Fifteen-foot icicles block UK Railway Line
Network Rail engineers are working to remove 15ft-long icicles which have formed in a railway tunnel between Manchester and Buxton.
The icicles, in Eaves Tunnel, pose a safety risk for drivers and passengers should they hit, or be hit by trains.
Until the icicles are removed no trains can run through the area.
Engineers are using all tools available to remove the icicles including snow ploughs and railway vehicles. Scaffolding has been installed inside certain areas of the tunnel to remove hard-to-reach ice.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Due to the treacherous conditions at Eaves Tunnel, we’ve closed the Hazel Grove to Buxton line to trains for safety reasons.
“To get the line up and running as quickly as possible, we’re using a number of methods. This includes using our own snow ploughs, road rail vehicles, as well as installing scaffolding inside the tunnel to hack away at the sheer number of icicles that have formed as a result of the cold weather.”
With the current freezing conditions set to continue over the next few days, Network Rail’s Team Orange are using all available resource to remove icicles from Eaves Tunnel and any other locations where they may form.
