On 19 June 2007, severe rainfall fell on the Severn Valley between Bewdley and Bridgnorth. It is estimated that approximately 150 mm of rain fell in one hour in and around Highley.
The effect of the storms and rainfall was disastrous to our client, the Severn Valley Railway, as the line was affected by washout in some 47 locations. Of these, ten were classed as major failures requiring significant engineering input to reinstate the running line.
We acted as both civil engineer and project manager for the scheme to reinstate and stabilise the line.
At each of the major failure sites, we organised detailed site investigations in order that the most cost-effective design solution could be put forward. The solutions adopted ranged from contiguous bored pile retaining walls, reinforced earth techniques with deep counter fort drainage to soil nailing.
At the same time, we managed the repairs to the more minor damage, together with the cleaning and replacement of some 120 pipes and culverts, which had become damaged during the storm.
The line was closed from Bewdley to Bridgnorth from the morning of 19 June 2007 to 20 March 2008, when the first train ran from Bewdley to Bridgnorth to celebrate the re-opening of the line. The project to re-open the line was completed in nine months with total construction costs of £3.5 million.
