West St Leonards Slope Stabilisation Project

Overview

BAM Ritchies were originally involved in the West St Leonards slope stabilisation project as the Ground Investigation contractor between March and August 2018. This followed the discovery of a major landslip on the Tonbridge to Hastings railway line close to West St Leonards station in 2016.

Following a review of the ground investigation data, a soil nailing solution was designed by Tony Gee & Partners who were working for Principal Contractor BAM Nuttall under Network Rail’s CP6 Framework in East Sussex. BAM Ritchies were then engaged as the specialist contractor to deliver the soil nailing works. This would stabilise the 25m high cutting and protect the railway below, where the busy Tonbridge to Hastings and Brighton lines meet.

BAM Ritchies’ geotechnical work on this scheme involved extensive trials to validate the design, installation of a temporary anchor support system for the drilling rigs, drilling of over 1400 soil nails, and the installation of 6000m2 of Tecco Green mesh; all with no disruption to the operational railway at the toe of the slope.

This project encountered numerous challenges, including unforeseen ground conditions attributed to heavy faulting through adjacent Bo Peep Tunnel. Extremely limited access to the crest of the cutting and working through the wettest February on record on the windy South coastline.

Organised by ICE North West Geotechnical Group.