A 1.5-mile section of the Grand Union Canal, owned by the charity Canal & River Trust, has reopened to the public – seven days ahead of schedule - after HS2 engineers successfully launched a 130-metre-long steel bridge into position over the canal.

The launch, which began on Wednesday, 4 March, involved sliding the 1,620-tonne deck across a country road, canal, and towpath near Ufton in Warwickshire.

It took engineers just two days to successfully complete the manoeuvre using the 'skid shoe methodology'.

Two giant hydraulic jacks pushed the structure forward at speeds of up to ten metres per hour, aided by specialist pads coated in a Teflon-like material to minimise friction and ease the slide process.

The weathering steel viaduct, supported by two abutments and two piers on either side of the canal, was then lowered to its final position and secured in place before engineers confirmed the job was complete at 7pm Thursday, 5 March.

The move follows two-and-a-half-years of work on site, which at its peak saw a team of 40 in Ufton.

A new retaining wall was also built.

Harry Toase, Balfour Beatty VINCI's civil engineering lead for the project said: "The team has put in a huge amount of work to prepare for the bridge installation and shown meticulous attention to detail throughout to protect the canal and nearby grade II listed bridge.

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"I'm delighted we've been able to complete the works one week ahead of schedule and thank the local community for their patience."

Longhole viaduct is situated just one kilometre from the north portal of the Long Itchington Wood Tunnel. When trains emerge from the tunnel, they will travel along the Ufton Wood cutting before joining the Welsh Road embankment, which connects to Longhole viaduct.