The Dawlish Sea Wall
Welcome to the Dawlish Sea Wall section of the Dawlish Trains website.
One of the most popular locations in the UK to watch and photograph trains is on the Dawlish Sea Wall, located between Exeter and Newton Abbot in Devon on the Great Western main line route to the West. The line is operated by Network Rail, with passenger services provided by First Great Western and CrossCountry Trains. Some freight traffic remains, but in much reduced amounts. DBS operates a limited freight service from and to Cornwall, mainly to serve the china clay industry, while Freightliner Heavy Haul operate on an 'as required' basis with engineering trains, mainly to and from Hackney Yard, Newton Abbot. Direct Rail Services operate from time to time powering flask traffic to and from Devonport Dockyard.
Passenger charter traffic is also a feature of the Dawlish Sea Wall with both steam and diesel powered specials working over the route. In the summer months the 'Torbay Express' steam service operates between Bristol Temple Meads and Kingswear, while private steam charters operate from various starting points to Paignton, Kingswear, Plymouth and Cornwall.
Some diesel-powered charters also operate over the line each year, working from various locations throughout the UK to Paignton, Kingswear, Plymouth and Penzance, often bringing rare and unusual traction to the area. The Dawlish Sea Wall website with try and publish prior information about these trains on our Special Trains page.
Each year the Dawlish Sea Wall usually sees a couple of workings of the UK Royal Train, carrying either HM The Queen or Prince Charles to Totnes, Plymouth or Cornwall.
On some Fridays the Network Rail New Measurement Train (NMT) can be seen traveling along the Sea Wall on a timetabled run from Paddington to Penzance/Paignton and return, the westbound working passes around 08.20 and the eastbound return mid-afternoon. Other Network Rail test trains are frequent visitors to the Sea Wall.
In 2016 the following classes of locos and multiple unis were seen on the Sea Wall. Classes 31*, 47*, 56* 57, 66/0, 66/4*, 66/5, 66/6, 66/7*, 66/8, 67*, 68*, 70, 143, 150/1, 150/2, 153, 158*, 220, 221 and HST [GW & XC] (* in very restricted numbers).
One of the most popular locations in the UK to watch and photograph trains is on the Dawlish Sea Wall, located between Exeter and Newton Abbot in Devon on the Great Western main line route to the West. The line is operated by Network Rail, with passenger services provided by First Great Western and CrossCountry Trains. Some freight traffic remains, but in much reduced amounts. DBS operates a limited freight service from and to Cornwall, mainly to serve the china clay industry, while Freightliner Heavy Haul operate on an 'as required' basis with engineering trains, mainly to and from Hackney Yard, Newton Abbot. Direct Rail Services operate from time to time powering flask traffic to and from Devonport Dockyard.
Passenger charter traffic is also a feature of the Dawlish Sea Wall with both steam and diesel powered specials working over the route. In the summer months the 'Torbay Express' steam service operates between Bristol Temple Meads and Kingswear, while private steam charters operate from various starting points to Paignton, Kingswear, Plymouth and Cornwall.
Some diesel-powered charters also operate over the line each year, working from various locations throughout the UK to Paignton, Kingswear, Plymouth and Penzance, often bringing rare and unusual traction to the area. The Dawlish Sea Wall website with try and publish prior information about these trains on our Special Trains page.
Each year the Dawlish Sea Wall usually sees a couple of workings of the UK Royal Train, carrying either HM The Queen or Prince Charles to Totnes, Plymouth or Cornwall.
On some Fridays the Network Rail New Measurement Train (NMT) can be seen traveling along the Sea Wall on a timetabled run from Paddington to Penzance/Paignton and return, the westbound working passes around 08.20 and the eastbound return mid-afternoon. Other Network Rail test trains are frequent visitors to the Sea Wall.
In 2016 the following classes of locos and multiple unis were seen on the Sea Wall. Classes 31*, 47*, 56* 57, 66/0, 66/4*, 66/5, 66/6, 66/7*, 66/8, 67*, 68*, 70, 143, 150/1, 150/2, 153, 158*, 220, 221 and HST [GW & XC] (* in very restricted numbers).
Dawlish Signal Box
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During the evening of 12 January 2014, Aggregate Industries Class 59/0 No. 59005 Kennith J. Painter
powered train 6Z26, the 18.16 Westbury Yard to Burngullow empty sand
wagons. The train is recorded passing Dawlish at 21.00, just illuminated
by the station lights and recorded on a Nikon D800 camera fitted with a
50mm f1.4 standard lens with an ISO setting of 5000. This allowed an
exposure of 1/350 @f2.5 to be used. The raw image was then processed in
Nikon Capture NX2. CJM
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