Contractors working for HS2 have removed a 4,000 tonne bridge over the M42 to make way for the construction of the new high speed line across the motorway near the Interchange Station construction site in Solihull.

A team of 20 demolition experts from Solihull-based firm Armac, working on behalf of HS2's main works contractor in the Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), carried out the demolition in a 52 hour operation.

The operation was coordinated in conjunction with National Highways, who were able to open the motorway section between Junctions 6 and 7 on Monday at 1.30am, which was three and a half hours earlier than planned, reducing disruption to road users.

The M42 was closed in both directions late Friday evening, 9 February, and the workforce worked throughout the night to prepare the area for the demolition activities.

A team of 20 experts helped demolish the bridge (image via HS2)

Starting at 7am on Saturday 10 February, the demolition team used a 100 tonne excavator and a further seven 50 tonne demolition excavators to complete the operation, supplemented by numerous breaker and cruncher attachments. Six articulated dumper trucks transported the excavated material to a local stockpile where it will be crushed and reused on HS2's haul roads and work sites.

Once the bridge was demolished at around 3pm on Saturday , the debris was removed, the matting taken away, carriageway cleaned, and central reservation and verge restraint systems reinstated, ready for the motorway to be re-opened at 1.30am on Monday 12 February.

It is the second of two 4,000 tonne bridges in close proximity over the M42 which needed to be demolished so HS2 can build a new twin box structure, which will carry the high speed line over the motorway in the future. The operation by Armac to demolish the first bridge took place in August last year.

The original plan was to demolish the second bridge next year. However, due to two drivers on the motorway below recently striking the bridge, National Highways asked HS2 to demolish the bridge sooner because it had become unsafe.

Alan Payne, Senior Project Manager at HS2 Ltd said: "This operation, delivered by local specialist firm Armac, is another step forward in the construction of HS2 in the Midlands.

"I'd like to thank the whole team for delivering the bridge demolition ahead of schedule, reducing disruption to roads users."

This year, the BBV team will start to construct the huge twin box structure, which will carry HS2 trains over the M42. Enabling works commence in March and piling is due to commence in August.

This new structure, measuring 300 metres length by 25 metres width will cover around 130 metres of the M42 and will be built in position whilst maintaining three lanes of traffic flowing on the M42.

This section of HS2 railway lies between Interchange Station in Solihull and the Delta Junction, a triangular section of the line which enables trains to either travel into Birmingham's Curzon Street Station or carry on north where trains will join the West Coast Main Line to Manchester.

HS2 has already built a new, improved road structure and roundabout in this area, to improve the circulation of traffic around the HS2 railway line and connect the existing road network to the new Interchange Station.

The works along the M42 were finished earlier than planned (image via HS2)

The bridge had been hit by lorries on a few occasions before being demolished (image via HS2)