plant stall, quality bric-a-brac, hundreds of books from 50p to £5, toys and games, and anything else you give us – except clothes and shoes – PLUS for the first time, a table of quality crafts!  It will as usual be accompanied by a friendly coffee morning with homemade cakes in the Oasis, plus tables of curios and quirky items.  
Proceeds will be shared with our two external charities for 2025, which are The Brain Tumour Charity and Sight Savers, so please come and support. 
If you have items to donate, please bring them to the church on Friday 2nd May between 2pm and 5pm, or phone Richard Piper on 01895 634348 for collection.  This is also the number for enquiries and offers of help.
 

Yet more on Harvil Road night-time closures

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FROM HS2

planned works that we will be carrying out on Harvil Road Bridge.

Between 17 February and 17 March 2025, the manufacturer of welded parts of the new Harvil Road Bridge, carried out some planned surveys. They now require additional time to continue the activity on the bridge.

To ensure the safety of both the operatives and rail users, the work will take place when no trains are operating on the Chiltern Line. Due to the need for this rail possession, these works can only be done at nighttime.

From 28 April to 17 May 2025, Harvil Road will be closed overnight north and south of the new Harvil Road bridge over the Chiltern Line as per schedule below

  • Sunday to Thursday from 11.59pm to 5am
  • Friday and Saturday, from 9.30pm to 6am

For safety reasons, temporary traffic management will be in place. However, this will be removed at the end of each shift. During the road closure, local access to residential and commercial properties (including the Dogs Trust) will be maintained, however, there will be no through access for emergency services.

These activities are non-intrusive, with a minimal noise level expected ensuring that any disruption is kept to a minimum.

More on Harvil Road night-time closures

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FROM HS2
New HROC Bridge Inspections on Harvil Road – 3 Weeks of Night Time Road Closures – Mon 28/04 to Mon 19/05

HS2/SCS recently closed Harvil Road for 6 Nights per week (excluding Friday Nights) between midnight to 5am from 17/02 to 17/03 to carry out 170 Inspections of the Butt Welds on the underneath of the new Bridge (HROC) that carries traffic across the Chiltern Railway Line on Harvil Road. HS2/SCS have confirmed to LBH that only about 50% of the total number of Inspections were completed during the recent Road Closures and they have requested a further 3 Weeks of Night Time Road Closures on Harvil Road to complete these works.
 
This time there will be Road Closures 7 Nights of the week, with extended hours on a Friday and Saturday Night Shift in order to allow completion of snagging repairs to the carriageway area along the realigned section of Harvil Road before maintenance responsibility for this new section of road is passed from HS2 to LBH in May 2025. 
 
I have detailed the dates and times of the Road Closures below, and it has been made clear to HS2/SCS that they cannot commence these works until the Road Closure on Breakspear Road South has been removed (scheduled for Sun 27/04 evening time):

Mon 28/04 at 11.59pm – Tue 29/04 at 5am        
Tue 29/04 at 11.59pm – Wed 30/04 at 5am        T
Wed 30/04 at 11.59pm – Thur 01/05 at 5am        W
Thur 01/05 at 11.59pm – Fri 02/05 at 5am       
Fri 02/05 at 9.30pm – Sat 03/05 at 6am      
Sat 03/05 at 9.30pm – Sun 04/05 at 6am        
Sun 04/05 at 11.59pm – Mon 05/05 at 5am        

 Mon 05/05 at 11.59pm – Tue 06/05 at 5am        Mon 12/05 at 11.59pm – Tue 13/05 at 5am
Tue 06/05 at 11.59pm – Wed 07/05 at 5am        Tue 13/05 at 11.59pm – Wed 14/05 at 5am
Wed 07/05 at 11.59pm – Thur 08/05 at 5am        Wed 14/05 at 11.59pm – Thur 15/05 at 5am
 Fri 09/05 at 9.30pm – Sat 10/05 at 6am        Fri 16/05 at 9.30pm – Sat 17/05 at 6am
Sat 10/05 at 9.30pm – Sun 11/05 at 6am        Sat 17/05 at 9.30pm – Sun 18/05 at 6am
Sun 11/05 at 11.59pm – Mon 12/05 at 5am        Sun 18/05 at 11.59pm – Mon 19/05 at 5am

 
The Road will be Closed from Skip Lane junction to The Dogs Trust
 

Fashion show May 16

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Fashion show at St Giles in aid of the Click Rukiga charity 16th May
St Giles church hall
doors open 6:30 p.m.
start 7:00 p.m.
tickets £10 including welcome drink to be purchased in advance

for more info and to book
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/click-rukiga-fashion-show-tickets-1257440050039?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile&fbclid=IwY2xjawJgoXxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHiG0ipIE1MWLaKSideA0zGO0geiEKhkK1ZQEreP7poqBD9sz8ZeHxF9FVrkP_aem_F_DeogjnRuhhe2nvPFYGAw

BRS earthworks approaching completion

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From HS2

We’re writing to update you about earthworks currently taking place at our site on Breakspear Road South.
HS2 Works Notification: Earthworks at the site on Breakspear Road South to be completed by 5 May 2025

We wrote to you in December 2024 to update you on works for the retained embankments construction at our site on Breakspear Road South, from 17 June 2024 to 31 March 2025.

These works have been delayed due to reduced availability of lorry deliveries. Our permitted lorry movements are limited, and we had to use some of them to move tunnelling materials off-site during this period of works.  In addition, heavy rain in January and February made it impossible to carry out the required compaction tests for the embankments. As a result, we now expect to complete the works by 5 May 2025.

