Beside the West Coast main line at Thrimby was a stretch of the River Leith that didn't function as a natural river should. Historically straightened, it didn’t provide good conditions for wildlife to thrive or help protect the surrounding land and buildings from flooding.
The river flowed at the foot of the embankment of a major railway line, a little too close for comfort for the 46 passenger trains and seven freight trains that go past every 24 hours – carrying up to 18,500 tonnes of medical supplies, bananas, pasta, loo roll and other essentials over the England-Scotland border. People depend on this service to run all year round without interruption. Restoring natural river processes could be the answer.
Designed by environmental consultancy, AquaUoS, with work carried out following Covid-19 guidelines by a local contractor, Metcalfe Plant Hire, work began to cut a new 1km meandering or ‘wiggling’ river channel that flows away from the railway line. The new river is 33% longer than the previously straightened river.
Other features found in natural rivers and on floodplains were also introduced to slow the flow and/or store more water during times of flood and drought.
These features will help to directly reduce flood peaks at the farm itself, as well as downstream flood risk by storing more flood water here, further upstream. The meanders and in-stream features such as riffles will provide essential habitat for fish and insects. Moving the river away from the railway embankment will protect it from erosion and the effects of flooding.
