Network Rail is investing £1.6 million to carry out major strengthening and drainage work to Whalley Viaduct – an iconic structure that forms an integral part of the Clitheroe to Manchester route in the heart of the Ribble Valley. This work forms part of its Railway Upgrade Plan.
What will this work involve?
In total, 2,800 steel brackets, along with 16,800 anchors and fixings, will be used to carry out long-term strengthening work to the sides of the viaduct.
We will also be installing 1.4km of handrails to create safer working conditions for our workforce as part of their on-going maintenance work to keep East Lancashire’s railways up and running.
Additionally at ground level, we will install 400m of drainage and 16 catch pits, including a flow control chamber. If the river level rises, the flap valve within the chamber will shut, causing the drainage system to act as a holding tank for the water collected from the track. This new system will reduce the amount of water entering the river during periods of heavy rainfall.
All this work will be completed without disruption to passenger and freight services.
When will the work start?
+ The viaduct works will take place between 3rd October 2016 through to 31st March 2017 and will involve 24 hour working.
+ The drainage improvements will start on the 10th October 2016 for approximately five weeks between the hours of Monday to Friday 07:00 – 16:00.
Keeping the local community informed
A letter (click here to download) outlining the work has been issued to homes and businesses near to the viaduct. Feel free to pass on this information on to anyone else who may be interested in this work.
Please be assured we understand the inconvenience and disruption our work may cause. The type of equipment and machinery we use does mean some disturbance is unavoidable, but we will make every effort to minimise any unnecessary noise.
Safety is our priority and for this reason, work of this nature must be carried out when trains are not running. Under our licence conditions, we are contractually obliged to work, whenever possible, at times that cause the least disruption to train services. Unfortunately, this means carrying out a lot of our improvements during the night and at weekends.
Network Rail
Public Affairs Manager
London North Western