Jump to content
 

Washout at Dawlish


Recommended Posts

This afternoon at just before low tide ( spring)  got down beyond the end of the groynes

 

end of groyne 1,   the one that collapsed most in the Feb storms

 

post-22449-0-94358300-1403032952.jpg

 

end of groyne 2   ( the No. is on the end just below the basket)

 

post-22449-0-02187900-1403033061.jpg

 

end of groyne 3

 

post-22449-0-10252400-1403033153.jpg

 

 

Further back the other way towards Redrock there has appeared a double row of stantions

 

and a circle of stone/rock at the seaward end

 

was there a jetty there??

 

Did the Norwegian barges have to tie up to something in the early 1990s? to unload their stone?

 

or does it predate that?

 

post-22449-0-77946300-1403033288.jpg

 

post-22449-0-80873300-1403033307.jpg

 

 

 

going back previously to the siding laid for the 1928 stone sea defences

 

there is evidence in todays path back from Redrock that when lifting the siding,

 

some sleepers were not lifted but were covered in Tarmac

 

& are now rotting out, leaving a very undulating path

 

just past the short bit of fencing

 

post-22449-0-07657400-1403033832.jpg

 

and before the footbridge

 

post-22449-0-89374200-1403033938.jpg

Edited by Granitechops
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

That's a "twist rail" Don. The S&C (switch & crossing) is of vertical plane, that is the rail is vertical through the point work there. To make the transition from vertical back to the 'inclined' in the plane line, we use a twist rail. This is fabricated in the factory.

That twist rail and possibly together with some other metal work is being renewed. The letter "W" on the timbers mean 'weld'.The "5 mm" marking means there is 5 mm wear on the existing rail to right to which the new twist rail will be welded.

Its very important obviously to ensure that the twist is the correct way around! Ive known them more than once be fitted the wrong way around as the twist is extremely difficult to see if its not marked on the new rail. When you factor in about the 15 grand it costs just to fit one rail like that one on a Saturday night, you only wana be doing it once!

The wear measurement is to help the welders select the correct mould for the Thermite weld on the night.

 

Ok. thanks, Gary,  got the principle involved

 

but

 

how did the rusty, unpolished bit get worn down, so that the wheels are now not touching it & polishing it??

Link to post
Share on other sites

Found some interesting stuff here, re geology of the area round Dawlish and the sea wall:

 

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~imw/jpg-Dawlish-Warren/8DLW-Granite-Larvikite.jpg

 

Also showing that there was a siding on the path removed 1941. Confirms that the warren is formed by long shore drift, and the groynes and breakwaters stop sand from going from the bay to the warren. Certainly, when I was a lad, the beach was much higher, though it varied over time.

 

I had a hazy recollection that the groynes between Dawlish town station and the Langstone rock,many of which were timber supported on bullhead rail uprights in the 70s, we're not replaced in the late 70s/80s owing to concern about the sand spit at the warren eroding.

 

May be of interest? Also noticed Rivercider's avatar, (an image which makes me misty eyed with nostalgia since watching the trains there is pretty much what I did maybe 2 years later Rivercider), clearly shoes the footpath that provided a link between the sea wall siding and the footpath at the Langstone Rock when the siding was in place.

 

Regards

 

Matt Wood.

Edited by D826
Link to post
Share on other sites

Further back the other way towards Redrock there has appeared a double row of stantions

 

and a circle of stone/rock at the seaward end

 

was there a jetty there??

 

Did the Norwegian barges have to tie up to something in the early 1990s? to unload their stone?

 

or does it predate that?

 

attachicon.gif100_2775 (Medium).JPG

 

attachicon.gif100_2781 (Medium).JPG

 

 

just found a quote from Matt's link

 

by

Ian West,

Romsey, Hampshire
and Visiting Scientist at the:
Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences,
Southampton University,

 

See

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~imw/Dawlish-Warren.htm

 

QUOTE

 

""The groyne has not become much separated, as yet from the rock so erosion cannot be very fast (although there has been repair work to the landward end of this groyne). East of Red Rock Cafe brickwork has been used to try to reduce erosion. A columnar structure in the sea near the cafe is the relic of a different approach to sea defence, but this method has not been continued. The remaining circular base of the structure is referred to informally at the cafe as the "Dinosaur's Nest".   ""

 

Is that reference refering to whats in my photo?

