Repair and Restoration of Carlisle Rail Routes

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Northern service passing over the repaired Petteril Bridge Junction 2022, Network Rail Passenger trains were back on track on the Tyne Valley line between Carlisle and Newcastle and the Settle to Carlisle line between Carlisle, Appleby and Skipton. The services were suspended when a freight train derailed back in October. On October 19, a freight train carrying powdered cement derailed. This not only caused major damage to the rail infrastructure, but also created a giant mess. Giant vacuums had to be deployed to remove around 80 tonnes of powdered cement from the three of the 11 wagons that needed lifting. Furthermore, eight meters of track had to be replaced, as well as 400 meters of cabling and two switches. The Victorian-built railway bridge needed repairs and reinforcements, too. Some 125 tonnes of concrete was poured for the job. All in all, more than 40 people worked seven days a week for 7 weeks to get the job done, putting in a total of 25,000 hours.