A section of the Cumbrian coast rail line will close for 23 days in August.
Network Rail has announced that the line between Sellafield and Workington will close from August 30 so its engineers can replace a section of track in the Bransty Tunnel.
Part of the line has been affected by the orange water flowing from abandoned mines through the tunnel before discharging into Whitehaven Harbour – however its bosses said the work was not designed to solve the problem.
No one source has been identified for the orange colour of the water and a task force has been set up to look at all the options to rectify the problem.
Earlier this year, Whitehaven & Workington MP Josh MacAlister said it was believed the work in Bransty Tunnel would help improve the situation.
He said in February: “However, it isn’t the permanent solution we need and I continue to work to secure funding for a long term fix through the cross-government team I set up with the Water Minister.”
This week, Network Rail said: “The discharge of the ochre-contaminated water, first reported in December 2022, is subject to ongoing discussions with several public bodies and local stakeholders.
“In the interim and separate to these discussions, Network Rail is undertaking the scheduled track renewal works, with the track and drainage in Bransty tunnel being replaced, to ensure its longevity for the future.”
It said that the track renewal work was part of Network Rail’s normal track and drainage work and was not designed to stop orange water flowing into the harbour.
Phil James, North West route director, said: “We know that local residents are frustrated about the historic mine water in Whitehaven Harbour.
“Our focus is on keeping the railway running safely through Bransty tunnel. We have had to take extra time to carefully plan this work and gain the necessary permissions. We are now fully committed to delivering a full renewal of the track and drainage in August.”
Craig Harrop, regional director for train operator Northern, said: “Work to protect the reliability of the rail infrastructure is essential for our future service delivery and despite the short-term disruption it might bring, it is always welcome.
“Customers can rest assured we will put a plan in place to ensure they can still get to where they want to be during the line closure. More details will be released closer to the date.”
Network Rail has been working with the Environment Agency and the Mining Remediation Authority – formerly the Coal Authority – to ensure it had the necessary permits and permissions for the work, it said.
