The line-up of bidders was revealed as HS2 also released details of the design teams now in place to deliver the London stations and two Birmingham stations in phase one.

Five joint ventures and one standalone bidder will now submit bids for Euston and Old Oak Common station works.

Costain and Skanska have been tempted into bidding for the major Euston station project after securing the HS2 Euston tunnels and approaches track civil engineering contract.

Mace and Spanish giant Dragados are also partnering up for the first time. They are bidding on both stations as are BAM Nuttall/Ferrovial Agroman (UK) and Bechtel, which is go alone.

Under present plans the management contract for each station will be handed to different firms although contractors are free to bid for both.

Contracts will be awarded in the Autumn with the winning construction partners acting as management contractor, responsible for procuring, integrating and managing the supply chains.

It is expected that around 4,000 jobs will be supported during construction of the two stations.

At the same time HS2 confirmed that consulting engineering WSP and Arup working alongside architects Grimshaw and Wilkinson Eyre will design the four flagship station in phase one.

The new HS2 stations will be designed with input from local communities, using best practice principles from stations around the world, and guidelines and specifications endorsed by an independent panel of leading architects and designers.

An independent HS2 Design Panel has scrutinised HS2’s guidelines and specifications for the stations, and will continue to play a key role in reviewing the detailed designs as they develop through 2018.

Chair of the HS2 Design Panel, Sadie Morgan from DrMM architects, said: “We welcome the appointment of these world class designers and look forward to working with them and HS2 to help deliver iconic stations which set new standards in design and ease of use, and provide a legacy of great architecture of which Britain can be truly proud.”