Paddington Crossrail, London

Paddington Crossrail Station is a major transport interchange, constructed as a 260m-long, 25m-wide, 25m-deep underground box on the west side of the historic Brunel-designed station. A further excavation measuring 40m by 7m extends an additional 5m below the base level, creating a new link to the Bakerloo Line for direct passenger interchange.

Byrne Bros’ £65m structural concrete package included the construction of all reinforced concrete substructure elements, featuring exposed coffered soffits and elliptical columns with flared heads. The project required:

• 160,000 m³ of excavation
• 80,000 m³ of concrete
• 15,000 tonnes of reinforcement

Construction Approach

To mitigate the risk of ground movement affecting the Grade II listed station, the top-down construction method was adopted. This approach also allowed diverted bus routes on Eastbourne Terrace to resume much earlier than would have been possible with an open-cut excavation.

A complex temporary works propping system was installed between the concourse and intermediate levels, and full-scale elliptical column mock-ups—replicating the constraints of top-down construction—were created in Byrne Bros’ yard. These trials allowed the team to fine-tune both the concrete mix and the bespoke temporary works, ensuring precision and quality from the outset.

The running tunnels, constructed by Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) before concourse excavation, required “mole hole” break-ins from above. This involved working within stringent health and safety parameters, including confined space protocols.

Precast Innovation

Working closely with the project architect, Byrne Bros developed precast solutions for key architectural features, including domed coffer units and permanent props spanning the perimeter diaphragm walls. These were installed using gantry cranes in the restricted top-down environment. This innovation provided full quality control, reduced on-site labour, and delivered significant programme savings.

Outcome

Byrne Bros successfully achieved all key project milestones, ensuring Eastbourne Terrace was returned to Westminster City Council on time and that the concourse slabs were completed in readiness for tunnel break-in. This project stands as a benchmark in combining engineering precision, architectural quality, and programme efficiency within one of London’s busiest transport hubs.

• Location: Paddington, London
• Main Contractor: Costain / Skanska