Underwater concrete is being poured by specialist divers to protect two railway viaducts in Carlisle which carry the West Coast main line. The work is being carried out after laser surveys by Network Rail revealed fast-flowing water on the River Eden had caused parts of the riverbed to wash away – posing a risk to the foundations of the viaducts. Because of the deterioration of the riverbed, trains have been passing over the structures – one Victorian, one built in the 1940s – at just 20mph.
About 900 tonnes of special setting concrete is now being poured by the diving teams to provide a stable platform for the viaducts’ columns or piers. The work is being carried out on the structures as part of a £1.3 million Great North Rail Project investment. The divers, from Scour Protection, work in challenging conditions to shore up underwater structures such as bridges and viaducts around the UK and beyond.