HS2 overhead designs revealed

Ten designs have been created for the overhead line structures that could be deployed on the HS2 High Speed rail network.

Bow by Bystrup Architecture, Design and Engineering
Bow by Bystrup Architecture, Design and Engineering

The HS2 is a proposed new £43bn rail network for the UK, which will connect London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester in a two-phase project. 

The High Speed T by Bystrup Architecture, Design and Engineering
The High Speed T by Bystrup Architecture, Design and Engineering

The UK Government plans to invest £9.4bn in overhead electrification and a brief has been set to maximise efficiency and minimise obtrusiveness.

Tomahawk by Cobe
Tomahawk by Cobe

Architects, engineers and designers have submitted designs as part of an RIBA competition for gantry and cantilever structures, which will be used for the new network. 

VelocitY - Gorton, Paul, Scheuvens + ARUP
VelocitY – Gorton, Paul, Scheuvens + ARUP

The RIBA says it received 62 entries from 14 countries before a judging panel met in February to decide on a shortlist.

Needle System - IDOM UK limited with Alan Baxter & Associates and SEMI
Needle System – IDOM UK limited with Alan Baxter & Associates and SEMI

The project is at this stage an ideas competition. An exhibition in the Great Hall at The national Railway Museum in York runs until 12 May where maquettes of the ten shortlisted designs are on display.

Tuning Fork - Grimshaw
Tuning Fork – Grimshaw

Ideas include Tuning Fork by Grimshaw which proposes ‘an elegant system’ suited to natural and urban environments. The design combines a ‘bsespoke sculptural mast’ with standard electrification components.

 Responsive OLS - PWA
Responsive OLS – PWA

Responsive Overhead Line Structures by PWA proposes to be ‘expressive, awe-inspiring, economic and practical’ with its tapering mast.

Origami Birds - Lariko Urbanski
Origami Birds – Lariko Urbanski

Public consultation at the exhibition and online [http://www.ribacompetitions.com/ols/shortlisted.html] will help judges and a consortium including the Department of Transport and HS2 ltd decide on four designs to be selected for further development.

Integrated OLS - Moxon Architects with Mott MacDonald
Integrated OLS – Moxon Architects with Mott MacDonald

There will be £150,000 made available for each of the four design teams to undertake technical and mathematical modeling and consider the best route to market.

 Overhead Rhythmic Structures - Ramboll UK
Overhead Rhythmic Structures – Ramboll UK
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  • Bernard Gambrill November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    The overhead line supports do not seem to be designed to accommodate the -25kV return feeder required for high speed/high power railways, cf HS1.
    HS1 uses the 25-0–25 kVAC system.

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