HS2 in Brent and Ealing
Britain's new high-speed railway
HS2 runs entirely underground through Brent and Ealing via the Northolt tunnel. This links Old Oak Common station to West Ruislip.
We’re building five tunnel shafts at Victoria Road, Mandeville Road, Green Park Way, Westgate and South Ruislip. These will regulate air quality and provide emergency access.
Programme reset
In autumn 2024, the government confirmed we’ll build HS2 to Euston. We’re now preparing to build the tunnel from Old Oak Common. We’ll start work on the tunnel shafts, headhouses and station approaches later.
We’re reviewing the whole HS2 programme as part of a major reset. This means we’re making sure we build everything in the right order. We’ll keep you updated on when work at the Euston approaches and Euston tunnel headhouses will restart.
What we're building in Brent and Ealing
Northolt tunnel
The 8.4 miles (13.5km) Northolt tunnel under west London will carry passengers from Old Oak Common to West Ruislip.
Northolt tunnel headhouses
Five headhouses will support the Northolt tunnel.
A headhouse sits above shafts, which ventilate the tunnels for the railway and provide emergency access.
Victoria Road headhouse
The Victoria Road headhouse sits alongside the high-speed railway crossover box, west of where we’re building the new Old Oak Common station superhub. The huge underground box structure will house a crossover track mechanism that will allow HS2 trains to switch between tracks as they approach and descend from Old Oak Common station.
Learn about the the Victoria Road headhouse
Westgate headhouse
The Westgate headhouse is on the Chiltern line embankment. It’s embedded into the green corridor – the network of new wildlife habitats, woodlands and community spaces helping to leave a lasting legacy along the route.
The landscaping design includes a green roof and mixed vegetation, which will help the structure blend in with the natural environment.
Read about the Westgate headhouse
Green Park Way headhouse
The Green Park Way headhouse is along the Chiltern line embankment. The structure merges with the green corridor – a network of newly created wildlife habitats, woodlands and community spaces contributing to a sustainable legacy along the HS2 route.
The landscaping plan includes a green roof and diverse vegetation to help the headhouse blend into its natural surroundings.
Learn more about the Green Park Way headhouse
Mandeville Road headhouse
The Mandeville Road headhouse is in Ealing, on the old Affinity Water pumping station off Mandeville Road, Northolt. This is a residential area with Northolt station to the west and the Network Rail corridor to the south.
Materials shift with place, from brick to metal to wood, echoing the changes in landscape from rural edges to urban centres.
Learn more about the Mandeville Road headhouse
South Ruislip headhouse
The South Ruislip headhouse is between Ruislip Gardens and South Ruislip underground stations, close to Cineworld on Victoria Road in Hillingdon. The site is bounded to the south by the Chiltern line railway.
Part of the green corridor, it links new habitats, trees and shared spaces, helping nature and people thrive along the route.
Current work in the area
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