HS2 Construction - Amersham Ventilation Shaft - Chiltern Tunnel - 2023-03-02

Footage taken on 2nd March 2023.

The Chiltern Tunnel will be the longest tunnel on Phase One of HS2, measuring 16km (10 miles). As part of the safety system, it is necessary to provide forced ventilation for smoke control, as well as intervention access for emergency services. Five shafts are being constructed along the alignment of the tunnel.

This shaft is in a dip of the Chiltern Hills, near Amersham Old Town in Buckinghamshire. Amersham Hospital is adjacent to the site, off Whielden Street.

The work is being carried out by a joint venture company called 'Align', which is made up of Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick.

The locations of the five ventilation shafts are:
- Chalfont St Peter
- Chalfont St Giles
- Amersham (shown here)
- Little Missenden
- Chesham Road, Hyde End, near Great Missenden

Map of location:
http://www.thehs2.com/phase1/maps/twe...

HS2 Links:
https://www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/t...
https://assets.hs2.org.uk/wp-content/...
Excavation of the HS2 Chiltern Tunnel shafts close to completion:
   • Excavation of the HS2 Chiltern Tunnel...  

Other Links:
https://majorprojects.org/resources/d...
https://www.chilternsaonb.org/visit-c...
https://chilternsociety.org.uk/impact...

The station in the nearby town of 'new' Amersham is served by London Underground's Metropolitan Line (where their trains terminate), as well as by Chiltern Railways services between London Marylebone and Aylesbury station (and Aylesbury Vale Parkway, since 14th December 2008):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amersha...

For many years the Metropolitan services extended beyond Aylesbury, to Verney Junction in Buckinghamshire. In 1961, when steam locomotives were replaced and the line was electrified to Amersham, the Underground service to Great Missenden, Wendover, Stoke Mandeville and Aylesbury was withdrawn.

From 16th March 1899, the Great Central Railway (GCR) also served Amersham station, as an intermediate stop, through its 'London Extension' to Marylebone. Consequently, the station became joint Metropolitan and Great Central Joint Railway owned.

The Great Central Main Line ran between London Marylebone and Sheffield Victoria, and on to Manchester London Road via the Woodhead Tunnel. The line beyond Aylesbury was closed to passengers in 1966, as a result of Beeching cuts, and was subsequently used by freight trains which mainly served Greatmoor EfW (Energy from Waste) power station at the Calvert Landfill site in the north of Buckinghamshire:
https://wikiwaste.org.uk/Greatmoor_EfW


DJI_0058.MP4 - 2023-03-02

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