WORK has been completed on a Network Rail project to regrade a slope above a railway line near Lockerbie.
The organisation said that the works will protect the track against adverse weather, with it coming as part of a wider £300,000 project featuring 11 sites.
In total, 80 tonnes of spoil were removed from the embankment to create benches, before it was lined and reconstructed with a more permeable material to enhance drainage and improve stability on the slope.
Stone had been delivered and stockpiled in advance and a Komatsu excavator with a 13-metre reach was positioned on the crest of the slope to carry out the work, whilst a 10-tonne tipper worked to transfer spoil and stone to support. A Road Rail Vehicle (RRV) also supported from track level to assist the work and to transport additional materials.
Thomas Podger, project manager, said, “Our asset teams have identified a number of locations where the slopes adjacent to the railway are showing early signs of being vulnerable to adverse weather. By packaging multiple sites together, we can proactively and efficiently reduce this risk.
“Careful planning and coordination of effort across our business is allowing us to improve the resilience of the network in the context of the changing climate.
“While each individual site is relatively small, work across all 11 locations that have been earmarked for slope regrades will improve Scotland’s Railway for passengers and freight customers.”
