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add gallery of flood damage photos from Geograph / Wikimedia Commons
*Hampton Loade: The side of the embankment collapsed by the caravan park north of Hampton Loade station. The repair was achieved using ‘reinforced earth’ and the installation of new drainage.
*[[File:Highley washout - geograph.org.uk - 552443.jpg |thumb|200px|right| Flood damage at Highley]]Highley: A large portion of the embankment opposite the cattle dock and water tower collapsed, taking with it the Highley Up starting signal. To achieve a repair the water column and cattle dock had to be removed, and the unstable ground carefully dug out in stages to avoid further collapses. New drainage was installed and the ground repaired with ‘reinforced earth’. By November a single track had been re-installed allowing rail access to the areas affected further south. Further work was then required to reinstate the cattle dock and water tower, and also to give access to the new Engine House.
*Borle viaduct: Another large collapse near Borle Viaduct was reported by a local farmer, who rang the Railway to ask “Do you know your embankment is in my field?” Once again the repair involved replacing the embankment with ‘reinforced earth’, supplemented by new drainage. The concrete and brick ‘training walls’ upstream and downstream of the viaduct itself also suffered cracking. Repairs were delayed for some months waiting for the water level in the brook to subside, but ultimately involved soil nailing and rock filled ‘gabion’ baskets. This was the final area to be reinstated shortly before the public re-opening of the full line in March 2008.
The SVR's success in recovering from the storm damage was marked by a number of awards, including the Transport Trust's 'Preservationist of the Year', the Ian Allen Publishing 'Heritage Railway of the Year' and the Heart of England Tourist Board 'Best Tourism Experience of the Year'.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Washout at Oldbury Viaduct - geograph.org.uk - 552051.jpg | Flood damage at Oldbury Viaduct
File:Hampton Loade washout - geograph.org.uk - 552455.jpg | Flood damage at Hampton Loade
File:Washout at Highley - geograph.org.uk - 552441.jpg | Flood damage at Highley
File:Highley washout - geograph.org.uk - 552443.jpg | Repairs at Highley
File:Highley washout - geograph.org.uk - 552446.jpg | Repairs at Highley
File:Washout at Victoria Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 552055.jpg | Washout at Victoria Bridge
File:Repairs at Foley Point - geograph.org.uk - 600930.jpg | Repairs at Folly Point
File:Repairs at Foley Point - geograph.org.uk - 600935.jpg | Repairs at Folly Point
</gallery>
All pictures from Geograph via Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository
==Sources==
