Washout at Dawlish

[pH]

Just to show that other places have similar problems, though perhaps not quite as serious:

 

http://www.railpictures.net/photo/508545

[brianusa]

Saw that in a forum. The Everett slide has slid already due to all the rain adding to Amtrak problems. That needs to be fixed permanently.

 

Brian.

[Professor Plumtree]

At 8pm GMT this Thursday night, if you live in the UK, TV Channel 5 start a second series of First Great Western, with the Dawlish incident a main item.

 

One report suggests they were actually filming when the "duty officer" received the black warning: "we've never had one of those before"...

Edited December 1, 2014 by Professor Plumtree

[Granitechops]

Just to point out

 

sea water over the track/station does NOT need a storm

 

Nov 14th 20-14

 

sea had a bit of a rough swell running,  & there was a bit of a breeze blowing

 

Waves hit the sea wall & went upwards

 

 

going up even higher than the Station roof

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 15th

 

shift change for barge platform, High tide so cannot use Gangplank, walk way under water

 

Guys awaiting 'water  taxi' to pick up off breakwater

 

 

Taxi arrived, circled around off breakwater

 

conversations ensued over mobile phones, Taxi departed back to Teignmouth

 

Shift change guys returned to pickup truck & also departed

 

was not there much longer, so no idea wether they used the boat later,

 

or had to wait till tide dropped, to use the gangway

 

 

 

but meanwhile, trains continued to run

 

 

with 11 bogies plus one  4 wheeler  tank Imry's china clay

 

[Captain Kernow]

One report suggests they were actually filming when the "duty officer" received the black warning: "we've never had one of those before"...

This is true, it was the first time that we'd received a 'Black' warning.

[Granitechops]

The coping stones along the seawall between Redrock & Rockstone foot bridge

 

have been reinstated & the walkway reopened to the public some days ago

 

 

BUT

 

there is a lot of ongoing maintenance to be seen to

 

several places along that stretch,  there are cracks appearing

 

between the edge coping & the rest of the walkway

 

there are cracks still under the footbridge stonework on the seaward side of the Rockstone bridge

 

and  on the walkway from the viaduct (dawlish town) to the Old Lifeboat House,

 

mortar is missing from many joints, the sea is relentless

 

The small breakwater at the old Life boat house, had mortar repointed, last week, I believe,

 

but the sea has already ripped that out again 

 

Down at Coryton cove the parapet is in a really sorry condition,

 

but I believe that is the responsibility of Teignbridge council

 

 

The breakwater at Coryton Cove, has got great voids in it,

 

each wave fills it with water & then you see it pouring out the side

 

 

20th November saw the beach by the tunnel, boat cove washed out as low as I have seen it previously

 

This exposes all the masonry that has been deposited on the beach by storms

 

over many, many decades, what happens is that it falls onto the beach,

 

is not recovered, new masonry/concrete replaces it.

 

that left on the beach sits on top of the sand, 

 

the tides scour the beach lower, the masonary drops with it,

 

the sand covers it over again, a worse storm lowers the sand even more,

 

dropping all the masonary down to the lowest level

 

I wonder how low the beach has ever been since the railway was built

 

 

here the concrete toe put in years ago has been washed out

 

exposing an even older concrete bed, but even that is being undermined on the 20th Nov.

 

 

closer view

 

 

most of the masonary on the beach can be identified as to wether its origin was in the seawall

 

was a coping stone, or part of the walkway

 

but this piece of specially ornateness originally, does not appear to match anything left standing now

 

I wonder where it came from

 

 

 

 

The groynes just off the Station continue to disintegrate

 

 

Friday 28th Nov. first time I have seen 'Navigation' lights on the jacking barge

 

perhaps I have not been down there after lighting up time!! before!!

 

I apologise for quality of photo, it was taken in the dimpsy, with much moisture in the air

 

 

on the other hand, low sunlight emphasises rock formation

 

[brushman47544]

 

 

100_5061 (Large).JPG

 

if they could have waited a few days, they could have saved themselves some digging

 

as the tides lowered the beach again ( note level at breakwater)

 

EDIT

 

earlier in the year the barrier had been at the far end of the slipway, by the top of the breakwater

 

thus allowing access to the beach via the bottom of the slipway  cill & steps when the beach was low.

