Flying Scotsman marks Settle to Carlisle line reopening

The Flying Scotsman will mark the opening of the line after a year of repairs. Credit: PA

The Flying Scotsman will travel on the Settle to Carlisle line to mark the reopening of the railway.

The track was shut for repairs for over a year as engineers worked to shore up the 500,000 tonne landslip, which threatened the line's future.

The section of line was shut to trains from February 9 2016 at Eden Brows, near Armathwaite village, south of Carlisle.

This was after Network Rail's aerial surveillance noticed the ground slipping beneath the railway towards the River Eden 70 metres below.

Repairs have included:

  • Clearing the 70m slope of vegetation.

  • Excavating 4m below track level before installing piles.

  • 16,000 tonnes of spoil removed from site.

  • Installing a concrete guide wall to assist with piling works

  • 226 steel-cased piles. Laid end to end the piles would stretch more than 4km.

  • 1,300 cubic metres of concrete poured.