Dawlish Sea Wall Damage and repairs February - April 2014
Latest editions at bottom
Updated 4 July 2014 New Beach Huts
The following series of images show the serious and costly damage to the Dawlish Sea Wall, caused by massive storms on the nights of 4-5 and 14 February 2014.
On 4 February, the rough seas and high wind, which were forecast and being watched by Network Rail, caused the railway to be closed to all services at 15.15, for several hours prior to that, services had been limited. Between line closure and midnight the weather got worse and started to rip apart the sea wall, Dawlish station and surrounding areas. Reports of major damage and the collapse of the wall in the area of Riviera Terrace and Sea Lawn Terrace (about 300 yards north of Dawlish station) were reported during the late evening. Part of the private roadway at Riviera Terrace had collapsed together with the sea wall and railway and left several houses in danger, the entire road had gone and the sea was washing against the houses. Mass evacuations of residents in Sea Lawn Terrace and Riviera Terrace took place and all gas, electric and water to the area was cut, as were the main railway signalling and power supplies.
The storm caused considerable damage to the railway infrastructure the entire way from Langstone Rock at Dawlish Warren to Teignmouth. In many locations the low brick and stone wall dividing the Sea Wall walkway from the railway was destroyed and in many locations the Sea Wall walkway top surface was ripped up. The down platform at Dawlish station received serious damage with the mainly wooden based platform structure blown away and serious damage received by the station buildings.
The area of Marine Parade, between Dawlish Station and Kennaway Tunnel was also seriously damaged and a number of the properties were swamped by water. The rail line here had most of its ballast washed away (into Marine Parade) and the wall was ripped up in several locations, Some of the fence between the walkway and railway and between the railway and Marine Parade was also knocked over and destroyed.
The area around Boat Cove was also badly damaged with the beach huts destroyed and damage to the wall. Several mud slides on Lea Mount made access very difficult.
Between Dawlish and Teignmouth the Sea Wall also received major damage.
The storm continued to rage for much of 5 February and little recovery work could be carried out, but a plan was being developed and materials and men ordered. By 6 February the wall area was being made safe and a start was made on repairs. Hanging track was removed from the area of Riviera Terrace and the entire wall closed to the public to enable engineering plant to be brought in.
Repair work progressed, including the erection of shipping containers on the lower section of the Sea Wall adjacent to the main damage at Riviera Terrace to protect the ground and adjacent buildings. Although much work was done, a lot of this was ripped apart during the later afternoon and evening of 14 February when a further storm hit the area. A further section of the Sea Wall at Riviera Terrace was pulled down, the shipping container wall was smashed and further damage was done to the Sea Wall from Dawlish Warren through to Teignmouth. During the evening of 14 February Marine Parade was again flooded and much of the track repair work done over the previous few days was wrecked.
Repairs recommenced on Sunday 16 February and have progressed the following week.
New pictures will be added to the bottom of this report over the coming days and weeks.
Network Rail operate a frequently updated webcam in the area around Riviera Terrace which can be viewed here. Network Rail Webcam
The following series of images show the serious and costly damage to the Dawlish Sea Wall, caused by massive storms on the nights of 4-5 and 14 February 2014.
On 4 February, the rough seas and high wind, which were forecast and being watched by Network Rail, caused the railway to be closed to all services at 15.15, for several hours prior to that, services had been limited. Between line closure and midnight the weather got worse and started to rip apart the sea wall, Dawlish station and surrounding areas. Reports of major damage and the collapse of the wall in the area of Riviera Terrace and Sea Lawn Terrace (about 300 yards north of Dawlish station) were reported during the late evening. Part of the private roadway at Riviera Terrace had collapsed together with the sea wall and railway and left several houses in danger, the entire road had gone and the sea was washing against the houses. Mass evacuations of residents in Sea Lawn Terrace and Riviera Terrace took place and all gas, electric and water to the area was cut, as were the main railway signalling and power supplies.
The storm caused considerable damage to the railway infrastructure the entire way from Langstone Rock at Dawlish Warren to Teignmouth. In many locations the low brick and stone wall dividing the Sea Wall walkway from the railway was destroyed and in many locations the Sea Wall walkway top surface was ripped up. The down platform at Dawlish station received serious damage with the mainly wooden based platform structure blown away and serious damage received by the station buildings.
The area of Marine Parade, between Dawlish Station and Kennaway Tunnel was also seriously damaged and a number of the properties were swamped by water. The rail line here had most of its ballast washed away (into Marine Parade) and the wall was ripped up in several locations, Some of the fence between the walkway and railway and between the railway and Marine Parade was also knocked over and destroyed.
The area around Boat Cove was also badly damaged with the beach huts destroyed and damage to the wall. Several mud slides on Lea Mount made access very difficult.
