Browney Curve reinforcement work

We have completed a £33million project to reinforce over 1km of land at Browney Curve in County Durham.  

The land at Browney Curve, which the East Coast Main Line sits on, is an active landslip, and our teams monitor the ground to see if there’s any movement and to make sure it’s safe for trains to run.  

What work took place?

The major £33m land reinforcement project at Browney Curve on the East Coast Main Line was successfully completed in March 2025, securing this key part of the railway for generations to come, whilst achieving significant carbon savings through innovative engineering approaches.

The project, which began in September 2023, has successfully stabilised a section of railway line that runs alongside the River Browney in County Durham.

Several innovative approaches were implemented to reduce the environmental impact of the engineering work, including by saving:

• Nearly 9,000 tonnes of CO2 by using non-prime second-hand steel stock
• Over 600 tonnes of CO2 by sourcing materials from local suppliers, which also invested in the County Durham economy
• A further 600 tonnes of CO2 through technical innovations in the pile design
• The work was completed on time and we’ll return to site later this year to plant trees by the river to prevent erosion.
• It’s key to mention this proactive intervention was vital to maintaining good performance on the East Coast Main Line, especially with the East Coast Timetable Change coming up in December 2025.

Contact us

For more information or to get in touch with us, please contact us by visiting our contact us page or by calling our 24-hour national helpline on 03457 11 41 41.