Engineers working flat out to re-open railway to Barrow after storm damage

Network Rail engineers have been working to repair damage to the railway after heavy flooding caused the railway cutting to collapse onto the tracks.

Last week, Network Rail attended the site to stem the flow of a nearby stream which had found its way onto the railway. The location was being carefully monitored and a speed restriction was in place as a safety precaution.

Over the weekend (23 – 24 November) Storm Bert brought strong winds, snow, and extreme rainfall to Cumbria. With a rise in temperature on Saturday morning, the snow melted and joined the watercourse. The already delicate location was overwhelmed by the volume of water, which flooded the tracks and damaged the earth of the cutting.

Engineers are on site to repair the damage to the track and the earth surrounding it. Approximately 240 tonnes of earth has already been removed from the tracks.

The railway is expected to reopen tomorrow (Tuesday 26 November) with a speed restriction of 20mph on a stretch of line that would normally see trains run at 40mph.

Network Rail is planning to carry out a permanent repair to the location as soon as possible.

Chris Pye, North West route infrastructure director, said: “We are very sorry to passengers travelling between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster whose journeys have been disrupted by the flooding damage at Ulverston.

“Plans for a long-term fix to the site are already underway following last week’s flooding. We have been working around the clock to remove debris from the tracks and reopen the railway as quickly as possible.

“We expect to be able to run services tomorrow morning, but I’d advise passengers to check National Rail Enquiries before they travel.”

Passengers are advised to check how their journeys between Barrow-In-Furness and Lancaster are affected.