A STRETCH of railway in Hillmorton which was closed due to a landslip will now be ‘secure for generations to come’ after engineers completed a permanent fix.
Network Rail says a part of the West Coast main line at Hillmorton Junction which runs alongside The Kent has been secured from future landslips, after it was closed for 17 days early this year.
Torrential rain from Storm Christoph in January caused ground beneath the railway lines to become unstable and slip.
The railway management company rebuilt the embankment and had the line back up and running by mid-February.
However, engineers have been carrying out a permanent fix over the last 10 months.
All moving land at the site has now been secured to protect railway journeys on the line, which is one of Europe’s busiest mixed-use passenger and freight railway lines.
Harriet Turner, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said: “I’d like to thank the local community for their patience while we carried out this essential work to secure this railway embankment in Hillmorton.
“Now it’s complete, the land will be secure for generations to come, meaning more reliable journeys for passengers and peace of mind for local residents who travel past this important section of the West Coast main line.”
Drone footage has been release by Network Rail to show the scale of the embankment strengthening project, during which 5,000 tonnes of earth was removed, and 18,500 tonnes of new stone laid.
In addition, 145 piles and 45 special anchors known as ‘soil nails’ were driven into the embankment to secure it, and a special membrane was laid to allow 1,000 tonnes of top soiling and hydroseeding – a process in which a mulch of slurry and seeds is sprayed over areas to control soil erosion, which is more effective than sowing dry seeds.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/5bbzcxkk to see footage of the repairs.
Visit www.networkrail.co.uk/earthworks-cutting-slopes-and-embankments for more information on how Network Rail maintains and repair land beside railways.
