The new station will be the temporary terminus of the first phase of the new high-speed line linking London with Birmingham and Lichfield, which is expected to open in 2029, until the tunnel from Old Oak Common to a rebuilt London Euston station has been completed.
Old Oak Common will have 14 platform tracks, six of which will be for high-speed trains and eight for conventional services. It will provide an interchange between HS2 and the new Elizabeth Line to central London, Heathrow Airport, Slough and Reading, Heathrow Express and Great Western Railway services.
The station will be used by up to 250,000 passengers per day and will become one of the busiest railway stations in Britain with capacity to meet growth forecasts up to at least 2041.
Old Oak Common station will be constructed within an 850m-long box. “The station will incorporate some striking design features, such as an impressive sequence of interlocking curved roof forms which have been designed to enhance the open environment of the station and provide natural ventilation minimising the need for long term energy consumption,” HS2 Ltd says. “The arch forms also reduce the need for columns to support the roof and provide clear sight lines, allowing views across the station to help visitors orientate themselves.”
The station design has been led by WSP with architectural support from WilkinsonEyre. HS2 Ltd awarded a contract to a joint venture of Balfour Beatty, Vinci and Systra to build the station in September 2019 and construction will begin in June.
The station will be built on land formerly used to maintain and stable trains and for industry. HS2 Ltd says the project will be a catalyst to redevelop the area to create tens of thousands of homes and jobs.
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