Supporting HS2 – Train unloading & earthworks at Cliffe

OEC has a long-established reputation for delivering specialist material handling services, with extensive experience supporting port operations and the unloading of bulk aggregate vessels across the UK.

Building on this expertise, OEC Material Handling team secured a major contract in 2022 to provide a continuous 24-hour rail unloading service for the HS2 project. The operation involves unloading clay spoil generated by tunnel boring machines (TBMs) during the construction of the UK’s new high-speed railway.

Operating around the clock, OEC supplies dedicated material handlers and articulated dump trucks to efficiently unload trains consisting of up to 20 wagons at a time. Each train carries approximately 1,500 tonnes of excavated clay, requiring a highly coordinated and reliable operation to maintain the project’s demanding schedule.

The recovered clay spoil is transported to a landfill restoration site in the South East, where it plays a vital role in the creation of a new nature reserve, transforming excavated material into a valuable environmental asset.

Since the commencement of the contract, OEC has successfully unloaded more than one million tonnes of clay spoil from HS2 rail deliveries. By utilising rail transport rather than road haulage, the operation has removed a significant number of heavy goods vehicle movements from the UK’s road network, supporting HS2’s sustainability objectives and making a substantial contribution to the project’s overall carbon reduction strategy.

This achievement demonstrates OEC’s ability to deliver large-scale, high-volume material handling solutions safely, efficiently, and sustainably, while supporting some of the UK’s most significant infrastructure developments.