06.01.14
Rail repairs mean continued disruption in Cumbria
Train services in Cumbria are expected to be disrupted for up to a week due to damage caused by strong winds and high tides.
A 200-yard section of the Cumbrian Coast Line at Flimby remains closed after flooding washed away a section of embankment on Friday. Lineside equipment and 600 yards of ballast was also washed away at Parton and both Kirkby-in-Furness station and Braystones station were completely flooded.
A spokesman for Northern Rail said: “The line between Barrow and Workington has reopened to train services. The Cumbrian Coast Line had been closed following significant damage caused by storms and flooding.
“A number of sites were affected and Network Rail engineers have worked over the weekend to reinstate the railway at many of these locations so trains can operate between Workington and Barrow.
“However, at Flimby, where the storm washed away over 200 yards of track, the scale of the damage means that sea defences need to be rebuilt before work can begin to reinstate the track.
“Early indications are that this will take Network Rail around one week to complete. A bus replacement service will operate between Carlisle and Workington.”
Martin Frobisher, Network Rail area director, said on Friday: The storm and subsequent flooding has caused significant damage to the railway along the Cumbrian coast and our people will be working throughout the weekend to firstly assess the damage and then start work to repair our sea defences, track, replace equipment and remove debris from the line. We are sorry for the disruption this causes to passengers and we will be doing everything we can to reopen the line as early as we can.”
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