Erosion Management on Railway Embankment - Salix Solutions

Salix were brought in as specialist experts in erosion management at an embankment in Rodbourne.

Revegetated railway embankment

Rodbourne railway embankment bare soils

The aggregate that the embankment was constructed with

Rodbourne railway embankment sprayed with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Rodbourne railway embankment spraying with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Rodbourne railway embankment spraying with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Rodbourne railway embankment spraying with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Several months on and the HydraCX has shown impressive revegetation

Several months on and the HydraCX has shown impressive revegetation

Revegetated railway embankment

Bare soil

Soil conditions

Rodbourne railway embankment sprayed with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Spraying with HydraCX

Spraying with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Spraying with HydraCX for rapid vegetation

Several months on and the HydraCX has shown impressive revegetation

Several months on and the HydraCX has shown impressive revegetation

Salix were brought in as specialist experts in erosion management at an embankment in Rodbourne.

All the topsoil at this railway embankment had been completely stripped as a part of the works.

We used our HydraCX hydraulically applied erosion control blanket as it is particularly suited for this kind of work. It achieves rapid germination even when there is no top soil, as in this instance.

This system is better than standard hydroseeding, being 99.6% effective in the reduction of soil erosion under extreme rainfall in independent large-scale slope testing and has faster seed establishment than any other method. This system, when used with biochar, is a zero carbon system.

The right team and the right product

“I’d like to express my thanks to Salix for doing a fantastic job here.

You helped me out of a problem on Friday when the measure increased on the embankment at site 1 and you basically just got stuck in and delivered.

Your approach to the scheme is exactly how I want sub-contractors to be when they work for Balfour Beatty and I look forward to working with Salix again in the future.

I will be praising your services to our procurement dept, my colleagues, Network Rail and anyone else that wants to listen!”

Paul Shaw, Site Manager at Balfour Beatty Rail

Products Used

Spraying-TerrAffix-Hydrasoil-at-Frongoch

TerrAffix Soil Solutions

TerrAffix biochar stabilises & restores degraded soils, providing plants with nutrients whilst actively reducing pollutants in the soil & locking in carbon

Details

Client: Balfour Beatty Rail
Location: Rodbourne
Green Infrastructure, Rail, Soil Erosion

Your staff are always friendly, knowledgeable and helpful and we have always been pleased with the service and the quality of the wetland plants and planting services. Technical knowledge on erosion control is also excellent. Keep up the good work!

Living Water Ecosystems Ltd

We invited Salix to re-landscape the watercourse through a design and build project. The works to the watercourse were completed within two weeks of starting on site and, despite a number of prolonged heavy rain events both during and after the works, the pre-established coir rolls and pallets all began putting on new growth within a matter of days providing the watercourse with instant channel vegetation and protection to the toe of the banks. The VMax reinforcement used to stabilise the slopes has also prevented any erosion to the sandy soil beneath and has allowed the rapid establishment of grass which wouldn’t have otherwise been possible.

South Ribble Council

We used HydraCX for the first time on a Network Rail project in Chipping Campden. We wanted to establish vegetation growth as quickly as possible on a slope with poor ground conditions without the need for importing topsoil due to possession time constraints. HydraCX provided an excellent growing medium for rapid germination.

Carillion Rail

Excellent overall performance – very approachable and offered a good sustainable solutions to rectify a significant erosion scour to the river foreshore without comprising the existing flood defence. Carried out work to agreed timescale and budget. Certainly would value their future input.

Environment Agency, Leeds

We have worked with Salix on a number of projects throughout East Anglia over the last 6 years, and we have always found them to be highly professional and competent. We have used their services as suppliers of quality wetland plants, with a traceable provenance, and as contractors to both supply and plant the wetland plants. In addition we have always relied on the technical advice and knowledge of David Holland, in particular, to help answer queries from our clients regarding wetland planting schemes we have been involved in, this is an added value part of their service, for which we are grateful.

UPM Tilhill

Atkins has worked with Salix on a number of projects, collaborating on design concept, trialling and implementation. We have found their experience valuable in delivering cost effective and environmentally functional solutions.

Atkins

HydraCX gave an immediate impression the embankment was grassed, making it more visually pleasing to our travelling customers. The rapidity of grass growth was exceptional and it added additional strength to the slope surface.

Network Rail