Suspended Drapery
2007
Drumbuie, Scotland
Network Rail
Trac Engineering Ltd
Donaldson Associates
Remote Railway Rockfall Protection
Steelgrid rolls ready for deployment into works
Hanging Steelgrid using trackside plant
During construction using roped access specialists
During construction using roped access specialists
Project nearing completion
Completed project
Problem
The Kyle line is a remote part of Network Rail’s infrastructure comprising a single bi-directional track between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh. The construction of the line was challenging in its time and was phased to meet funding commitments. Indeed, the line terminated at Stromeferry for many years due to the technical challenges of extending to Kyle of Lochalsh itself through over 90 individual rock cuttings. These rock cuttings continue to pose Network Rail an asset problem with rock falls a potential and realised hazard which interferes with the safe operation of the railway.
Solution
Network Rail conducts annual inspections and assessments of all their rock slopes and the Kyle Line is no exception. As part of their asset management strategy rock slope maintenance comprising vegetation management and scaling was implemented in 2007 at Kyle. Network Rail’s assessment of KYL YD020 highlighted the potential rockfall hazard from the cut slope up to 16m in height. The initial phase of maintenance confirmed Network Rail’s fears. TRAC Engineering uncovered an upper slope comprising stacked cobbles and boulders extending to 40m directly on top of the cut slope. During the vegetation clearance rock fall occurred amounting to over 900T of material, which shut the line for 2 days while TRAC Engineering’s team worked to stabilise the area.