 

EDIT;-

NOTE that the "groyne" he refers to is the stone breakwater

 

at Redrock/Langstone rock, now storm damaged

 

 

 

post-22449-0-89431900-1403072983.jpg

 

 

 

I am trying to understand what effect a single "Columnar structure"

 

would have on preventing erosion or drift??

Edited by Granitechops
Link to post
Share on other sites

If you go to the bottom, 3/4 way down

 

of that page that Matts link takes you too

 

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~imw/Dawlish-Warren.htm

 

there is a lot of historical records refered to & quoted in part

 

Fascinating

 

including reference to the Exe channel  (300 years ago) being up against Redrock/Rockstone instead of Exmouth 

Edited by Granitechops
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

 

 

I am trying to understand what effect a single "Columnar structure"

 

would have on preventing erosion or drift??

 

Any feature put on a beach, like a groyne, will have an effect on the movement of sand. I have a book showing the breakwater at West Bay in Dorset. It shows that the build up of sand to the eastward of the breakwater was huge and deprived the town beaches of sand on the western side.

The gradual loss of those wooden groynes that you photograph are just allowing the gradual movement of marine sediment.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Noticed last night on the beach webcam about 7pm the orange army packing up for the night they dragged a machine on to the high level seawall path and left it there. It has disappeared today presumably they are working at low level today as well. Anyone know what it could be?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
Granitechops, on 17 Jun 2014 - 21:05, said:Granitechops, on 17 Jun 2014 - 21:05, said:

Ok. thanks, Gary,  got the principle involved

 

but

 

how did the rusty, unpolished bit get worn down, so that the wheels are now not touching it & polishing it??

Without seeing it myself, its difficult to say. I was there today aswel!!  Its probably the way in which its been ground in the past, possibly by the switch grinding team, they'll often grind back away from the switches as far as that.

This can result in a differing wheel contact area to the rest of the rail.

Edited by Gary H
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Noticed last night on the beach webcam about 7pm the orange army packing up for the night they dragged a machine on to the high level seawall path and left it there. It has disappeared today presumably they are working at low level today as well. Anyone know what it could be?

Without having seen it, I can't really be specific, but the Sea Wall project team are now gearing up to start work on the raising of the walkway, starting in the next few weeks, so it may be connected with ground surveying/testing, perhaps?

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Meanwhile, over on the Teignmouth seawall, the security guy I spoke to the other day said he had lots of conflicting information as to when it would reopen to pedestrians - September, November, even next year.

Not surprising really. Today from the beach I saw 1 guy actually working on the edging stone replacement on the sea wall where the railway starts at the Teignmouth end. There were a couple more guys but they looked more like a phone chatting chappy and a clipboard wielding type, obviously more supervisory than working types.

 

At this staffing/working level, the security men sitting in the sun at the top of the sea wall steps should be very tanned and wealthy come Christmas.

 

If only the Orange army were still around we could get the job finished in a few days rather than months.

 

Has anyone got a conch shell available to summon the Cap'n and his army?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Noticed last night on the beach webcam about 7pm the orange army packing up for the night they dragged a machine on to the high level seawall path and left it there. It has disappeared today presumably they are working at low level today as well. Anyone know what it could be?

I believe this is a portable drilling rig, as mentioned in several posts :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Found some interesting stuff here, re geology of the area round Dawlish and the sea wall:

 

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/~imw/jpg-Dawlish-Warren/8DLW-Granite-Larvikite.jpg

 

Also showing that there was a siding on the path removed 1941. Confirms that the warren is formed by long shore drift, and the greyness and breakwaters stop sand from going from the bay to the warren. Certainly, when I was a lad, the beach was much higher, though it varied over time.

