Hitchin Flyover (Hitchin Grade Separation)
Hitchin, Hertfordshire, UK · 2012–2013 (opened June 2013) · £80m
The judgement call
Account-gated at launchThe flyover eliminated a major bottleneck at Hitchin, allowing more services to and from London on the Cambridge line and reducing delays on the East Coast Main Line. - Improved capacity and reliability for both passenger and freight services. - Demonstrates successful implementation of grade separation to enhance network performance.
Key engineering challenges
Constructing a new single-track electrified railway on a viaduct structure to grade separate the East Coast Main Line and the Cambridge line. - Managing significant torsional effects due to the 425m curved plan radius alignment of the flyover. - Working within a busy operational railway environment, requiring careful planning and execution to minimise disruption. - Constructing a large rail embankment requiring significant quantities of material.
Project facts
- Client / owner
- Network Rail
- Lead contractor
- VolkerFitzpatrick, VolkerRail
- Lead designers
- —
- Project type
- new build
- Scale
- 2 km single-track alignment; viaduct structure; rail embankment.
- Disciplines
- civil; structural; geotechnical; project management
- Standards & frameworks
- Network Rail standards
Sources: Railway Gazette (Jun 2013, https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/2013/06/26/hitchin-flyover-opens/); VolkerRail (undated, https://www.volkerrail.co.uk/en/projects/hitchin); Network Rail Media Centre (Jun 2013, https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/first-passenger-services-start-using-hitchin-flyover); Emerald Insight (Jun 2015, https://www.emerald.com/jbren/article/169/3/183/437148/Design-and-construction-of-a-railway-flyover-at)