Context

Gabions from Maccaferri filled with locally-sourced stone were used as part of significant improvements required prior to the reopening of the 35-mile Borders Railway route.

Problem

The Waverley Route, also referred to as Borders Railways, traverses through Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, finally arriving at Carlisle. As a result of the rationalisation of the railways the railway closed in 1969. 

Since the early 2000s, discussions regarding the reopening of the northern section of the railway line, and following extensive deliberations in the Scottish Parliament, the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Act 2006 was granted Royal assent in June 2006. Subsequently, the legislation was renamed the Borders Railway in August 2008, and construction work commenced in November 2012. 

The process of reopening the railway required significant improvements to be made, including widening the existing route and implementing new infrastructure. To facilitate the necessary changes, gabions were utilised in cuttings, where appropriate. These improvements were crucial in enabling the implementation of new tracks.  

Solution

Maccaferri’s gabions were used to support widened cuttings extensively along the 35-mile route which connects Edinburgh to Tweedbank. This became the single largest supply order in the UK, resulting in Maccaferri supplying 35,000m3 and installing 25,000m3 of polymer-coated woven double-twist gabions. 

Woven double-twist polymer-coated gabion units have proven to be an effective choice in infrastructure works due to their robustness, long life and ability to accommodate differential settlement. These attributes are particularly important when next to railway lines when exposed to regular vibrations.

Gabions are manufactured from steel wire with a zinc-aluminium heavy-duty galvanising and an additional polymer coating. The gabions are BBA-certified with a design life of up to 120 years. They were filled with locally-sourced stone and hand-packed at the front face to provide a high-quality, attractive dry stone wall type finish.