Thousands of tonnes of stone has been used to secure moving land beside the Sheffield to Manchester line to secure future journeys for passengers and freight.
Network Rail teams have been working in Hague Bar in New Mills since a landslip in April 2024.
Drone footage has been released showing how passenger and freight services have been protected by the work so they can run safely and reliably for years to come.
The project focused on:
- Reshaping the earth and building two large walls to prevent any further movement
- Installing 35,000 tonnes of stone to stabilise the hillside and protect the river bank
- Installing a 200 metre-long drainage system to control water flow from the surrounding area.
The improvements are designed to last for 120 years and will help make the railway more resilient to the impacts of climate change.
Will Bell, scheme project manager at Network Rail said: “I’d like to thank the residents in the Hague Bar area of New Mills for their patience during this work. Emergency railway work can have a significant impact on the local community, and we do everything we can to be the best temporary neighbour possible. Our team on site have felt warmly welcomed by the community.
“As a final goodbye from the project, we’re funding upgraded children’s play equipment and resurfacing of the car park area that we were grateful to use in our compound area during the work.
“We’ve worked closely with New Mills Town Council and Derbyshire County Council throughout this work and we’re grateful for their cooperation.”
Councillor Steve Davey, chair of New Mills Town Council said: “We would also like to thank the local community for their patience and also the staff from Network Rail who have been a pleasure to work with and very accommodating with our requests. The project expanded considerably from the one that was originally intended and has taken up lots of staff and Councillor time.
“Residents and visitors alike will be able to appreciate the reinstated footpaths and new facilities. New Mills Town Council has now taken back the site and will work with our contractors to complete the car park and new play area as soon as possible.
“There will be no vehicle access to the car park until the play area has been completed. Some important biodiversity enhancements have already taken place with additional planting planned for later this year.”
Councillor Anne Clarke, Derbyshire County Council, said: "I was pleased that Network Rail did a lot of public engagement regarding this project. Local interest was high due to the disruption, to the train service and closure of the car park, play area and footpath. The events at the Volunteer Centre and Town Hall gave residents the chance to ask questions directly and gain a clearer understanding of the task in hand, which was extremely useful.
"During the site visits, alongside local town councillors, I was able to discuss any issues specifically regarding footpaths and found the project managers, engineers and all other Network rail staff, open to listen to views and accommodating to any suggested changes.
Network Rail has also released a lidar animation that shows how the new walls are supported below ground. To prevent further movement it was necessary to install 270 vertical piles, each 12 metres tall, into the bedrock.
Elsewhere in New Mills, work to prevent another emergency landslip from happening is underway to strengthen the railway near the town centre.
£5.5m is being invested in stabilising the earth, which also involves re-grading the slope, and improving the drainage. The work, which is expected to be completed this autumn, will reduce the possibility of landslips on this important route for passengers between Manchester and Sheffield.
Image and video credits: Network Rail
