Site compounds established in Buckinghamshire as survey work continues

A temporary site compound has been set up in a farmer’s field at Verney Junction in December 2014 and will be operational for around 40 weeks. Further compounds are being set up in Steeple Claydon and Swanbourne (20m to north of the junction) and will be operational until April 2015. The Verney Junction compound has offices and will serve as a storage site for large machinery and a vehicle parking site whilst work is being carried out on the mothballed section of track.

verney_junction_site_banner-600x300

Ground investigation surveys are taking place between Bletchley and Steeple Claydon. This involves some vegetation clearance along the mothballed railway, installing temporary drainage at locations prone to flooding and drilling bore holes for geotechnical surveys and water table investigations.

Vegetation management, general maintenance and upkeep of the railway corridor will be ongoing from February 2015 until spring. Work will be carried out Monday – Friday, 7.30am – 4.30pm, and may extend to 5.30pm in the spring and some weekend work may be required during day light.

Parsons Brinckerhoff is the principal contractor for this work, with BAM Richies undertaking the drilling work for the geotechnical surveys. Murphy’s are undertaking the vegetation clearance work with Thomson Habitats providing ecological work.

The work on the mothballed section is due to be complete by April, and will then extend to the operational railway from Claydon to Aylesbury and Princes Risborough. Local residents affected by the work are being informed by letter as work takes place in their area, and all those working on site are briefed on working responsibly in the community. The aim is to keep disturbance to a minimum.

Please cross the railway safely!

As the mothballed railway section is now being examined for design and construction issues, heavy plant is active for bore hole / drilling work and vegetation clearance. Safety must not be compromised and only designated authorised crossing points can be used for access across the railway route. The extent of use of the crossings is also being monitored by Network Rail  to assist in designing the new railway to be as safe an environment as possible.