Osborne Completes Emergency Repairs in Holes Bay

Osborne has completed and handed back the Poole to Hamworthy line to Network Rail, following a second weekend of emergency works to repair the railway embankment.

Part of the five year, £250million One Team Wessex Programme, Osborne repaired the railway line, which carries the Waterloo to Weymouth route across the tidal Holes Bay Nature Reserve in Poole, where the embankment has been damaged through years of natural tidal erosion.

Osborne worked closely with Network Rail and the Marine Management Organisation to gain access to the site over two weekend possessions. This enabled Poole Borough Council to inspect the site as part of their Holes Bay Saltmarsh Regeneration project.

Justine Hawkes, Environmental Technician at Poole Borough Council said: “Due to the shallowness of Holes Bay the only way to be able to access the Saltmarsh is via the railway line.  This would have been impossible without Osborne’s help. We are extremely grateful to them for their assistance with this project.”

Michael Livesey, Poole resident said: “Poole Harbour and the Nature Reserve are such wonderful places. Speaking with the workforce, I was so pleased to hear about the lengths they were going to ensuring its protection. ”

Benjamin Leng, Assistant Site Manger for Osborne said: “The works have really progressed well, especially considering the restrictions that have been imposed due to the location and the overall nature of them. We were really pleased to assist Poole Borough Council with facilitating access via the railway line for their Saltmarsh Regeneration project survey.”