High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) has released an update video to show the progress it has made so far, eventually providing high speed rail between London and the West Midlands in the future.

Giving an update on Old Oak Common, due to be the largest new built station in the UK, HS2 says it's into the third year of construction on the site with over half a million cubic metres of London clay already excavated.

The company has also revealed that one out of the 14 platforms at the station is now underway. Once complete, Old Oak Common will integrate into the existing rail network connecting HS2 to the Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express and the Great Western Mainline.

The Victoria Road Crossover Box which allows trains from Old Oak Common to move quickly and on time out of the station, is in its final phase of completion.

Next to the Victoria Road Crossover Box is the Northolt Tunnel that is going to be the launch site for the two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) Emily and Anne, sometime this month.

These two TBMs will dig the eastern section of the Northolt Tunnel and join London's western section TBMs, Sushila and Caroline, which has already completed two miles of its five mile journey.

An areial view of HS2's Old Oak Common Station which will connect London and the West Midlands with high speed rail (credit: HS2).

HS2 says it "is preparing to enter a critical new phase with the development of state-of-the-art rail systems that will allow passengers to enjoy some of the world's most reliable intercity train services.

"HS2 Ltd is putting the finishing touches to a huge package of work that will eventually allow for the physical operation of the new high-speed railway between London and the West Midlands.

"In 2024, we'll let around £5 billion-worth of contracts to oversee building of the tracks, power, signalling, overhead lines and the railway's new network control centre.

"They will be constructed to the highest standards to help create a new benchmark for speed and punctuality, ensuring passengers can rely on the service, even in the face of extreme weather.

"Contracts will also cover a new telecom system that will allow travellers to experience uninterrupted phones calls and streaming along the entire route, including in tunnels."

The move marks a crucial turning point for the project, starting to bring the working railway to life, seven years after parliament officially gave HS2 the go-ahead.

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