Work to stabilise a cutting at Templecombe on the Somerset/Dorset border is progressing well as Network Rail aims to have the work complete, and the railway reopen, on Monday 22 June 2020.
The project has successfully passed the half-way point as Network Rail engineers continue to work around the clock to repair and upgrade the railway following last year’s landslip.
At the same time, engineers are taking advantage of the lack of trains to carry out soke other work in the area. So far, they have:
- Inserted a number of four-metre steel soil nails into the slope at Templecombe, reinforced by cement to stop any further movement;
- Built a 40-metre gabion wall at the bottom of the cutting, adding further protection;
- Replaced 400 metres of track in the Gillingham (Dorset) area;
- Replaced part of the roof at Sherborne station;
- Improved the appearance of both Sherborne and Templecombe stations by removing vegetation, replacing fencing and repainting the buildings.
Network Rail’s route director for Wessex, Mark Killick, said: “We are at the midpoint of the project and I would like to thank those who needed to travel for their patience while we carry out these works.
“The team have worked tirelessly to deliver a more reliable railway now and for generations to come.”
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