Between Dawlish and Teignmouth the Sea Wall also received major damage.
The storm continued to rage for much of 5 February and little recovery work could be carried out, but a plan was being developed and materials and men ordered. By 6 February the wall area was being made safe and a start was made on repairs. Hanging track was removed from the area of Riviera Terrace and the entire wall closed to the public to enable engineering plant to be brought in.
Repair work progressed, including the erection of shipping containers on the lower section of the Sea Wall adjacent to the main damage at Riviera Terrace to protect the ground and adjacent buildings. Although much work was done, a lot of this was ripped apart during the later afternoon and evening of 14 February when a further storm hit the area. A further section of the Sea Wall at Riviera Terrace was pulled down, the shipping container wall was smashed and further damage was done to the Sea Wall from Dawlish Warren through to Teignmouth. During the evening of 14 February Marine Parade was again flooded and much of the track repair work done over the previous few days was wrecked.
Repairs recommenced on Sunday 16 February and have progressed the following week.
New pictures will be added to the bottom of this report over the coming days and weeks.
Network Rail operate a frequently updated webcam in the area around Riviera Terrace which can be viewed here. Network Rail Webcam
BELOW: Images recorded on 5 February during and directly after the big storm which caused so much serious damage to the Dawlish Sea Wall. As I was away in Canada at the time, these images were taken by Mrs Helen Shaw of Dawlish and show the area around Marine Parade, the sea front and towards Sea Lawn Terrace.
Some more excellent images of the destruction of the sea wall and Dawlish station, recorded by Peter Upton
BELOW: The clear up and start of repairs between between 8-14 February 2014, including the erection of shipping containers protecting the major damage at Riviera Terrace. The damage to the Sea Wall section between Dawlish Station and Kennaway Tunnel can be seen.
BELOW: The second major storm to hit the area arrived during the afternoon and evening of 14 February 2014. By 16.00 work on wall repairs had to stop as it was too bad for men to safely work. The waves caused major damage to the Sea Wall and ripped apart the ballast repairs which had already been started. These images show the storm some two hours before high tide.
A You Tube video of the storm is also available here. Marine Parade Storm
A You Tube video of the storm is also available here. Marine Parade Storm
BELOW: Damage after the second storm on Friday evening 14 February 2014, showing the damage recorded on Saturday 15 February and the start of recovery operations on Sunday 16 February including the sucking up of ballast from Marine Parade by a huge road mounted vacuum cleaner and the removal of some sections of the sea wall path which were at risk of collapse into the sea.
18 February 2014 The repair work continues along Marine Parade on 18 February 2014, with new concrete sleepers being offloaded onto the down line.
19 February 2014. More sleepers have been delivered and a start has been made at pumping cement into the void below the Sea Wall between Dawlish Station and Kennaway Tunnel.
20-24 February - more supplies off-loaded in Marine Parade for the restoration work, with some placed on the down line. Sea wall footpath repairs continue between station and Kennaway Tunnel.
28 February 2014 - Restoration work continues on the section between Dawlish station and Kennaway Tunnel
1 March 2014, today we look at the work going on around Dawlish station, in respect of the rebuilding of the down platform, which in most places requires a new wooden frame as well as decking and edge stones. A massive operation in both terms of time and man power. The station car park which is now the central stores for the project is now receiving the new wall/bed concrete sections from Hanson, these are shipped to Dawlish by road and then transported to 'The Hole' work site by road/rail vehicle. Just over 40 have so far been delivered and a further 50 plus are expected.
Below: Recorded on 8 March 2014, a road/rail tractor and three trailers move two 'L' concrete sections from Dawlish station car park to the 'Hole' worksite. These 'L' sections will form the wall and inner edge of the railway at the location of the 'Hole'. The sections in the foreground with larger bases are for the inner section.
Below 8 March pictures showing works at station platform and the delivery/store of new wall under track concrete sections.
Taken on 9 March 2014 showing the platform edge stones being installed on the down platform at Dawlish, the nasty gash or hole in the wall opposite Marine Parade and the line of containers at 'the Hole' showing the recently installed concrete section wall above.
Views taken on 13 March 2014 showing the progression of work on the down platform at Dawlish station, transporting of the 'L' concrete sections from the station car park to the main worksite and the removal of the glass fiber protection screens from between the tracks between Dawlish station and Kennaway Tunnel.
A video is available of the concrete sections being moved, click here or on the first picture
A video is available of the concrete sections being moved, click here or on the first picture
14 March 2014. The fire service get in on the action in restoring the Dawlish Sea Wall, when they supplied a huge pump, equipment and men for a pumping operation between Dawlish and Teignmouth. The pump arrived on the back of a fire truck and was slid off the back onto the path and then craned over the fence onto a road/rail vehicle. The road/rail vehicle did not have the reach to lift the pump over the fence from being on the rail and had to come by road and just managed to lift the equipment.
