Rail and Flight Chaos - Burst Water Main Triggers Landslide

About 80,000 passengers experienced major disruptions to their journey or missed flights after a 12-inch cast-iron water pipe burst triggering a landslide that blocked a key commuter line in both directions out of Victoria Station on 1st Aug 2011. Cleshar operatives were called in to help Network Rail Engineers remove 2,500 tonnes of mud and sand from the tracks.

Problems began at about 10am on the Monday when a Victorian cast-iron water main burst near South Croydon, sending torrents of water and earth onto the tracks 150 yards away.

Cleshar staff helped Network Rail engineers work round the clock to remove 2,500 tons of mud, rubble, broken sleepers and tracks. However the damage was so severe that only two of the four lines were reopened the following morning.

Cleshar operates a 24 hour 7 days a week On-Call facility and has a fully resourced call and management centre working 365 days a year. Cleshar’s quick response, flexible approach and positive attitude helped alleviate some of the delays to the travelling public.