Infrastructure schemes set to halt Severn Valley Railway slippages
REMEDIALwork to tackle landslips attwo locationsonthe SevernValleyRailway havebeenidentified.
As reported in issue 265, the trouble blackspot at Sterns, near Eardington began causing concernonce again, after the River Severn reached exceptionally high levels during above average rainfall in February. Trains were subjected to a temporary speed restriction aftermovement in the trackbed was detected.
SVR infrastructuremanager Chris Bond said that adjacent landowners have been asked to give permission for access on the west side of the line to carry out some mitigation works.
The taskwill involve laying a drainage network to collect rainwater and transport it to the river before it can reach the slip planes and exacerbate the problem.
It is hoped to carry out the work during the summer and it will not affect the operation of trains across Sterns, he said.
The second slip
At AlveleyWoods, thesite of the second slip, David Symonds Associateshas produceddrawings foraremedial scheme. Thework will initially involve asmalldrainage schemesimilar to the oneat Sterns, totakepressure off the embankment. Asecondandmore disruptivetask includesamixture of soilnailingandpartial removalof the existing ashembankmentmaterial, which willbereplacedwith layers of importedstonealternating withaplastic geomeshmaterial, inatechniqueknown as reinforcedearth. Thiswork is set totake placeduringthenext availableclosed period in 2021.
Chris concluded:“Before any passenger trains run over either of the two locations, the permanent way department will have to correct the track geometry due to themovement that has taken place over the lockdown period.”