Tests underway after mysterious orange-coloured water floods Whitehaven railway tunnel

[randyrippley]

Rail engineers are trying to find out how a mysterious orange-coloured water has started to enter Corkickle tunnel

MSN

Rail engineers are trying to find out how a mysterious orange-coloured water has started to enter a railway tunnel in Whitehaven.

The tunnel, which takes trains one kilometre underground between Corkickle and Whitehaven, is prone to occasional flooding. For decades this hasn't been an issue because it has drained from the railway into the harbour.

However, since late 2022 the water in Queens Dock started to change to a rusty colour. It's believed the water, containing iron ochre, could be from historic mine workings in the area.

So now Network Rail is carrying out detailed tests to find out how and where it's getting into the tunnel, and will work together alongside the Environment Agency, Coal Authority and Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners to find a long-term solution to the problem.

Trains can only run at 20mph instead of 40mph, meaning longer journey times for passengers and freight. Phil James, Network Rail’s North West route director said: “We know this complex investigation work is causing frustration as it’s taking a long time, so we thank harbour users, rail passengers and local people for their continued patience.

“We’re committed to working with the Environment Agency and Coal Authority to find the source of the water impacting our railway tunnel and the harbour so we can plan next steps to find a solution together. Solving this is also important for our passengers and freight, whose journeys we hope will be made more reliable and faster once the source of the mysterious orange water is made clear.”

Pete Miles, Environment Agency area environment manager, said: “Analysis of water samples from Whitehaven Harbour found no evidence of sewage pollution. The results did show some increased metals in the water and we are working with Network Rail who are actively investigating this further to determine the potential source.

“People can report environmental concerns to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.”

Andy Morritt, Coal Authority head of environment strategy and sustainability, said: “We are continuing to provide assistance and expertise as required to support Network Rail’s investigations.”

Testing will be ongoing for several weeks and the results will be shared with all partner agencies as soon as possible.

 

[GingerSte]

The tunnel takes trains 1km underground? That is VERY deep!

Either there's a heck of a hill over that tunnel, or a heck of a gradient in it!

 

[gordonthemoron]

It’s probably haematite

 

[Buzby]

Orange coloured water ‘mysterious’? I’ve lost count of the tunnels I‘ve walked through with oxides in the soil oozing through.

 

[AdamWW]

Orange coloured water ‘mysterious’? I’ve lost count of the tunnels I‘ve walked through with oxides in the soil oozing through.

I suppose it might be a bit of a mystery if it's never done it before in however many years the tunnel has been there.

 

[snowball]

Perhaps it's naturally occurring IrnBru.

The report in the OP appeaars to be based on a press release with video that appeared on the NR website on Friday.

Whitehaven railway tunnel testing to seek source of mystery orange water

Tests are underway by rail engineers to find out how a mystery orange coloured water is entering a railway tunnel on the Cumbrian Coast line.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Tests are underway by rail engineers to find out how a mystery orange coloured water is entering a railway tunnel on the Cumbrian Coast line.

The tunnel, which takes trains one kilometre under ground between Corkickle and Whitehaven, sometimes floods.

To cope with that excess water and keep trains running safely, it’s connected to Whitehaven harbour by a culvert.

For decades water has drained from the railway into the harbour without an issue.

However, since late 2022 the water in Queens Dock started to change to a rusty colour.

It's believed the water, containing iron ochre, could be from historic mine workings in the area.

So now Network Rail is carrying out detailed tests* to find out how and where it's getting into the tunnel, and will work together alongside the Environment Agency, Coal Authority and Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners to find a long-term solution to the problem.

 

[Gloster]

Discussion of the matter on another forum suggests that a possible explanation is that exploratory borings related to housing developments in the area to the east of the tunnel, towards Harras Moor, have disturbed former workings. The colour of the water suggests that it has found its way down from such workings.

 

[ian1944]

Any conspiracy theorists suggesting a Sellafield connection yet? It's only about 10 miles away.