 

but when the Terex dumper was rescued it was initially parked up on the slipway in front of the old lifeboat station

 

so the barrier was was moved back towards the town cutting off public access to the beach from this end

 

A lot of dog walkers were a bit miffed about this, but with the new fence, access is restored, 

 

much safer if the tide is incoming and they cant return to the other end of the beach

 

the tide on this stretch hits the seawall in the middle first cutting the usable beach in half

 

100_5125 (Large).JPG

 

 

Interesting, thanks. But I trust it's a temporary fence. It won't survive bad weather, the poles don't look very strong or secured well enough to be permanent. My local sea wall is made of much sterner stuff and still bits gets washed out every year.

Edited December 1, 2014 by brushman47544

[Siberian Snooper]

The fencing is to stop or arrest land slipage and rock falls.

[Granitechops]

Interesting, thanks. But I trust it's a temporary fence. It won't survive bad weather, the poles don't look very strong or secured well enough to be permanent. My local sea wall is made of much sterner stuff and still bits gets washed out every year.

In reality its just a demarcation fence rather than a 'security fence' to separate public access to the beach via the slipway

 

from the access to the seawall walkway to the 'washout' site which is a 'building site'

 

there is a shed by the Old Life Boat House,

 

where a security guard is stationed to oversee no public straying onto the building site

 

I have observed over the year several people get quite stroppy with the security guys

 

over not being allowed past this point along the beach even

 

In these days of individuals corporate responsibilty for accidents & deaths,

 

maybe top brass feel the need to cover their backs.

 

I expect the next thing is that there will be a proliferation of warning signs erected as there was earlier

 

on the first barrier that was at the top of the slope by the breakwater

[Captain Kernow]

In these days of individuals corporate responsibilty for accidents & deaths,

 

maybe top brass feel the need to cover their backs.

 

I expect the next thing is that there will be a proliferation of warning signs erected as there was earlier

 

on the first barrier that was at the top of the slope by the breakwater

It's not a case of covering backs, but protecting the public from hazardous construction activities, which on a normal site they would not be allowed anywhere near. Anyone working on or close to the platform has to have special training and certification. Heavy loads will be lifted there soon, and it's just not feasible to give people the impression that they can mill around right next to such activity.

 

Any warning signs will have to be capable of withstanding high seas, so I doubt that we'll see many turn up.

[Granitechops]

It's not a case of covering backs, but protecting the public from hazardous construction activities, which on a normal site they would not be allowed anywhere near. Anyone working on or close to the platform has to have special training and certification. Heavy loads will be lifted there soon, and it's just not feasible to give people the impression that they can mill around right next to such activity.

 

Any warning signs will have to be capable of withstanding high seas, so I doubt that we'll see many turn up.

'covering backs' was probably a wrong choice of words.

 

I remember years ago, if there was an accident, those on site, usually the foreman, or the person hurt, got the blame.

 

as I understand it nowadays, the buck rests right at the top,

 

so every organisation has to have stringent protocols/procedures & training in place to safeguard life & property

 

and the administrative future of the organisation

 

and rightly so,  life is precious

 

I have worked in construction & demolition years ago & am glad things have changed

 

very few public realise the potential danger involved in such activities

 

 

And yes warning signs down by the viaduct have already been torn down in recent heavy seas

[Granitechops]

There were tracks across the beach this morning from the Viaduct to the Boat Cove slipway

 

on investigation, operatives have been at work giving attention

 

to the parapet of the wall of the promenade leading to Coryton Cove

 

which has had red aerosol decoration on it for many months

 

It looks like work is limited to removing the capping, made of a coarse, poor, concrete mix

 

 

using a cute little digger with choice of 4 bucket sizes

 

 

using a 3 tonne dumper to remove spoil from site across the beach to the viaduct

 

 

the approach appears to be,

 

to remove the whole length of broken capping,

 

place a 2" bed of strong mortar? to bond to the underlying reinforced concrete structure

 

before fixing new capping

 

 

part of the wall coping has been replaced before with precast concrete coping & stainless rails

 

wonder if they will be able to match it up? 