For further details please follow this link.  https://www.hs2.org.uk/work-items/update-on-earthworks-at-the-site-on-breakspear-road-south/#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=556f0a93-da1a-41de-aed7-fcfe049a0300

HS2 updates

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1    Breakspear Rd South – Road Closure under Railway Bridge for Culvert Replacement – Sat 05/04/25 to Sun 27/04/25 (3 Week Road Closure) 
Following on from the Trial Holes under a 2 Week Road Closure from 29/07/24 to 11/08/24 HS2/SCS have finalised their design for the new Culvert to be installed near to the Chiltern Line Bridge on Breakspear Road South. 
There will be a final Road Closure of 3 Weeks in duration to install the new Culvert and following talks between LBH and HS2/SCS it has been agreed that these works will now take place at Easter 2025. With a Road Closure of this length of time whenever it is programmed in will result in traffic disruption on local roads but LBH will work with HS2/SCS to minimise this as much as is possible.
 
Schedule of works:
•    Sat 05/04/25 to Sun 27/04/25 = 3 Week Road Closure (which would be the 2 weeks of the School Holidays plus 1 week afterwards)
•    LBH School Easter Holidays = start Fri 04/04/25 – back to School on Tue 22/04/25
•    Good Friday = 18/04/25 / Easter Sunday = 20/04/25 / Easter Monday = 21/04/25
With the School Holidays taking place from 04/04/25 to 22/04/25 the only works taking place outside of the School Holiday period would be the final week from Tue 22/04/25 to Sun 27/04/25 (4 normal School days plus Saturday & Sunday).

2    Diversion of U43 (adjacent to Breakspear Road South) – During Road Closure for Culvert Replacement – Sat 05/04/25 to Sun 27/04/25 
HS2/SCS are planning on using the upcoming 3 week Road Closure of Breakspear Rd South (around the HS2 Site/Chiltern Bridge area) between 05/04 and 27/04 to also do some de-vegetation works along where the U43 is currently diverted adjacent to Breakspear Rd South. 
While the de-vegetation works take place HS2/SCS plan to divert users of the U43 into their Site to make room for these works
3    Decommissioning and Removal of Rail Siding at West Ruislip Portal – March to May 2025 
The last Night Time delivery of TBM Segments by Railway to the West Ruislip Portal took place on 14/03 so now works have begun to decommission and remove the Rail Siding that accesses the HS2 Site from the main Chiltern Railway Line. 
The sequence of the works begins with the removal of the track happening first, followed by the removal of the ballast.  
It is expected that the Rail Siding will be completely removed by May 2025.
 
4    HROC Bridge on Harvil Road – Update Following Inspections  
HS2/SCS recently closed Harvil Road for 6 Nights per week (excluding Friday Nights) between midnight to 5am from 17/02 to 17/03 to carry out 170 Inspections of the Butt Welds on the underneath of the new Bridge (HROC) that carries traffic across the Chiltern Railway Line on Harvil Road. 
HS2/SCS have advised LBH that only about 50% of the total number of Inspections were completed during the recent Road Closures for a number of reasons: 
•    Cancelled Shifts due to Bridge Manufacturer Resourcing Issues
•    Cancelled or delays to Shifts due to Network Rail withdrawing/changing Railway Possession at short notice
•    Issues with working around Birds Nests
•    Each Inspection taking longer than expected  
This means that HS2/SCS will be requesting further Night Time Road Closures of Harvil Road around the beginning of May to complete these Inspections (they expect they will need another 3 weeks worth). 
HS2/SCS have to rehire the specialist Crane used for the Inspections which is not available for another month or so plus there is the Breakspear Road South Road Closure from 05/04 to 27/04 for the Culvert Replacement so any further Bridge Inspections would have to be scheduled after that. The results of the Inspections completed thus far are all being sent to HS2 Design House for review and analysis and this work is still ongoing so there are no results to be shared with LBH at present.

5    Decommissioning and Removal of Rail Siding at West Ruislip Portal – March to May 2025
The last Night Time delivery of TBM Segments by Railway to the West Ruislip Portal took place on 14/03 so now works have begun to decommission and remove the Rail Siding that accesses the HS2 Site from the main Chiltern Railway Line. 
The sequence of the works begins with the removal of the track happening first, followed by the removal of the ballast. 
It is expected that the Rail Siding will be completely removed by May 2025.
 
6    SCS Noise Barrier Testing near Breakspear Road South – June 2024 to June 2025
There will be Noise Barrier testing from late June 2024 until at least June 2025 for up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the HS2/SCS Site to the west of the entrance off Breakspear Road South. Noise Barrier Testing commenced on 27/06/24 with the Generator and Actuator Instrument being used 24/7 to test the piles and the ground around them in the 1st Phase of testing.
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). 
HS2/SCS are gearing up to commence the next Phase of testing, MFD (main fatigue and dynamic test) testing of the Noise Barrier Panels which is now expected to commence in April 2025 and be completed by the end of June 2025. A test setup of the Noise Barriers will be constructed like the image below. The panels will be fixed to the piles and secured by the torsion beam (which have already been tested) and continuous shaking of the panels will be undertaken 
Upon completion of the MFD testing of the piles, HS2/SCS will commence the Acoustic testing of the Noise Barrier Panels, the test acoustic barriers will be fitted with Acoustic Absorbers and rubber gap filler and Acoustic Steps. It is hoped that these tests will be carried out towards the end of June 2025.
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.