Eymore Cutting
Eyemore Cutting is located at the south (Bewdley) end of Victoria Bridge. The site was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by English Nature due to the unusual geology, a rare occurrence of coal-bearing mudstones appearing at surface level. Unfortunately this geology has proved less than stable over the years.
Wet weather in the winter of 2000-2001 resulted in a rockfall on the west side of the cutting. Although the rocks which blocked the line were quickly removed, the cutting side remained unstable and English Nature required the SVR to engineer a solution to the problem which would not damage the site. While this was developed in Spring 2001 a watchman was permanently on duty as on running days to warn approaching trains if necessary[1]. English Nature rejected the use of a retaining wall or additional ‘gabions’ to those already in place, and opted for the cutting wall to be re-profiled at a shallower angle[2].
Another rockfall occurred in February 2005. This required further re-profiling of the cutting wall[3].
The ground between Victoria Bridge and the entrance to Eyemore Cutting was one of the areas affected the freak storms in June and July 2007. The earlier rockfalls occurred in the curring, just beyond the signal in the picture.