HS2's Calvert depot's design cut by 33%

HS2’s permanent home in Buckinghamshire will have up to 180 staff working at any one time.

We can now see how HS2’s permanent home at Calvert will look.

The company has revealed designs for the Buckinghamshire maintenance depot, saying that the size they originally announced has been reduced by a third during the design process.

New green spaces will be created as part of the build, to screen it from those living nearby.

Taking its inspiration from the style of local agricultural buildings and the industrial heritage of the area, the Infrastructure Maintenance Depot (IMD) will house the people and equipment that will keep the first phase of HS2 running smoothly and efficiently, day in, day out.

Positioned halfway between Calvert and Steeple Claydon where HS2 will cross the rebuilt East-West Rail line, the depot will include workshops, offices, storage and training facilities as well as a base for the British Transport Police.

The main buildings will be clad with naturally-aging red brick – as a nod to the Calvert brickworks which operated throughout most of the twentieth century before closing in 1991. Gently curved roofs, timber and low-reflection metal finishes will also help to reduce the visual impact of the buildings.

A large area of landscaping and new woodland planting will screen the depot from the nearby village of Steeple Claydon, with around 15,000 trees and 20,000 shrubs set to be planted amid new woodland paths, ponds and other wildlife habitats.

Iain Smith, HS2 Ltd’s Systems Delivery Director said:

“HS2 will dramatically improve connectivity and rail capacity while offering zero carbon journeys from day one. The maintenance depot at Calvert will be at the heart of that operation – keeping the new railway running smoothly every day.

"That’s why it’s great to see the new designs and I look forward to hearing the feedback from the local community.”

The depot will operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with landscaping to block noise and light.

A fleet of dedicated On-Track Maintenance trains will be based at the depot, accessing the mainline at night - while the HS2 trains are not running - to maintain the track and systems. Connections to East-West Rail will also allow heavy equipment and materials to be delivered to the depot by rail.

The depot is being designed by HS2’s design contractor WSP, working with architects Grimshaw and Grant Associates. The earthworks are being delivered by HS2’s main works contractor EKFB, a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall. A separate contractor will be appointed to build the depot.

During the design process, the size of the depot has been cut by 33% with the track layout reduced and simplified in order to speed up construction and cut disruption for the community.

This smaller footprint also means that there will be 600,000 cubic metres less excavation required.

Residents can find out more about the designs and share their comments via the community pages of the HS2 website