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add link to S&T article on restoration and confirm last section to be re-opened
*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.
*Victoria Bridge: Another washout immediately south of Victoria Bridge left the track suspended in mid-air. A new concrete retaining wall was installed, including a large drainage chamber.
An appeal for help was launched within days, and many fellow railways as well as members of the public rallied round to help the SVR. The final cost of repairs was approximately £3.7m. Of this total, grants from the European Regional Development Fund, Advantage West Midlands and the Heritage Lottery Fund amounted to approximately £1.9m, insurance contributed approximately £1.0m with the balance met by funds from the public appeal and SVR reserves.
A description of some of the repair work undertaken by the SVR's Signal & Telecommunications Department is contained in this article from SVR News reproduced on their informal web site. ( [http://www.svrsig.org.uk/svr/Iss161.htm Link] )
==Sources==
