Train journeys through Derbyshire’s High Peak are secure after the completion of repairs to a landslip at New Mills.

The landslip affected the Sheffield to Manchester line, and thousands of tonnes of stone were used to prevent further movement of the ground next to the line.

The landslip occurred in April 2024 at Hague Bar in New Mills in April 2024, since when Network Rail teams have been working to repair it. Drone footage released by Network Rail shows how the work will protect passenger and freight services so they can run safely and reliably for years to come.

To complete the work, the project required:

• The ground was reshaped, and two large walls were built to prevent further movement.
• 35,000 tonnes of stone to stabilise the hillside and protect the riverbank.
• Installation of a 200-metre-long drainage system to control water flow from the surrounding area.
• Installation of 270 12-metre-tall vertical piles into the bedrock to prevent further movement.

A lidar animation released by Network Rail, comprising dozens of separate scans taken from various locations underneath and on top of the embankment, shows how the new walls are supported below ground.

Further work is being undertaken near New Mills town centre to prevent another landslip and to strengthen the lineside.

The £5.5m project will stabilise the earth by regrading the slope and improving the drainage, and is planned for completion this autumn.

“I’d like to thank the residents in the Hague Bar area of New Mills for their patience during this work. Emergency railway work can have a significant impact on the local community, and we do everything we can to be the best temporary neighbour possible. Our team on-site have felt warmly welcomed by the community.

Landslips are becoming increasingly common on Britain’s railway network, such as near Lydney on the Gloucester to Chepstow line, and on the Severn Valley Railway.

“As a final goodbye from the project, we’re funding upgraded children’s play equipment and resurfacing of the car park area that we were grateful to use in our compound area during the work. We’ve worked closely with New Mills Town Council and Derbyshire County Council throughout this work, and we’re grateful for their cooperation.”

@Will Bell, scheme project manager at Network Rail