Dawlish Avoiding Line (1933)

[Ramblin Rich]

Fairly sharp corners at Powderham, Starcross, Langstone, past Dawlish and into Teignmouth. Fairly sure the line speed is 90 mph from St Thomas but then 75 at most from Powderham onwards.

 

You could imagine a nice new line built in the 1930s being at least 90 mph all along and that also being the reason for the short cutoff at the start of the Powderham route.

[Mike_Walker]

The current maximum permitted speeds are:

 

100mph  Alphington 195m 40c to Powderham 200m 60c

75mph    Powderham to Cockwood 203m 00c

80mph    Cockwood to Dawlish Warren 204m 60c

70mph    Dawlish Warren to 205m 10c

75mph    205m 10c to Dawlish 206m 00c

60mph    Dawlish to Parsons Tnl (W. End) 207m 55c

75mph    Parsons Tnl to approaching Teignmouth 208m 45c

60mph    Teignmouth to 209m 65c (just west of Shaldon bridge)

80mph    209m 65c to 210m 20c

90mph    210m 20c to 212m 60c approaching Hackney Yard

There is a 60mph limit throughout for trains running "Bang Road" between Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth - that is in the the Down direction on the Up Main.

 

The permissible speeds would have probably been lower in the steam and early diesel eras.

[KeithMacdonald]

I sent Dawlish Museum an email:

 

Quote

Dear Dawlish Museum
I wonder if, in your collection, you still have any plans or maps for the Dawlish Avoiding Railway Line as planned by the old GWR in the 1930s? In particular, the route the line might have taken through Dawlish.

 

Andrew Wright, a volunteer at Dawlish Museum, has kindly just replied, quoting from Peter Kay's book, and confirming that as the source of those maps above. They have the book in the museum.

 

Quote

Hi,I have taken a quick look in Peter Kays book and there is a chapter 18 pages 239 to 233 covering the Dawlish avoiding line.

 

He also quoted one crucial item from the book.

 

Quote

Between November 1935 and April 29136 contracts were let for the sinking of exploratory boreholes for the tunnels and at Hackney. But even before the 1936 Act was passed, the GWR had decided against the Dawlish Warren route (although this had not been publicly divulged).

Acknowledgements and copyright Peter Kay

 

To paraphrase the part of the book on the section of the DAL through Dawlish:-

 

NIMBY citizens of Dawlish raised a lot of opposition. The existing seafront line was already an eyesore and a blot on the landscape. Folk feared the DAL would ruin the old part of the town as well (parklands and meadows). Dawlish UDC initially opposed the Bill, and then got a protection clause in the Act specifying a 130 yard long viaduct in Newhay, to be made of red sandstone or similar, and a bridge over Dawlish Water.

 

(I've now got a song by Simon and Garfunkel going through my mind)

 

The Dawlish Gazette carried articles complaining; which incidently has been its modus operandi for decades. Not for nothing was it known to some locals as the Dawlish Guts Ache. 

 

[Michael Hodgson]

6 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Dawlish UDC initially opposed the Bill, and then got a protection clause in the Act specifying a 130 yard long viaduct in Newhay, to be made of red sandstone or similar, and a bridge over Dawlish Water.

 

 

(I've now got a song by Simon and Garfunkel going through my mind)

 

The Dawlish Gazette carried articles complaining; which incidently has been its modus operandi for decades. Not for nothing was it known to some locals as the Dawlish Guts Ache. 

 

There's a different song comes to my mind ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvuQJNVDJYk

 

Devon is slightly further from Westminster than Hull.  Perhaps you just have to wait slightly longer ?