A couple of video clips are available by clicking the first image. (being uploaded)
A couple of video clips are available by clicking the first image. (being uploaded)
Recorded on 15 March 2014, these views show the progression of platform work at Dawlish with the down platform decking now restored and the rear fence being erected. On the sea wall between the station and Kennaway Tunnel the wire netting to hold the ballast in position is being replaced. The damage to the walkway between the station and Kennaway Tunnel is still to be repaired. Note the staff cafe in the station car park.
On Monday 17 March 2014 the first 'proper' train operated over the Dawlish Sea Wall section when Colas operated Matisa B41 UE tamping machine No. DR75406 worked on the down line between Kennaway Tunnel and Dawlish down platform. The machine which has been stabled in the tunnel for several days after arriving from Tavistock Junction last week made its first pass at 10.14 and then made five further runs including one doing tamping operations. At the same time, one of the road/rail vehicles was sweeping the up line also between Kennaway Tunnel and Dawlish station. To see a Youtube video of the action click the first picture or the Youtube badge.
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18 March 2014. Another day of major action on the Sea Wall. The ballast tamping machine was hard at work on the down line, this time in the area between 'The Hole' and the station. The section between Kennaway Tunnel and the station had its ballast glued in place. A video of this operation is also uploaded.
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Click above for video of gluing ballast at Dawlish
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21 March 2014. Completed short track sections moved from the assembly area between the tunnels to the main work site for installation.
22-23 March 2014 pictures. Most of the station work is now complete apart from taking away barriers and debris. The area of collapse on the footpath between Dawlish station and Kennaway Tunnel has now been put in a scaffold and work should start this week to repair it. Note the staff canteen in the station car park and the sign to tell workers where they are.
28 March 2014. After a huge concern as to what sort of fence Network Rail were planning of installing on the sea side of the line between Dawlish station and Kennaway Tunnel, the new steel fence is 95% the same as the old one, very nice sensible steel fabrication, made to the previous design. The first picture shows the original fence being cut down and the second shows the new fence panels being installed on 28 March.
Getting back to normality - 29 March 2014.
On Saturday 29 March 2014 no less than five engineering trains operated over the sea wall section. All operated from Westbury to Exeter St Thomas to enter the engineering block and then proceeded to Teignmouth, passing over the new track at the 'Hole' and passing where the huge cliff fall was at Teignmouth. The trains operated as:
6C71 21.26 Westbuy - Exeter powered by Colas Class 70 No. 70803 which then recessed at Dawlish Warren until 07.10 (pass Dawlish 07.23)
6C72 22.50 Westbury - Exeter powered by Colas Class 70 No. 70801 (pass Dawlish 04.23)
6Y73 23.20 Westbury - Exeter powered by Freightliner Class 66 No. 66515 (pass Dawlish 05.17)
6Y74 00.13 Westbury - Exeter powered by Freightliner Class 66 No. 66528 (pass Dawlish 05.27)
6Y75 00.43 Westbury - Exeter powered by Freightliner Class 66s Nos. 66606 and 66555 'top and tail' (pass Dawlish 06.22)
The illustrations below show 70801 stabled on the down line between Teignmouth Docks and Bishopsteignton and 70803 at 'Polly Steps' Teignmouth Docks, 66606 can be seen reattached to an eastbound ballast in the distance.
Also on 29 March 2014 much of the equipment used on site was in the process of removal, including this large tracked earth mover seen loaded on a 'trolley' being hauled from the cliff fall to Dawlish.
On Saturday 29 March 2014 no less than five engineering trains operated over the sea wall section. All operated from Westbury to Exeter St Thomas to enter the engineering block and then proceeded to Teignmouth, passing over the new track at the 'Hole' and passing where the huge cliff fall was at Teignmouth. The trains operated as:
6C71 21.26 Westbuy - Exeter powered by Colas Class 70 No. 70803 which then recessed at Dawlish Warren until 07.10 (pass Dawlish 07.23)
6C72 22.50 Westbury - Exeter powered by Colas Class 70 No. 70801 (pass Dawlish 04.23)
6Y73 23.20 Westbury - Exeter powered by Freightliner Class 66 No. 66515 (pass Dawlish 05.17)
6Y74 00.13 Westbury - Exeter powered by Freightliner Class 66 No. 66528 (pass Dawlish 05.27)
6Y75 00.43 Westbury - Exeter powered by Freightliner Class 66s Nos. 66606 and 66555 'top and tail' (pass Dawlish 06.22)
The illustrations below show 70801 stabled on the down line between Teignmouth Docks and Bishopsteignton and 70803 at 'Polly Steps' Teignmouth Docks, 66606 can be seen reattached to an eastbound ballast in the distance.