 

[dgl]

Any conspiracy theorists suggesting a Sellafield connection yet? It's only about 10 miles away.

Well it can't be from Sellafield, the water is not green and glowing

 

[Gloster]

Any conspiracy theorists suggesting a Sellafield connection yet? It's only about 10 miles away.

It is also at a lower level and water doesn’t flow uphill. Still, I am sure that somebody will say, “Ah, normal water doesn’t, but nuclear water…”

 

[AdamWW]

Well it can't be from Sellafield, the water is not green and glowing

Ah they die it orange these days to fool people.

 

[dgl]

Ah they dye it orange these days to fool people.

Those scientists are just too clever!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The water in the Bridgewater Canal in the Worsley area of Manchester has been a bright orange colour for some considerable time now. It's long been thought this is due to the water containing traces of iron oxide, or in more simple terms, rust.

As for Whitehaven railway tunnel, it is, I believe, some 1283 yds long (= 1173 metres). Looking at old OS maps, I would say that the line of Whitehaven tunnel is maybe 150 feet below the ground surface that is located immediately above.

 

[swt_passenger]

As for Whitehaven railway tunnel, it is, I believe, some 1283 yds long (= 1173 metres). Looking at old OS maps, I would say that the line of Whitehaven tunnel is maybe 150 feet below the ground surface that is located immediately above.

Yet again more typically poor English from the NR press office. Would it have been better as:
“The tunnel, which takes trains underground for about one kilometre between Corkickle and Whitehaven, sometimes floods.”

 

[Elecman]

It’s been an issue for over 12 months

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As for Whitehaven railway tunnel, it is, I believe, some 1283 yds long (= 1173 metres).

Exactly how long is Whitehaven railway tunnel? Some alternative sources have it as 1333 yds (= 1219 metres) long. My source (upthread - post #13) was 'TRACKmaps'.

 

[185]

Well it can't be from Sellafield, the water is not green and glowing

Definitely orange. I'm told 1T01 was to blame.

*i'll get my coat

 

[OhNoAPacer]

There is a culvert that empties into the Queens Dock that has been discharging orange coloured water into the harbour for about 12 months, apparently the culvert is the outfall for the tunnel drainage, hence the investigation.

 

[Lucy1501]

Water ingress has always been an issue in the tunnel, and it needed to be relined over a 10 year period in the middle of the last century after around 100 years of use. It is surrounded by former mine workings, and a culvert is in the middle of it as it crosses a beck. It occasionally caused havock with the track circuits in the tunnel, which up until the 90s was worked under Track Circuit Block between Corkickle and Bransty.

Over the last few years the flooding has been getting worse and worse, obviously the massive colour change in the harbour has brought attention to it on a much larger scale! I believe that the track circuiting in the tunnel has now been removed which is possible since it is now token working to St Bees.

I suppose the good thing about the speed drop is that it is having little effect on passenger timings with stations being either end of the tunnel, it'll be the freights that are really suffering.

Exactly how long is Whitehaven railway tunnel? Some alternative sources have it as 1333 yds (= 1219 metres) long. My source (upthread - post #13) was 'TRACKmaps'.

The physical signs at Bransty and Corkickle stations (which date from at least the early 90s) say that the tunel is 1322 yards, however the sectional appendix lists it as 1283 yards. That being said, the sign at Bransty is located beyond the road bridge after the tunnel portal, so it could be including that?

 

[paul1609]

There is a culvert that empties into the Queens Dock that has been discharging orange coloured water into the harbour for about 12 months, apparently the culvert is the outfall for the tunnel drainage, hence the investigation.

If I was a local councillor and saw this you tube video

, Id want an explanantion (not an endorsement of turdtowns by me!)

 

[johnnychips]

If I was a local councillor and saw this you tube video

, Id want an explanantion (not an endorsement of turdtowns by me!)

OT, but the author of Turdtowns often cites a good rail link as a positive factor in an otherwise negative view of a place.

