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Monday 3 Apr 2006

NETWORK RAIL POURS £660,000 DOWN THE DRAIN – TO KEEP TRAINS RUNNING

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Network Rail is pouring £660,000 into a drain – intentionally. That’s the cost of a project to provide proper drainage to the railway line running through the Eldroth area between Giggleswick and Clapham stations. Gary Openshaw, Network Rail Area General Manager for Lancs & Cumbria said: “The rainfall can create very real problems for the railway that could have a serious impact on train services. If we don’t deal with it effectively, we run the risk of problems through the area, so it is vital that our earthwork and drainage experts come up with practical solutions to deal with the issue.” The problem at Eldroth is that the railway line sits on an embankment on a steep hillside. Water from this naturally finds its way down to the embankment where it remains, and as  there is currently no proper drainage system it tends to forms ponds during periods of heavy rainfall. As well as the ponds, there is the very real problem of the water making the embankment unstable. Ground monitoring equipment has detected slight movement so Network Rail has started work to install new drainage. It has also bought a strip of land five metres wide by approximately 60 metres long at the foot of the embankment so that it can lessen the angle and place stone at the bottom to help the water drain away. The work is expected to be completed in April.