The site team worked around the clock to move HS2’s Marston Box bridge into place over the M42 during the Christmas period. The dramatic operation took 40 hours, at a speed of 4 metres per hour, from Saturday 24 to Monday 26 December during a 10-day closure of the motorway between Junctions J9 and J10 (northbound and southbound). The motorway is on schedule to reopen at 0500 on Tuesday, 3 January 2023.

Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “This is yet another astonishing achievement by HS2 - a project which is already changing lives through employment and regeneration, and will completely transform the way we live and work once trains hit the tracks.

 “Thank you to the 450 people working over the Christmas period on this incredible operation, who are playing their part in bringing this pioneering project to life. What a way to end the year.”

Over the last six months, the giant 86 metre-long structure was built on land next to the motorway. The structure, developed by a Design Joint Venture of Mott MacDonald and Systra, working on behalf of BBV, has a base, three walls and top slab.

The sliding mechanism, designed by specialist civil and structural engineering company Freyssinet, allowed the box to be pushed into place over the motorway on a guiding raft over a distance of 165 metres – which is believed to be the world’s longest box slide.

HS2 and its contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) worked in partnership with National Highways to deliver the operation.