HS2 has finished six underground high-speed platforms at Old Oak Common, formed from 1,946 pre-cast slabs and 1.59 m-high invert walls and arranged as three island blocks with space for services beneath. Interior fit-out and installation of lifts, escalators and rooms will follow, while eight surface platforms are planned to serve multiple rail services. Tunnelling work continues toward Northolt and Euston, with two TBMs due to reach Euston by 2027. HS2 estimates nearby development could unlock thousands of homes, nearly 693,000 m² of commercial space and an economic uplift around £10 billion.
HS2 Completes Six Underground Platforms at Old Oak Common — Station Takes Shape as Major London Hub
Old Oak Common high speed platforms constructed.
HS2 has reached a major construction milestone at Old Oak Common in west London with the completion of six underground high-speed platforms inside the station's subterranean box. The platforms are designed to carry HS2 services between London, the West Midlands and destinations further north via the West Coast Main Line.
Construction Details
The platform construction was led by the Balfour Beatty Vinci SYSTRA (BBVS) joint venture, with subcontractor Expanded beginning the platform works in April 2025. The build started with casting 1.59 m-high invert walls and the placement of 1,946 pre-cast concrete slabs — each up to 2 m by 4 m and weighing between 4 t and 5 t.
Teams constructed the platforms from both ends and joined them in the middle to form three island-style blocks. The design leaves voids beneath the platforms to accommodate services such as electrical and other building systems.
Next Steps And Wider Works
Interior fit-out will now progress: staff and equipment rooms will be finished, lifts and escalators installed, and final floor surfaces applied. Beyond the six underground platforms, eight surface-level platforms are planned to serve the Elizabeth line, the Great Western Main Line and Heathrow Express services.
Old Oak Common is set to be the 42nd station on the Elizabeth line and will connect passengers to more than 100 destinations across the transport network.
Steve O'Sullivan, BBVS JV project director: "This achievement reflects the expertise of our multidisciplinary teams who have worked collaboratively to deliver one of the most technically challenging stations currently being built in the UK, drawing on world-class engineering, specialist knowledge and a shared commitment to excellence."
HS2's London tunnels contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG, will extend tunnels through the west wall of the underground box to link the station to the Northolt Tunnel. Work to the east continues on the Euston Tunnel, where two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) launched from Old Oak Common earlier this year are programmed to reach Euston by 2027.
Kim Kapur, HS2 Old Oak Common area director: "Going into the underground box at Old Oak Common, you can immediately visualise how it will look as an operational station, including where passengers will board or alight HS2's brand new trains. The scale of the work – and the station now taking shape – is remarkable."
Economic And Design Impact
HS2 cites research estimating that development around Old Oak Common could support about 22,000 homes, roughly 693,000 m² of commercial floorspace and nearly 19,000 jobs, with a surrounding economic impact projected at approximately £10 billion. The station's design includes interlocking roof sections to improve ventilation and reduce the need for internal columns, as well as plans for public green spaces and integrated transport connections for buses, taxis and cyclists.
HS2's chief executive, Mark Wild, continues to oversee a wider programme reorganisation as construction at Old Oak Common progresses toward the next milestones.
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