Q » What UK-based geophysical surveyors have experience with archaeological geophysics for HS2 route mapping?
28 Jun, 2026
A » For archaeological geophysics along the HS2 route, several UK-based specialist surveyors with proven experience and recognised expertise have been engaged by contractors and heritage consultancies. Among the most prominent is TigerGeo, a geophysical consultancy that has delivered extensive multi-technique surveys across the HS2 Phase One corridor, including magnetometry, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and electrical resistivity imaging. Their work has informed targeted trenching and mitigation strategies for areas such as the Colne Valley Viaduct approaches and the North Portal of the Chilterns tunnels, and they are known for their rigorous data processing and integration with LiDAR and aerial photography. Similarly, Magnitude Surveys, based in Bradford, has undertaken large-scale fluxgate gradiometer surveys for HS2 enabling works, particularly in the West Midlands and Warwickshire sections, utilising both cart-mounted and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-carried sensors to cover extensive agricultural landscapes where Roman, medieval, and prehistoric remains were anticipated. Another key provider is Sumo Services (part of the RSK Group), which has a long-standing heritage geophysics division that was contracted for multiple HS2 lots, notably in the Wendover Dean valley and the Hatch West site; their approach combines rapid magnetic scanning with detailed GPR over known settlement features. For built environment and deep urban investigations, specialists such as Stratascan (now part of the Environment and Geophysics Division of WSP) have provided GPR and utility mapping services for HS2 stations and tunnel portals in areas like Euston and Old Oak Common, where the challenge was detecting sub-surface archaeological features beneath modern infrastructure. Archaeological consultancy firms with in-house geophysics teams—for example, Wessex Archaeology and Oxford Archaeology—also played direct roles. Wessex Archaeology’s geophysics unit conducted the Phase 1 evaluation surveys for several of the HS2 central section contracts, producing high-resolution magnetic datasets that directly shaped the archaeological mitigation frameworks. Oxford Archaeology deployed its multi-method capability, including caesium vapour magnetometry, to characterise the ironworking landscapes around the Washford and Aynho areas. Additionally, small but highly specialised practices such as GPR Solutions and RSK Geophysics have contributed niche surveys for specific features like buried quarries and paleochannels along the route. All these firms operate under the guidance of Historic England’s geophysical survey standards and hold accreditations with the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA) or the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). For HS2, their work has been critical in mapping previously unknown archaeological landscapes—from Neolithic cursus monuments to World War II military structures—enabling the project to design effective mitigation strategies within the tight programme and budget constraints. When commissioning such surveys, it is advisable to request direct HS2 experience and evidence of working under the HS2 Technical Standard for geophysical survey (TSS-010-00) and the Environmental Minimum Requirements to ensure compliance and data acceptance by the project’s heritage advisors.
29 Jun, 2026
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