High Speed 2: A Visit to the Colne Valley Viaduct

I recently got an invitation to one of the construction sites for High Speed 2, and I managed not to knock anything over or make a mess.

[notoriousdog]

“Apparently the architects were inspired by the path of a stone skipping across water, so… it’s the same shape as a normal viaduct”
😂😂😂 made my morning

[weswheel]

It's okay, you filmed it before uploading. Therefore it is historical!

[charlesmoss]

I will say that someone at HS2 PR had their heads screwed on - your YouTube site is a fantastic delve into the world of transport and it’s great they recognise what you are creating!

[ZGryphon]

"Apparently the architects were inspired by the path of a stone skipping across water, so... i-it's the same shape as a normal viaduct." I think Bob Newhart himself would be proud of that well-executed :)

[transportationvideos]

I am from Hong Kong, and you did pronounce the 'East Tsing Yi Viaduct' as close as it gets. 👏👏👏

[philipgibbard]

The Colne Valley consists of a complex of lakes and the channel of the River Colne itself. The lakes are the remains of old gravel pits which were worked until relatively recently. It is hardly a natural landscape, but its colonisation by plants and animals is a welcome 'green lung' adjacent to the urban sprall of westernmost London and especially Heathrow Airport.

[zetectic]

A cross between Lego & Meccano - functional, fascinating, practical & efficient. Concrete may be the best choice for the project but it can't match the splendour of the Ribble-head viaduct or the beauty of Brunel's brick bridge across the Thames.

[neilmossey]

Fantastic thanks.
Really thought your outro was about to say "for another tale from the HS2 (be)"!

[BibtheBoulder]

Love it or loathe it, you can't deny it's an incredible engineering feat.

[roberthuron]

A Supersized Lego, concrete and modular! How far engineering has come, and yet, how traditional! Brunel, and Stephenson would be proud of their successors! Thank you, Jago, for showing the past and the future in one video!! Thank you 😇 😊!

[rikufryderyk]

My favourite video is on the plessey factory in the Hainault loop. Thanks for making videos so often!

[peabody]

Not all history happens in the past. This is history and in the present! I'm sad the branch to Leeds are [no politics here, absolutely not.] Still, this is a wonderful development and happy HS2 are taking great care in a lot of places to preserve the green space it runs through.

[trevorelliston]

Someone in the rail industry clearly recognises the talent that is Jago.

[peteregan]

"It's the same shape as a normal viaduct" - this is what I love about my favourite YTs - can see past artistic and PR spin.

[martindeane]

I was able to do a similar tour of the site a few months ago when Dominique had only just crossed the A412. The most interesting surprise I had was back at the Chiltern Tunnels portal where there was a rattling sound coming from the slurry pipes caused by the layers of flint that the TBMs are digging through. Apparently some days it is noisier than others.

[wanderingorganist]

That cd have been double the length and still interesting. Thank you for the brief glimpse of a fascinating thing. Let's hope they invite you for the first train!

[DoubleZeroChallenge]

Although your channel is generally historic, this topic fits in neatly, especially as the infrastructure will be around for generations to come.

[andrewemery]

Have they already sold the space under the viaduct to car repairers and mobile phone discount warehouses?

[nmarks]

Excellent video. "It's the same shape as a normal viaduct" had me creased up with laughter. 🤣🤣🤣 2:20

[Julius_Hardware]

"The wilds of Buckinghamshire..." C'mon its not so bad now that the Chalfont werewolf problem is under control. Still the odd vampire in Denham though.
And technically, most of the viaduct will be in Middlesex?