On topic, he does say that if the orange material could be cleared, Whitehaven harbour would be so nicer. There must be a link (as others have implied) to the stuff in the tunnel and the stuff in the sea.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

It’s probably haematite

My guess too.

 

[Pinus contorta]

Even the sheep are that odd orange colour when you go towards the old mine workings near to Rowrah

 

[McRhu]

Bottle it and sell it in the West of Scotland as 'Larkhall Spring'.

 

[D6130]

Bottle it and sell it in the West of Scotland as 'Larkhall Spring'.

....or natural unfiltered Irn Bru?

 

[StoneRoad]

I've a part share in a boat at White Orangehaven.

The marina went orange mid-November last year [2022].

IMO - It's definitely water draining out of old mine workings.
The colour is quite distinctive ie rusty, as are the deposits on the harbour walls.
And the tidemark on the swans, boats etc.

The fun and games are going to be finding a way of collecting it for treatment, and finding somewhere to do that effectively.

I took a load of pictures mid-October when t'boat was launched after her much delayed winter overhaul.
They should be appearing here : http://www.ipernity.com/doc/312383/album/1348480
in a short while [after they've had some captions added] and ditto for some other images showing the state of the harbour.

I've a part share in a boat at White Orangehaven.

The marina went orange mid-November last year [2022].

IMO - It's definitely water draining out of old mine workings.
The colour is quite distinctive ie rusty, as are the deposits on the harbour walls.
And the tidemark on the swans, boats etc.

The fun and games are going to be finding a way of collecting it for treatment, and finding somewhere to do that effectively.

I took a load of pictures mid-October when t'boat was launched after her much delayed winter overhaul.
They should be appearing here : http://www.ipernity.com/doc/312383/album/1348480
in a short while [after they've had some captions added] and ditto for some other images showing the state of the harbour.

I took a load of pictures mid-October when t'boat was launched after her much delayed winter overhaul.
They should be appearing here : http://www.ipernity.com/doc/312383/album/1348480
in a short while [after they've had some captions added] and ditto for some other images showing the state of the harbour.

e2a - try this one --- http://www.ipernity.com/doc/312383/52182020/in/album/1348480 as the first "taste" ...
the other images are in the swans & general whitehaven albums and should be appearing in public quite soon.

 

[IslandDweller]

I'm in my mid 60s now, grew up in West Cumbria. Anyone of my age will remember that the River Ehen through Egremont (a few miles from Whitehaven) used to run orange all year long. It was from the pumps draining water from the seams at Florence Pit, an iron ore mine just outside Egremont. So I'm also backing those who say this orange water will from an old mine seam. West Cumbria is riddled with former mine workings. both coal and iron ore.

 

[JKF]

I suspect it’s the source that is the ‘mystery’, not the contents of the liquid, which could be easily determined in a few days via lab testing which I assume they will have done early on. Again, poor wording in the article.

 

[AndrewE]

I suspect it’s the source that is the ‘mystery’, not the contents of the liquid, which could be easily determined in a few days via lab testing which I assume they will have done early on. Again, poor wording in the article.

Less than that. The only thing that needs investigating is how many inflows there are and where you put the treatment plant - and who pays for it!

An area famous for haematite mines (one still open and doing tourist trips not long ago,) but it is more likely to be the coal workings all around, which also usually have iron pyrites (iron sulphide) in the strata. Disturb the rocks, allow air in, the movement of aerated groundwater a) oxidises the pyrites to something nasty and acidic and b) transports it to the surface where it then changes again and dumps the iron as "ochre." Haematite is a lovely stable mineral and I would guess probably quite unlikely to be the source of the contamination.

Harecastle canal tunnel is another good example: it (dis)colours the canal for quite a long way down the slope through Cheshire. And it was partly paid for by the iron ore, definitely not haematite in that case, extracted (by boat) as they were digging the original tunnel.

 

[coppercapped]

The Rio Tinto in Spain gets its name from the colour of its water as it flows through a region of interesting mineral deposits.