INFRASTRUCTURE
'X’ MARKS THE SPOT
Phil Marsh visits the work site of what is being turned from a railway backwater into one of the country’s most important locations – where HS2 will cross East West Rail.
Looking north from the Calvert work site on June 23 along the HS2 trace/route at the point where it will go underneath East West Rail. Some of the future bridge’s foundations can already be seen.
ALL PHOTOS BY PHIL MARSH
THE East West Rail (EWR) ‘Varsity Line’ and HS2 routes are due to cross at the northern stub of the former Great Central Railway at Calvert, 10 miles north of Aylesbury, with EWR crossing over HS2 by bridge.
HS2 has been given the construction powers for the 3.5km section of EWR to the west and south of Calvert (towards Oxford and Aylesbury respectively), plus a kilometre beyond Claydon loop towards the east (Bletchley). HS2 is responsible for the earthworks and structures in this area, while EWR will install the track and signalling.