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Monday 16 Dec 2024

Emergency engineering work completed on Cumbrian Coast Line

Region & Route:

North West & Central: North West

| North West & Central

Trains are running again between Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness following essential repairs carried near Ulverston.

Strong winds and heavy rain bought about by Storm Bert in November caused a nearby watercourse to break its banks, with 300 tonnes of earth spilling onto the tracks.

A temporary fix, including diverting the existing watercourse via a 130 metre long “water slide”, an innovative use of flood barriers to divert the brook, was put in place to allow engineers to fully repair the earthwork.

Working throughout the day and night, our teams have cleared the track of debris, installed 1600 tonnes of new stone to build up the earthwork, and reinstated the tracks and ballast, allowing trains to run safely.

Rowan Peters, Network Rail’s lead engineer for the project, said: “We’re sorry for the disruption caused to passengers while we fixed this problem. This was a major piece of emergency engineering work including diverting a brook via a temporary water slide.

“By working collaboratively with our partners, we’ve been able to safely fix the problem and get trains moving again in a short space of time. The repair work was put through its paces by the early arrival of Storm Darragh and I’m pleased to say it passed with flying colours.”

Gary Burnett, Regional Director for principal contractor, QTS Group added: “It’s a testament to the speed in which our team mobilised and the hard work they have put in, that we have been able to reopen the line quickly and safely. By utilising a series of innovative design methods to ensure that the water was diverted, we have been able to stabilise and repair the groundwork in an efficient manner, allowing normal services to resume.”

Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: “We’re grateful to customers for their patience whilst Network Rail carried out this essential safety work to strengthen the embankment at Ulverston. Now that the work is complete, we can resume services along the line for our customers.”