HS2 Ltd has revealed the first design images for Washwood Heath Depot which will be built in Birmingham as a maintenance facility and main control centre for the whole HS2 rail system.
The site, north east of Birmingham city centre, is where HS2 trains will be maintained, serviced and stored when not in use, and includes the maintenance building, network integrated control centre (NICC) and cleaners and drivers building. All the buildings have been designed to celebrate engineering and provide sustainable working, as well as outdoor amenity spaces for staff.
The design of the buildings provides for a high level of controlled, natural lighting and reduces the need for artificial lighting during the daytime. Solar roof panels, reusing rainwater runoff from some of the building roofs, sustainable drainage, renewable energy, low carbon materials and intelligent lighting provide additional environmental benefits during construction and operation.
Landscape design and green spaces play a key role, with each building having a specifically designed landscape theme, outdoor social spaces for staff, and areas which restore biodiversity and wider habitat connections.
Accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists has been incorporated into the design, with dedicated pedestrian and cyclist routes connecting with Birmingham’s future transport network. In addition to car parks, provision is included for electric vehicle charging points, cycle and motorcycle parking for staff and visitors, and parking for individuals with limited mobility at all depot facilities, alongside taxi and delivery vehicle drop off zones.
The maintenance building will be the primary hub of operations within the site, used to maintain the HS2 train fleet along with facilities to store materials and equipment. It includes office accommodation, workshops and staff welfare facilities. The network NICC will oversee the whole HS2 network and is located centrally within the Washwood Heath depot site. This will be a standalone building, designed to accommodate the operational and management functions of the HS2 network.
The cleaners and drivers building is located in the depot’s western area and will host facilities for train servicing teams and driver training. This building will be linked to the stabling yard area, located towards the west side of the depot, where trains will be cleaned and replenished, ready for passenger service. Around 200 staff will be based here.
Washwood Heath Depot design has been produced by HS2’s Engineering Delivery Partnership (EDP). “Our design team have been focused on ensuring sustainability is incorporated into our Washwood Heath Depot site and it is a great example of HS2’s environmental ambitions. It’s also a pivotal site providing hundreds of crucial jobs for people in this area of Birmingham, highlighting the long-term economic benefits that HS2 is delivering for the region,” Richard Kirkham, HS2’s Head of Delivery Project said.
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