Today’s podcast is all a bit different as it is recorded in the heart of the massive Old Oak Common Station which is under construction in West London as part of the HS2 rail project.

Given the amount of discussion and hand wringing across the political and infrastructure sector since Prime Minister Rishi Sunak abruptly cancelled the northern section of the project back in October, I thought I’d better come and find out what is actually still happening on phase 1 of the project. And see the progress.

Well standing  in the Old Oak Common station, it is fair to say that quite a lot is happening to construct what will be the biggest railway station in the UK and capable of handling 250,000 passengers a day when its running at full tilt. That will also make it the busiest hub in the UK with every train in or out of Paddington currently planned to stop there.

The 900m long station will eventually have fourteen platforms, catering for a mix of six high-speed 20m below ground and eight conventional service platforms in the station above.

This will enable passengers to catch high-speed rail services to the Midlands, Scotland and the North plus services to Wales and the South-West. And, of course, there will be access to central London and Heathrow via the Elizabeth line. 

And maybe one day those HS2 trains will even make it, as originally planned, to a new station at Euston – for which the tunnel boring machines will have to be launched soon from the eastern end of this station box to make the vital 8km journey. 

More of that later no doubt as I chat through the project’s triumphs to date - and challenges to come with the man in charge, Huw Edwards, HS2 Project Client Director for Old Oak Common Station.

Resources
HS2 Old Oak Common station explained
The HS2 project
HS2 view on government announcement to cancel HS2 north
Network North - transforming British transport