Where in Zuidas
It took a lot of work to get here, but just after 20.00, it actually happened: one of the two sections of the roof of the Brittenpassage that was ready and waiting began to move. Journalists had gathered on the other roof section in order to get a front row view for their reports. On the railway platform opposite, groups of interested parties looked on. The first roof section had to cover a distance of 33 m to reach railway track one. It was already night by the time part one of the operation had been completed. In the early morning, the second roof section began to move. By 10.00, the shifting process was complete.
View the time-lapse video
made by bouw.live
Space for passengers
Geo van Tintelen, who is managing the operation on behalf of the Nieuw-Zuid construction consortium, spoke proudly about the complexity and importance of this work. Whereas there are now around 80,000 railway passengers per day at Amsterdam Zuid station, that figure is set to reach around a quarter of a million when the public transport hub (railway, metro, bus, tram) has been completed. ‘The additional passageway will create space to allow people to hop on and off safely and comfortably.’
View the video
made by Frank Janssens
Widening of platform
In the meantime, we have also spent recent days working hard widening the existing platform where railway tracks 1 and 2 are. Because of this, the track will soon have a bend in it. As a result of this widening, the A10 Zuid will also be moved slightly further south, also creating a slight bend in it next to Amsterdam Zuid station.
Putting it all back again
This is not yet the end of the work. We still need to re-locate a portal – the structure on which the power supply for the trains is suspended – as a result of the widening of the platform. Now the process of putting it back again starts. We need to lay railway track 1 on its new substrate and of course recreate the A10 Zuid. By 05.00 on Monday morning, there is hardly a trace of the work still to be seen. But as road users, railway and metro passengers travel through Zuidas again as normal, the excavation of the Brittenpassage can now start without hindrance. To be continued.
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