Thanks to an ambitious and unique joint volunteering effort by many companies across the rail sector, the Severn Valley Railway has succeeded in re-laying track across its newly repaired Mor Brook bridge in Shropshire.

This was achieved in record time and at zero cost, ahead of ‘Flying Scotsman’ hauling the first public service this season to reunite the whole line on Friday 25 July.

With only a short timescale to complete the job, one of the SVR’s directors used his extensive network of main line railway contacts to secure volunteer people power, equipment, support services and consumables at no cost to the heritage line.

On Wednesday 16 July, the ‘Orange Army Volunteer All Stars’ came together to complete the work, following repairs to the damaged bridge and embankment at Mor Brook.

SVR director Steve Featherstone said: “It was clear we needed a very fast solution for our track re-lay, once we’d secured the visit of ‘Flying Scotsman’, and we had an incredibly short timescale to get things done. I started making phone calls to contacts in the rail industry, and was completely knocked out by their willingness to get involved and the generosity of so many companies.

“It’s been quite a job pulling all this together, but it has worked out tremendously well. The camaraderie and atmosphere on site was amazing.”

The companies taking part in the exercise included A P Webb, AWE Technologies, Balfour Beatty, Central Rail Systems Alliance, CML, Colas, Crown Group, Forestry, Rail & Civils Ltd, Ganymede Solutions, Interflon, Network Rail, Rail Power and Construction Ltd, Shannon Rail, Staytite, Vital and VP Rail.

“Whilst repairs to the embankment and bridge structure were covered largely by insurance, the track re-lay element wasn’t,” added Steve. “In record time, this superb team has been able to carry out a task that would have taken the railway’s own very small permanent way gang around three weeks to complete. It’s made all the difference, and we are hugely grateful.”