HS2 has completed the demolition of the former Great Western Railway sheds at Old Oak Common as work continues to prepare the way for the new Old Oak station.
The demolition is a significant milestone in the preparation of the HS2 Old Oak Common site.
The new station will connect HS2 with Crossrail – the Elizabeth Line – making access to central London much less dependent on travel from Euston, and producing an easier connection to Heathrow. It will be one of the busiest interchanges in the UK, with around 250,000 people passing through every day. It aims to unlock thousands of new jobs and homes around the station, in a new town centre.
The demolition was completed by a Costain Skanska joint venture and subcontractors Erith, as part of ongoing work to clear the site ahead of the start of construction. Next steps include working through 110,000 cubic meters of earth to clear the site of obstructions and remove any hotspots of contamination built up over a century of continuous railway use.
Overall, 98% of material from the demolition of the sheds and associated buildings has been recycled or reused, with the surplus track donated to heritage railways around the UK. The concrete slab was crushed on-site with the material set to be reused during construction.
