Train boosts £6m pipe dream

Severn Trent Water's £6 million scheme to improve water supplies in south Shropshire is staying on track thanks to the Severn Valley Railway.

A train delivered 50 new water pipes last night to the Trimpley water treatment works near Bewdley, therefore avoiding lorry journeys along narrow local roads, which could have been difficult due to the size of the pipes.

The water company is continuing with its efforts to lay the Trimpley to Hollywaste rural supply main.

The new pipeline will allow additional water to be supplied from Trimpley Reservoir to south Shropshire.

About 6km of pipe has now been laid beneath the B4363 between Six Ashes and Buttonoak.

John Tuck, Severn Trent's project manager for the scheme, said: "We've taken up Severn Valley Railway's kind offer to transport these huge pipes using one of their steam engines.

"Because each pipe measures six metres in length it was going to be a tricky job to deliver them by road.

"By venturing back to the age of steam, our pipes were delivered on a journey taking no more than 15 minutes and they will be unloaded exactly where we need them without disturbing local road users and residents."

The steam engine, laden with the pipes, left Kidderminster station, after normal business on the line finished for the day. Although there is no official station at the water site, permission was granted to stop and unload the special cargo.

The pipes are part of the £6 million project to construct an extra water main linking the Trimpley water treatment works and the underground service reservoir at Hollywaste near Cleobury Mortimer.

This will strengthen the water supply network in the area and means that, when complete, additional water can be pumped to almost 60,000 people across an area ranging from Craven Arms in the west, to Romsley in the east and Bridgnorth to the north of the county.

By Dani Webb