Network Rail has completed a huge embankment strengthening project between Milton Keynes and Birmingham to secure moving land.
The ground under railway lines close to Hillmorton in Warwickshire on the West Coast main line became unstable and slipped following torrential rain during Storm Christoph back in January 2021.
The vital work was undertaken to make passengers and freight journeys safe from the effects of the land movements on Europe's busiest mixed-use railway line.
Network Rail rebuilt the embankment in just 17 days in order to get the well-used line up and running as fast as possible, also over the past 10 months engineers have completed a permanent fix.
Drone footage from Network Rail reveals the scale of the embankment strengthening project, which will bring safe and reliable journeys for both passengers and freight for many years to come.
The work has seen:
- 5,000 Tonnes of earth removed from the site
- 18,500 Tonnes of new stone laid
- 145 piles and 45 special anchors called ‘soil nails' driven into the embankment to secure it
- A special membrane put in place to allow 1,000 tonnes of top soiling and hydroseeding which is a process of spraying a mulch of slurry and seeds and controls soil erosion more effectively than sowing dry seeds
Credit: Network Rail
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.”
Working closed with Warwickshire County Council, Network Rail had to arrange a road closure to allow engineers to carry out the work safely and have kept local people up to date right through the project.
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