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Washout at Dawlish


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  • RMweb Gold

I understand that these concrete L sections are going to be faced with stone. How is that going to be done, as the L sections are sat almost on the edge of the original wall? Is there going to be a new section up the entire face of the wall?

 

Confused of Norfolk

 

Andy G

I now understand that this is not the case.

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I now understand that this is not the case.

I read that with such disappointment CK. I believe this whole stretch should be treated as a national monument and be finished in its original appearance. It's going to look like an eyesore at some point and we sure as heck wouldn't get away with that if we were building on our own property. It should all be in keeping with the local area i believe is the standard line. I can't imagine for a second if the Houses of Parliament needed repairs that it would be finished in grey concrete?

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  • RMweb Gold

I read that with such disappointment CK. I believe this whole stretch should be treated as a national monument and be finished in its original appearance. It's going to look like an eyesore at some point and we sure as heck wouldn't get away with that if we were building on our own property. It should all be in keeping with the local area i believe is the standard line. I can't imagine for a second if the Houses of Parliament needed repairs that it would be finished in grey concrete?

It's 'original appearance' was in many places a wooden viaduct.  What goes along the Dawlish - Teignmouth seafront has changed and evolved considerably since the line was built and has, it would seem, used contemporary methods every time a change was made.  and in view of the damage the sea has done in the past I do wonder just how long a stone cladding on the front of a concrete wall would last?

 

I think the serious point here is that there is a choice - we can either have the money spent on improving the security of the railway and the sea defences of Dawlish or some of that money can be diverted from improving the sea defences to making what is done look 'old -fashioned' (also known as 'blending it in with previous updating of the defences).  Very simple choice really and I suspect rail users living to the west of Dawlish wouldn't even see it as a choice.  

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Whatever turns out to be the final wall surface finish

 

there is, or rather was, last time I looked,

 

loads of white dumpy bags full of natural stone at Dawlish Warren

 

lined up on the ramp that leads to the road/rail access point just by the footbridge.

 

 

post-22449-0-76387800-1422792769_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-22449-0-22089700-1422792791_thumb.jpg

 

 

Mind you I have not been down the Warren compound for several weeks

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I read that with such disappointment CK. I believe this whole stretch should be treated as a national monument and be finished in its original appearance. It's going to look like an eyesore at some point and we sure as heck wouldn't get away with that if we were building on our own property. It should all be in keeping with the local area i believe is the standard line. I can't imagine for a second if the Houses of Parliament needed repairs that it would be finished in grey concrete?

I agree with what you say (up to a point) but it is nothing more than a (very nice) wall to support the railway line and protect the buildings behind it.

 

That sounds a lot harsher than it is meant to (and I apologise for that) but to 'face' the wall properly would probably have needed to be done at the casting stage so the stone was an integral part of the concrete L sections and not just an add on that the sea will be able to knock off at will.

To do that would have increased the costs considerably and unfortunately there simply isnt the money available no matter how nice it would have been.

 

Of course the other way of looking at it is that people will be able to see where the wall was repaired (PS dont look the other side of the railway though, that certainly isnt  repaired to the latest spec, although it is no doubt very strong)!

Edited by royaloak
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Mon 2nd Feb 2015

 

since 16.40 yesterday  JUB1, Seariser 4 has been moved further north

 

From Dawlish Beach Cam

 

with their permission

 

post-22449-0-51366300-1422861547_thumb.jpg

 

EDIT;-

 

 

 

and from NWR webcam 

 

at  

 

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/timetables-and-travel/storm-damage/dawlish/

 

 

JUB 1 with a load of 'L' units arrived overnight

 

post-22449-0-65274700-1422869363.jpg

 

So it just might be that they are now going to continue placing 'L' units from the north end

 

been snowing a bit in Devon

Edited by Granitechops
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So maybe 2 concrete delivery pipes will enable

 

one to deliver concrete to the newly placed 'L' units at the north end

 

& the other to deliver  concrete to whatever they are going to be adding on top of those already in place at the south end

 

must have a see if they have brought a 2nd pump into place up on the main road

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is the 2nd one there as a back up if the 1st get blocked ??

THEORY

 

it shouldn't get blocked

 

as soon as last concrete gets into pipeline at the roadside pumper,

 

a foam ball is inserted into the pipe & forced under pressure to clear the pipe of any concrete 

 

But,

 

but

 

if

 

there is an engine or pump failure

 

then

 

unless there is emergency rescue plan

 

concrete will set in the pipe 

 

when I was a lorry driver in the 60s a mate was self employed under Ready Mix SW

 

in a isolated rural location, engine failure, resulted in his mixer barrel setting before a rescue could be affected ( no mobile phones in those days)

 

had to have a new barrel, which even then wern't cheap

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when I was a lorry driver in the 60s a mate was self employed under Ready Mix SW

 

in a isolated rural location, engine failure, resulted in his mixer barrel setting before a rescue could be affected ( no mobile phones in those days)

 

had to have a new barrel, which even then wern't cheap

 

Didn't he have the obligatory bag of sugar to hand for just such a problem?

 

I suppose he would still have needed to turn the barrel.  :-(

 

Chris

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Loads of activity already this morning, or should that be, ongoing activity

 

'L' units being craned onto wall at far end

 

Plant/skip/etc being craned onto wall by hydraulic crane in foreground

 

Tug, Boojum Bay? departing for Teignmouth with empty pontoon

 

From DB webcam

 

post-22449-0-04565200-1422952688.jpg

Edited by Granitechops
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After looking at this afternoons photos,

 

I would estimate that there are now 65-70 units in place on the wall

 

About 37 from far end to that black marker at top

 

& then about 30 from there to this end

 

that was at 3.30 this afternoon

 

post-22449-0-23899300-1422987684_thumb.jpg

 

was briefly on Rockstone bridge,

 

seen here in the back ground of this shot taken from Dawlish Viaduct

 

post-22449-0-99177800-1422988141_thumb.jpg

 

when some gear was being carried down the steps & along the wall

 

post-22449-0-14153400-1422988281.jpg

 

post-22449-0-08767000-1422988315_thumb.jpg

 

these are the fixings for the 'L' units

 

the fixing nuts are about 2.5 - 3 inches across the flats

 

the square plates are about 1 inch ( 25mm )  thick & about 9 x 9 ins square

 

looks like a very coarse thread

 

these 2 were carrying a double load

 

post-22449-0-56997300-1422990654_thumb.jpg

Edited by Granitechops
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There looks to be still only ONE concrete delivery pipe down the back wall

 

even though there are 2 pipes UNDER the railway

 

post-22449-0-83342900-1422991137.jpg

 

Passing through the traffic light up on the main road it looked as if there are now

 

2 concrete pumps behind the padded screens sat the side of the road

 

with both receiving hoppers facing each other so any mixer lorry can unload into either from one spot

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  • RMweb Gold

After looking at this afternoons photos,

 

I would estimate that there are now 65-70 units in place on the wall

 

 

 

In fact it was 58 out of 154 as of lunch time today.

 

Heavy seas will prevent movement of more 'L' sections from Teignmouth to the JUBs for a day or so now.

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