Media centre

Friday 30 May 2008

MOTHER NATURE TESTS NETWORK RAIL ENGINEERS AT ELLAND

Region & Route:

After investment of £4.5m and five months hard work, engineers for Network Rail have shifted 100,000 tonnes of material to stabilise a hillside above the railway at Elland in Yorkshire.

A landslip was recorded at the site on the Hebden Bridge to Wakefield railway line on Monday 21 January 2008. Around 40 tonnes of trees and earth had slipped down the bank following torrential rain. Further investigations revealed that a long-term fix was needed to ensure the reliability of rail services in the future.

Trains were stopped while initial clearance and stabilisation works were carried out but re-started a normal timetable by the beginning of April with engineers working around the train services to keep passengers and freight on the move.

The site added to the challenge as it is a considerable distance from any access points, and down a steep slope (40-45 degrees) which was covered in vegetation. A layer of weathered mudstones around five metres deep was moving towards the railway.

Neil Henry, acting route director for Network Rail, said: "I would like to thank all passengers who were affected by these works for their patience. Our engineers and specialists have really pulled out all the stops to get a long-term solution that means we can continue to give rail passengers the reliable service they expect.

"Not only have they carried out a complicated piece of work in a safe and timely manner, but they've also taken into account the needs of the local community. Seven burnt-out cars were removed from the hillside and recyled by a local scrap merchant. With the support of contractors May Gurney, we've also carried out a project at William Henry Smith school to move and re-line their pond and stop overflowing water from causing problems further down the slope."