 

wall before works commenced

 

[Granitechops]

General view of site from footbridge by the Old Life Boat house, site entrance emphasised with archway

 

 

men at work on upper walkway, over the last few weeks rock drilling has been observed along here

 

and was in progress this morning

 

 

in this shot taken 3 hours after low tide this morning you can see the gap in the middle where

 

some shipping containers have been removed

 

 

was informed this morning that the 3 containers in good condition lying at Red Rock compound

 

are being kept handy in case of urgent need

 

its unclear wether they have come off the wall ( look too  good condition)

 

or are more brought in , though they do have the three holes ready cut in the tops for loading with spoil

 

 

 

Cant make out what the black coil is hanging down from the platform on the left side

 

 

 

can just make out that some rocks? lumps of concrete?  have been piled up

 

on TOP of some of those containers.

 

 

as mentioned previously the small breakwater by the Old Lifeboat House has got mortar? thin stone?

 

wrenched out & protruding from that top mortar joint

 

 

looking towards Dawlish Station,

 

is that tall  mast  a link between the warning/measuring Buoys out at sea

 

& the shore establishment that monitors the wave energy/height?

[royaloak]

The black 'coil' is actually steps with lots of hinges in them which are winched up and down as required!

[Captain Kernow]

is that tall  mast  a link between the warning/measuring Buoys out at sea

 

& the shore establishment that monitors the wave energy/height?

No, I think it's just a standard radio mast for GSM-R communication between train drivers and the signalman.

[Granitechops]

No, I think it's just a standard radio mast for GSM-R communication between train drivers and the signalman.

So, the buoys and the storm warning system, is it connected to Cefas and the WaveNet programme?

 

or is it a Network Rail project only? 

[Re6/6]

CK on TV!

http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-railway-first-great-western/episodes/episode-1-638

Edited December 5, 2014 by Re6/6

[avonside1563]

He did try his best to avoid being on camera, I fully expected the old clip board in front of the face and the words "No pictures" to be heard

 

I can just see him writing to the production company, "Dear Sirs, I wish to complain about the content of this programme..... "

[34010-34005]

Dawlish 16:40 Taking pictures for RMWeb.

 

For the next CK episode Thursday nights 20:00 Channel Five. 

Edited December 5, 2014 by 34010-34005

[trisonic]

CK on TV!

http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-railway-first-great-western/episodes/episode-1-638

Unfortunately the BBC say that I cannot watch this in my country.......What on earth did the good Cap’n say??????

 

Hollywood will have to miss out.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited December 5, 2014 by trisonic

[The Stationmaster]

Unfortunately the BBC say that I cannot watch this in my country.......What on earth did the good Cap’n say??????

 

Hollywood will have to miss out.

 

Best, Pete.

See the other thread Pete - he seemed to be rather concerned about eroded shoulders

[Deppers Fan]

Has anyone noticed how the Captain and Timmy Two Trousers are never seen in the same room? Most people have only one alter ego but to be two super-heroes in one body....What a man!

[Siberian Snooper]

He did try his best to avoid being on camera, I fully expected the old clip board in front of the face and the words "No pictures" to be heard

 mail:

No I think he was negotiating his appearance fee in pounds of sausages.

[dcriout]

Unfortunately the BBC say that I cannot watch this in my country.......What on earth did the good Cap’n say??????

 

Hollywood will have to miss out.

 

Best, Pete.

Can u get demand 5 on the computer need flash player to watch though?

[avonside1563]

Unfortunately the BBC say that I cannot watch this in my country.......What on earth did the good Cap’n say??????

 

Hollywood will have to miss out.

 

Best, Pete.

I'm surprised it's only you Pete, I half expected an embargo on it being shown outside Cornwall!