In pictures: Steel beams for the giant HS2 bridge near Brackley are fitted

The seven large steel beams for the bridge were lifted into position during a series of weekend closures.

They will form part of the bridge, which will allow high-speed trains to pass underneath the busy A43.

The HS2 team began work on the bridge in 2023 by creating an island between the two carriageways that is big enough for the construction of the new bridge deck.

They then sank 52m deep piled foundations and built the pile caps and piers that will support the 66-metre-long bridge deck carrying the road.

Now the beams are in position, the HS2 team will begin work on the concrete deck and parapets.

Once that has been completed, the road will be moved onto the new bridge and excavation teams will begin to create space for the railway to pass underneath.

HS2 Ltd’s senior project manager, Elizabeth Longinotti said: “The A43 is a busy route between Brackley and Northampton and I’d like to thank drivers for their patience over the last three weekends, allowing us to safely lift the enormous steel beams into position while the road was closed.

“With the beams now in place, we can focus on the next part of this complex multi-stage project – pouring the concrete deck ready for the road to be moved onto the new bridge early next year.”

In total, more than 500 bridges have been constructed as part of the HS2 project, from small footbridges to huge motorway bridges and a record-breaking viaduct in the Colne Valley.