Works are progressing at Shugborough Tunnel, where Story Contracting’s Rail division have recently begun external works as part of tunnel’s ongoing refurbishment.
Over the past year, the team have been undertaking repairs to the lining of the tunnel alongside subcontractors Geobear. This has involved eight hidden shafts being filled in by coring into the tunnel crown and injecting a specialist geopolymer resin.
The team have also been drilling holes around the previously located shafts to allow the Geopolymer 2443 to be injected into the annulus behind the tunnel lining to provide structural integrity.
The most recent works outside of the tunnel will see the team begin to infill the remaining sections of the shafts from above, with the site compound and access routes set up towards the end of February to create the required working areas for the team.
The works, on behalf of Network Rail, will mitigate risks associated with the hidden shafts and provide greater resilience for this section of the railway, which carries the West Coast Main Line beneath the Shugborough Estate, between the stations of Rugeley Trent Valley and Stafford.
Project Agent at Story Contracting and Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) for the project, Joe Redman, recently appeared on the Engineering Matters podcast to explain the situation at Shugborough, and the progress made by the team so far.
To listen to the podcast, click here.
Early stages of the site setup outside Shugborough Tunnel
