HS2 in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Britain's new high-speed railway
HS2 trains carry passengers through the Chalfonts, the Central Chilterns and Aylesbury before the railway reaches north-east Oxfordshire.
The route enters the 10-mile Chiltern tunnel at its southern portal, just inside the M25 in Hertfordshire.
We’re building five tunnel shafts at Chalfont St Peter, Chalfont St Giles, Amersham, Little Missenden and Chesham Road.
Four viaducts will carry high-speed trains across the landscape. These are the Wendover Dean viaduct, Small Dean viaduct and Thame Valley viaduct.
The route also includes a key infrastructure and maintenance depot at Calvert.
Align JV is the main works contractor building the three kilometre long Colne Valley viaduct and the Chiltern tunnel. EKFB JV is the main works contractor building the railway line from the north portal at South Heath through to Southam in Warwickshire.
Programme reset
We’re making sure HS2 provides the best value for Britain by carrying out a full review of the programme for the government.
Our CEO Mark Wild is resetting HS2’s cost and schedule. He successfully led Crossrail’s recovery in the wake of major challenges. This led to the successful opening of the Elizabeth line – now the busiest in the UK.
What we're building in South Buckinghamshire
Chiltern tunnel
Chiltern tunnel is the longest tunnel on the HS2 route, stretching 10 miles (16km) beneath the Chiltern Hills.
Chiltern tunnel headhouses
Five headhouses will support the Chiltern tunnel.
A headhouse sits above shafts, which ventilate the tunnels for the railway and provide emergency access.
Chalfont St Peter headhouse
The Chalfont St Peter headhouse design has been improved. The single-storey building is now set back from the road and wrapped in a simple grey zinc roof with dark bronze openings. Taking its inspiration from the style of local barns and other agricultural buildings, it’s designed to blend into the surrounding landscape. The pre-weathered grey zinc roof will age naturally over time, without loss of robustness or quality, while the whole structure will sit on a simple dark blue brick base.
Learn more about the Chalfont St Peter headhouse
Chalfont St Giles headhouse
The Chalfont St Giles headhouse will fit into the surrounding landscape, taking inspiration from the style of local barns and other agricultural buildings. The design uses a simple range of materials inspired by local agricultural and industrial buildings. The building colour and detail blend into the landscape.
Learn more about the Chalfont St Giles headhouse
Amersham headhouse
The Amersham headhouse sits in the middle of a road junction just outside Amersham, Buckinghamshire. The building design has changed based on feedback from Buckinghamshire Council. The weathered steel boundary wall is being replaced with a more traditional stone wall made of flint. Flint occurs naturally within chalk hills like the Chilterns. Flint facades have been a prominent feature of local architecture for hundreds of years.
Learn more about the Amersham headhouse
Little Missenden headhouse
The Little Missenden headhouse is a single-storey building that will sit on top of a 35-metre deep ventilation shaft. The shaft reaches down to the Chiltern tunnel below. The headhouse is set back from the main A413 in Little Missenden.
Learn more about the Little Missenden headhouse
Chesham Road
The Chesham Road headhouse (intervention shaft) is located off the B485 at Hyde End, near Great Missenden. The arrangement of the buildings is based on an agricultural courtyard layout with the overall footprint of the compound kept to a minimum. Pitched roofs wrap around the buildings, creating simple agricultural barn forms.
Chiltern tunnel north portal ancillary building
We’ve designed the north portal building to provide air pressure and noise relief for the Chiltern tunnel.
Learn more about the Chiltern tunnel north portal ancillary building
What we're building in North Chilterns to Aylesbury
Wendover Dean viaduct
We’re building the Wendover Dean viaduct south of Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
Small Dean viaduct
The 345m long Small Dean viaduct is just south of Wendover, Buckinghamshire.
Thame Valley viaduct
We’re building the Thame Valley viaduct in the Northern Vale. It crosses the low-lying Thame Valley.
Turweston green bridge
We’re building a 99m wide green bridge near Turweston. It’s the largest green bridge on the HS2 project.
What we're building in Calvert
Calvert infrastructure maintenance depot
The Calvert depot will help keep HS2 running safely and efficiently.
Learn more about the Calvert infrastructure maintenance depot
Sheephouse Wood bat protection structure
We’re building a bat protection structure alongside Sheephouse Wood, Buckinghamshire. It will run for about 1km.
Learn more about the Sheephouse Wood bat protection structure
Current work in the area
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