GWR heritage railway embankment repairs begin

The embankment suffered a landslip in January 2011 caused by bad weather

Work has begun to repair a heritage railway line embankment in Gloucestershire which collapsed in January 2011.

The embankment just north of Winchcombe on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway (GWR) suffered a landslip caused by bad weather.

The volunteer group which operates the line has now embarked on the £670,000 repair project.

The work is expected to take about four months to complete.

The embankment is close to where the B4632 Winchcombe to Broadway road passes underneath the railway.

Work to repair the embankment will involve digging out a substantial part of the failed earthworks and rebuilding with new material.

'Soil nails'

Other parts of the embankment will be stabilised using solutions such as "soil nails" which extend through the embankment into the ground beneath, holding the embankment in place.

The project also includes substantial drainage works.

The collapse severed the railway, so during the final stages of repair work, new track will be laid to reconnect the sections of the line.

An emergency appeal fund was set up which helped to raise the money needed.

Spokesman for the GWR Malcolm Temple said: "I'm delighted that we are now able to start work on the repair.

"It has been a long struggle but I am overwhelmed by the generosity of local people, railway enthusiasts and the heritage railway movement as a whole."