Dawlish sea wall collapse

[ushawk]

A BBC journalist has just Tweeted saying that NR have told him Dawlish could be the 'biggest job they've ever faced'.

Says it all really. The track under the sea wall is now reclaimed by the sea. Network Rail now need to somehow rebuild it and I'm not sure they have ever had to do that before - going to be a massive challenge.

If 4 HSTs are stuck down there, is there enough slack in the fleet to allow them to stay there or is there a need to move them by road ?

 

[motherwell334]

Network rail bloke on Sky news said roughly 6-8weeks to fix damage

 

[ushawk]

6 weeks to repair that sea wall is incredibly optimistic - it took that long to repair the landslide at Ockley !!

If it's been washed away in several locations - then 6 months might be a good estimate, the area must be hoping it can be rebuilt by the Summer though - as tourism is viral for the SW.

 

[Furrball]

Some video footage from BBC Spotlight

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=667264373339064&set=vb.150467675018739&type=2&theater

 

[Johnuk123]

If we get another bad storm over next few days i will not at all be surprised to see that rise to 12.

Well according to the weather forecast these storms are here for some time.

I also think 6 weeks is probably miles out and that's assuming no more sea wall goes walkies.

 

[DarloRich]

Shall we wait for some professional opinion on how long the job will take to fix or shall we just pluck numbers out of the air? I doubt anyone has even been able to get a proper look at the site due to the weather!

 

[tsr]

A BBC journalist has just Tweeted saying that NR have told him Dawlish could be the 'biggest job they've ever faced'.

I expect there are some qualifiers. I guess this is indeed probably the worst sea-related and maybe the worst weather-related disruption they have faced (and their predecessors) for a significant period of time - and I don't envy those faced with having to do the repairs. When they say "biggest job", I'm not so sure. Things like the Hatfield & Stainforth ground movement were on a pretty large scale, as an example.

 

[flymo]

Shall we wait for some professional opinion on how long the job will take to fix or shall we just pluck numbers out of the air?

Is there any difference......

 

[rogger13]

Is there any difference......

Well said.

 

[AndyNLondon]

There is a picture of the same thing happening in Brunel's time, so it's not exactly a surprise.

Has there been this level of damage to the sea wall since, or are we seeing Brunel-era construction being washed away?

 

[DarloRich]

Is there any difference......

Well said.

Clever - i see what you did there! :roll: (groan)

 

[Searle]

Shall we wait for some professional opinion on how long the job will take to fix or shall we just pluck numbers out of the air? I doubt anyone has even been able to get a proper look at the site due to the weather!

This is a forum, it's designed for people to discuss events whether someone's had a professional opinion or not

 

[Johnuk123]

Shall we wait for some professional opinion on how long the job will take to fix or shall we just pluck numbers out of the air? I doubt anyone has even been able to get a proper look at the site due to the weather!

We've already had a professional opinion from the network rail boss on Sky who said 6 weeks minimum.

 

[341o2]

70yds of the aforementioned sea wall are now reported to have collapsed (I hope that should read 70ft, but...!).

Making news headlines, now 50 metre section washed away, talk of line being closedfor 6 weeks

re possible reopening Bere alston - Okehampton

http://www.devonnewscentre.info/further-plans-bring-growth-to-okehamptons-economy/
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

By the look of the damage it must be the gay wedding capital of the UK!

like it

 

[brad465]

No services between EXD and NTA at the mo due to emergency track repairs, closed until end of service, with a limited bus shuttle EXD - NTA. I'm hoping it'll be back in action tomorrow!

Might be a bit longer now I'm sorry to say.

 

[pablo]

6 months hock::x Could be 12 or more. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26042990

Can't quite see how extensive the damage is along the wall but it will need a coffer dam; new design of retaining wall to beat the weather and a major civil engineering job to complete. These jobs don't 'appen overnight.

TBM's coming off Crossrail soon!

 

[ainsworth74]

Some good videos on BBC News here and here.

 

[TheLastMinute]

FGW sleepers now officially cancelled until the end of the month. TBH looking at the damage I'd be surprised if FGW would be able to operate them again before Easter.

 

[rogger13]

This is a forum, it's designed for people to discuss events whether someone's had a professional opinion or not

Well said Sir........( I was thinking I was the only one thinking this)

 

[Goatboy]

And now the dust begins to settle it becomes more a communication problem.

Why is the FGW Journeycheck website saying that disruption is expected until 7th February? It's obviously going to be longer, a fact illustrated by the item above that which tells you that all Night Riveria services are cancelled until 28th February.

Give people decent information and they are far more understanding.

 

[transmanche]

That's here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26044283 but you'll have to scroll a long way down to find it! Screenshot, please, someone!

Here you are. Direct link (so you don't need to scroll): https://twitter.com/FGW/statuses/430976759157497857

 

[Rich McLean]

We are realistically looking at 2 (6-8 Weeks) months before it re-opens. Early April is my guess, just in time for the Easter Break, providing there isn't any major damage.

Once the weather calms down I expect there to be an extensive Bus Operation set up.

 

[CC 72100]

Wow. Just wow.

 

[bnm]

Damage to the sea wall as seen from the seaward side:

http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt68/bnm/Dawlish6_zps42d0c21d.jpg

 

[Class83]

That doesn't look good at all, though it might cause some proper defences to be installed. I'm thinking a 5 high bank of 1m diameter rocks on the beach then replace the wall which appears to have been a stone/brick/mortar job with a single reinforced concrete structure.

 

[ushawk]

And now the dust begins to settle it becomes more a communication problem.

Why is the FGW Journeycheck website saying that disruption is expected until 7th February? It's obviously going to be longer, a fact illustrated by the item above that which tells you that all Night Riveria services are cancelled until 28th February.

Give people decent information and they are far more understanding.

Its a generic item as details for 8th Feb onwards arent finalised yet, its clear to anyone anyway that the line will be closed for a while, so its irrelevant really. Once lines are checked, further info will be provided for the 8th Feb onwards.

 

[sww]

There needs to be significant investment in this stretch of railway and as a temporary measure I would say that the Okehampton line could be opened to Cornwall - London bound trains. As someone who uses this line regularly, it's difficult to have imagined that a storm this big could have obliterated the wall as it has, but Dawlish has always been vulnerable.

There's also no doubt in my mind that the South west has been left behind in terms of rail infrastructure.

Mods note: any further discussion on alternative routes should go here, thanks

 

[ushawk]

The quote is 'biggest structural job' which seems more plausible. Hatfield and Stainforth didn't involve the failure of a structure per se. On a side note, that is only now winding down...

"Biggest structural job in the South West" to be precise - which it certainly shall be.

 

[richw]

Minimum of 6 weeks was stated by network rail on Spotlight, and that is without full examination, and also assuming they can start immediately.

 

[sor]

Do many people use the rail route into Cornwall?

It's not just Cornwall that is affected, but Plymouth (which is larger than Exeter, but on the wane probably thanks to its comparatively poor transport links) too, plus the "English Riviera" and a lot of South Devon.

That's a few hundred thousand people, closer to a million easily, that shouldn't have to put up with the second rate service that it has had for decades. Maybe this incident will make the government listen?

At least for me, at a push I can easily drive to Exeter (1 hour on an almost all dual carriageway road) if the alternative transport is a bit naff. But hopefully FGW can do it properly since it's going to be for the relatively long term.