Southern Renewals Enterprise completes urgent repair works on Ore tunnel
The VolkerFitzpatrick Southern Renewals Enterprise (SRE) team successfully carried out repair works to the Ore tunnel near Hastings during October half term.
The engineers repaired brickwork and sprayed concrete along 1,282 metres of the 1851-built Ore tunnel to keep the railway infrastructure inside the tunnel safe from water damage. The 16-day blockade of the Ore tunnel began on 19 October and was delivered in collaboration with supply chain partners BAM Nuttall Ltd and Design partner COWI. The work will improve reliability for Southern passengers along the Marshlink route which connects Hastings with Ashford.
The team also conducted an extensive site investigation across the remaining tunnel. This involved gathering additional rock bolt testing and performing a GPR survey to identify any voids. The findings will provide crucial information to support the design for the Year 3 works.
VolkerFitzpatrick is the Building and Civils partner for the Southern Renewals Enterprise (SRE), working in partnership with AtkinsRéalis, Octavius, VolkerRail and Network Rail, to deliver the southern region’s £9bn renewals portfolio between 2024 and 2034.
“The successful completion of the urgent tunnel repairs at Ore Tunnel, was a remarkable achievement under tight timelines. The team overcame significant logistical challenges, from securing land access to managing ecological and safety considerations, all the while protecting right time hand back. Despite the complexity and compressed timeframe, the project was delivered without incident, showcasing exceptional teamwork and meticulous planning. This is a real showcase of what VolkerFitzpatrick and the SRE can achieve for Network Rail in the Southern Region. Thanks to everyone involved.”
Mike Sheridan Operations Director, Buildings and Civils for VolkerFitzpatrick on the Southern Renewals Enterprise