Also on 29 March 2014 much of the equipment used on site was in the process of removal, including this large tracked earth mover seen loaded on a 'trolley' being hauled from the cliff fall to Dawlish.
Above: A picture ive been waiting to take since the Dawlish Sea Wall was washed away on the night of 4/5 February 2014. It shows the very first 'train; to traverse the down line, although heading in the up direction, when Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66555 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel at 17.25 on 29 March 2014 leading train 6Y75, a late running 17.03 Exeter St Thomas to Westbury. The train was loaded at the cliff slip at Teignmouth and consisted of damaged track sections and spoil. This was one of five trains operated from Westbury to the Dawlish Sea Wall in the early hours of 29 March 2014 as part of the final stage of restoring the line to passenger use from Friday 4 April 2014. Power for these trains consisted of Freightliner Class 66s and two Colas Rail Freight Class 70s Nos. 70801 and 70803.
CJM
CJM
The first ever daylight passing of a Class 70 along the now world famous Dawlish Sea Wall was on 1 April 2014, when Colas Rail Freight Nos. 70801 and 70803 'top and tailed' train 6C71 from the Teignmouth cliff fall worksite to Westbury. The train arrived on the sea wall during the early hours of Saturday 29 March and was stabled in the Shaldon Bridge, Teignmouth area working towards Dawlish on 30/31 March. During the final few minutes of the last day of March the train started to work towards Exeter and after over four hours of waiting between Kennaway Tunnel and Dawlish station, returned west and was 'parked up' until 09.00 on 1 April when it again slowly proceeded through Dawlish on the up line to Dawlish Warren and Exeter St Thomas to exit the site. With No. 70801 nearest the camera the train travels at walking pace out of Kennaway Tunnel. CJM
The grand opening of the Dawlish Sea Wall took place on time on 4 April 2014, with trains starting running at midnight. The first trains to pass Dawlish was a nine car Voyager forming train 5Z66 the 23.45 Exeter St Davids to Laira and 5Z46 the 00.02 Newton Abbot to Exeter depot formed of a Class 150/1. The two trains past in the station at 00.13 with full horns sounding.
The first stopping passenger services at Dawlish was train 2T03 the 05.34 Exeter St Davids to Paignton formed of Class 143s Nos. 143611 and 143621, shown above at Dawlish station. The first up train to stop was 1A75 the 05.30 Plymouth to Paddington led by power car No. 43194.
The official re-opening was conducted by Network Rail with the guest of honour being The Prime Minister David Cameron, who travelled on train 1C73, 07.06 Paddington to Paignton making a special stop at Dawlish at 09.41 formed with power cars Nos. 43148 and 43151, with the train reverse formed.
At Dawlish, Mr Cameron made a speech thanking Network Rail and its contractors for their outstanding work is restoring train services, before meeting a number of the senior engineering staff involved in the project. The Prime Minister later departed to visit the Somerset Levels.
Although the main sea wall is now open for rail traffic a considerable amount of work still remains to be done, including the restoration of the walkway between Coastguards and Dawlish Warren and the restoration of the road access to the residents of Sea Lawn Terrace, many of which can still not reach their homes. The return of full signalling also still remains to be done.
The first stopping passenger services at Dawlish was train 2T03 the 05.34 Exeter St Davids to Paignton formed of Class 143s Nos. 143611 and 143621, shown above at Dawlish station. The first up train to stop was 1A75 the 05.30 Plymouth to Paddington led by power car No. 43194.
The official re-opening was conducted by Network Rail with the guest of honour being The Prime Minister David Cameron, who travelled on train 1C73, 07.06 Paddington to Paignton making a special stop at Dawlish at 09.41 formed with power cars Nos. 43148 and 43151, with the train reverse formed.
At Dawlish, Mr Cameron made a speech thanking Network Rail and its contractors for their outstanding work is restoring train services, before meeting a number of the senior engineering staff involved in the project. The Prime Minister later departed to visit the Somerset Levels.
Although the main sea wall is now open for rail traffic a considerable amount of work still remains to be done, including the restoration of the walkway between Coastguards and Dawlish Warren and the restoration of the road access to the residents of Sea Lawn Terrace, many of which can still not reach their homes. The return of full signalling also still remains to be done.
From re-opening on 4 April until 27 April extended block signalling was operated with only one train between Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth at one time in each direction. The signals on both the up and down at Dawlish station were covered during this period. Down signal shown.
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New Beach Huts being built on the walkway between Boat and Coryton Cove, Dawlish. 3 July 2014.
Repairs to the breakwater continue with a delivery of stored by ship on 11 July 2014.