Merseyloop, Liverpool

Client: BIRSE RAIL
Replacement of almost 600m of slab track within the single bore tunnel of the underground network.

Working in a restrictive environment deep under the streets of Liverpool, Story Rail replaced a section of the Mersey Rail underground line with a new, cast in-situ concrete track slab and third rail permanent way. Due to the location of the works, Story Rail had to use novel solutions to import materials and export the broken out materials from the old slab. This involved close collaboration and testing with suppliers to produce a concrete mix that could be pumped from the streets above, down a ventilation shaft and re-pumped the length of the project. Installation of a complex ventilation system to manage the airflow of the tunnel was essential to carry out the project, to allow men and machines to work side by side. To complete the circle, Story Rail handled the waste from the project at its Kingmoor LDC, unloading the Engineering Trains and disposing of the spoil.