Officials say work is “underway in earnest” to repair the historic Carlisle to Settle railway line following a landslip.

Earth is being shifted from the site by rail – and those overseeing work say it is on schedule and should be sorted by spring next year.

A section of the line near Armathwaite has been closed since February due to a 500,000-tonne landslip at Eden Brows.

Work, which is expected to cost £32 million, has involved installing test pilings, which are used as foundations.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “Work is now underway in earnest at Eden Brows, with the test pilings now completed and work underway to start shifting more of the troublesome earth from the site.

“In order to avoid having to disrupt neighbouring communities with wagons of earth, we are removing the earth by rail.”

Massive work will be going on in the run-up to the end of the year.

The spokesman added: “Over the coming months, we will be using two rigs to drill and insert huge piles to create a structure to support the railway.

“When completed, this structure will have a metre-thick concrete slab placed on top, serving as a solid foundation for the newly-laid track.

“Work is on programme thus far and the railway remains on target to be complete and operational by March 2017.”

The line was originally closed between Carlisle and Appleby.

But passengers travelling north are now able to go as far as Armathwaite following efforts to aid customers.

Passengers have been using replacement bus services.

Trees that sit next to the track had to be removed so that teams could gain access to the site.

According to local sources, a landslide occurred in exactly the same spot in the 1870s, while the Settle to Carlisle line was being built.

It took the Victorians two years to repair it.