Project Overview
Aureos, in joint venture with Taylor Woodrow Infrastructure, has been appointed by HS2 to deliver the Washwood Heath Depot and Network Integrated Control Centre (NICC) in Birmingham. The £856 million project will transform a 70-hectare brownfield site into a major business and logistics hub that will support the future operation of Britain's high-speed railway.
The development includes a state-of-the-art Rolling Stock Maintenance Building, Carriage Wash, Automatic Vehicle Inspection Building, train stabling sidings, a test track where staff will manage train dispatch, communicate with drivers and oversee the smooth running of services across the network.
Sector:
Transportation
Region:
West Midlands
Service:
Client:
HS2
Transforming a Historic Brownfield Site
The project requires the regeneration of a disused industrial site while delivering one of the most complex and critical elements of the HS2 infrastructure programme. The depot and control centre will play a vital role in the testing, commissioning, maintenance and day-to-day operation of Britain's new high-speed railway.
Located in one of the UK's most deprived communities, where 77% of households experience deprivation in at least one dimension, the project will also create lasting economic and social value while delivering essential rail infrastructure.
Showcasing Aureos's Rail Systems Expertise
Working alongside Taylor Woodrow, HS2 Ltd and the wider supply chain, Aureos will help deliver the depot and control centre that will sit at the heart of HS2 operations, supporting the testing, commissioning and day-to-day running of the railway.
Designed around data, automation and whole-life asset performance, the facilities will provide the infrastructure needed to maintain HS2's rolling stock, manage operational performance and support safe, reliable services from day one. As one of the most complex and safety-critical projects on the HS2 programme, Washwood Heath provides a significant opportunity for Aureos to demonstrate the expertise it brings to major infrastructure schemes and reinforces its position as a trusted delivery partner.
The project will create around 500 jobs during construction and more than 1,000 long-term skilled roles once operational, while also unlocking future commercial development opportunities and creating new green spaces and wildlife habitats across the site.
Commenting on the award, Darren James, Chief Executive Officer of Aureos, said:
“This project is the most complex and critical part of the HS2 infrastructure and Aureos brings deep rail systems and digital engineering capability to deliver a depot and NICC designed around data, automation and whole life asset performance from the outset.
“We are looking forward to demonstrating exemplar delivery of the contract by working closely with HS2, our JV partner, the supply chain and all other stakeholders.”
Aureos is progressing the design phase of the Washwood Heath Depot, helping shape one of the most complex and critical elements of the HS2 programme ahead of delivery, testing and commissioning activities scheduled through to 2033.
