Works included designing and installing a sheet piled ramp and laydown areas to accommodate equipment for the new culvert under the railway. A new brook diversion was completed to bypass the existing brook for the new culvert works to commence.

Network Rail completed the installation of the new culvert at the end of October over a 72-hour period. Each 25 tonne culvert section was lifted into place with an 800 tonne mobile crane.

The enabling works and culvert installation were critical activities to enable the next phase of work and benefit the wider scheme.

The new £56m Rochdale and Littleborough scheme is led by the Environment Agency in partnership with Rochdale Brough Council, Network Rail, the North West RFCC, TfGM, and the Departments for Education and Transport.

The next phase of the scheme will involve the construction of linear defences, including a 22m Single Span bridge at Riverstone Bridge (Phase 1A), then a storage reservoir at Gale, piled flood walls, and a programme of measures to improve water flow and flood defences along the River Roch and its tributaries (Phase 1B).

Stuart Newby, national framework manager said: “We are delighted that we’ve reached this important milestone, allowing Network Rail to carry out its essential work on the railway. This was a key part of the project, to ensure the next phase of work can be carried out. Great work and collaboration with all partners, and our specialist businesses VolkerGround Engineering and VolkerBrooks.”

The defence scheme is being delivered in two phases, and involves a range of measures, to reduce the risk of flooding to 1,000 residential properties and 200 local businesses.