HS2 Washwood Heath maintenance building entrance view. Credit: High Speed Two Ltd.

UK-based company High Speed 2 (HS2) has unveiled the first design images of Washwood Heath Depot, the maintenance facility and main control centre for the entire HS2 network.

HS2 will use this site for the maintenance, service and storage of trains when they are not in use.

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This site will consist of a maintenance building, a network-integrated control centre (NICC) and cleaners and drivers building.

The maintenance building will serve as the primary hub for operations within the site. It will be used for the maintenance of the HS2 train fleet, in addition to storing materials and equipment.

Furthermore, the building will accommodate nearly 250 staff, including facilities management, fleet management, production, cleaning, and depot drivers.

Designed to oversee the whole HS2 network, the network integrated control centre will be centrally located within the Washwood Heath depot site.

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The building, which will accommodate the operational and management functions of the HS2 network, will consist of a control room, gym and canteen. Around 100 people will work in the building.

Situated in the depot’s western area, the cleaners and drivers building will provide facilities for train servicing teams and driver training.

This building, which will be connected to the stabling yard area, will accommodate around 200 people.

All the buildings will incorporate green features such as use of solar roof panels, low carbon materials, renewable energy. They will also enable natural light penetration and reuse rainwater runoff from roofs.

Situated north east of Birmingham city centre, the Washwood Heath Depot is expected to create more than 550 jobs locally.

HS2 delivery project head Richard Kirkham said: “Our design team have been focused on ensuring sustainability is incorporated into our Washwood Heath Depot site and it is a great example of HS2’s environmental ambitions.”

This year in March, HS2 revealed designs of the noise-cancelling north portal of the Chiltern Tunnel in the UK.

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