 

I had a hazy recollection that the groynes between Dawlish town station and the Langstone rock,many of which were timber supported on bullhead rail uprights in the 70s, we're not replaced in the late 70s/80s owing to concern about the sand spit at the warren eroding.

 

May be of interest? Also noticed Rivercider's avatar, (an image which makes me misty eyed with nostalgia since watching the trains there is pretty much what I did maybe 2 years later Rivercider), clearly shoes the footpath that provided a link between the sea wall siding and the footpath at the Langstone Rock when the siding was in place.

 

Regards

 

Matt Wood.

Is there not a local railway history expert who knows the dates sidings were put in & removed, and thus this siding(s) at Dawlish Warren?

 

Here in the East Midlands there are chaps who can tell you the dates for every siding, signal box, you name it :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

If only the Orange army were still around we could get the job finished in a few days rather than months.

 

Has anyone got a conch shell available to summon the Cap'n and his army?

We're still around, only most of us have also got day jobs to do! I suspect some of my compadres may even have indulged in the temerity to take a...gasp!.... holiday!!!

 

The walkway from Teignmouth to Smugglers will reopen sooner than some of the more dire predictions. The walkway from Rockstone to Coastguards, and the associated bit of beach in front of that, won't reopen until the new high level walkway is completed.

Link to post
Share on other sites

We're still around, only most of us have also got day jobs to do! I suspect some of my compadres may even have indulged in the temerity to take a...gasp!.... holiday!!!

 

The walkway from Teignmouth to Smugglers will reopen sooner than some of the more dire predictions. The walkway from Rockstone to Coastguards, and the associated bit of beach in front of that, won't reopen until the new high level walkway is completed.

I think you and the army deserve a holiday after the remarkable effort you all put in.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Saw 7 of orange army leaving site tonight pics show the device stowed and missing

 

 

Now after being told why the ballast is a different colour between the rails no wonder the orange army have left !! The scene has lost some of its charm

Link to post
Share on other sites

No sign of any work at the Teignmouth end of Teignmouth sea wall at 4pm today.

1 security guy today for all the sea wall from thed yacht club to Sprey Point. A few weeks ago there was 1 on each set of steps to the wall.

According to this guy the wall is hollow and he cant stand on it, he has to stand on the beach. Obviously the orange army guy that walked along it must either be invincible or he knows where the cavities are!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thursday 19th JUNE 2014

 

having not been in Dawlish since last Sat (14th)

 

I was surprised by the changes

 

First it would appear that work on the down platform offices, windows,  roof, gutterring etc

 

appears to have been completed

 

as the safety railing that has been on the edge on the corner has been removed

 

Personallty I am dissapointed,  as that bit gets a bit congested when busy,

 

wheelchairs, mums with buggies, people chatting in groups, people sitting on the stone benches, etc

 

I had thought that it looked like a permanant fixture

 

The white line shows the guide for the fixing Anchor bolt holes

 

post-22449-0-85630600-1403210243.jpg

 

the railing keeping the public off the steps along from the viaduct

 

towards the old lifeboat house, under the Station platform has been removed

 

post-22449-0-53765500-1403210349.jpg

 

post-22449-0-28890700-1403210374.jpg

 

and the beach seems to have more sand & less shingle

 

& taking the wheelchair along the beach today

 

the consistancy of the sand has changed since last week

 

felt more soft & sinky

 

strange how such a calm sea as we seem to have had over the last week has changed the beach

 

 

post-22449-0-76533900-1403210530.jpg

Edited by Granitechops
Link to post
Share on other sites

Shotcrete opertative at work on the breakwater at Boat Cove,

 

obviously the masony has been repaired/replaced first before the coating has been applied

 

post-22449-0-98543500-1403211076.jpg

 

working in their small compound

 

post-22449-0-71517600-1403211341.jpg

 

the shotcrete compound (powder) is loaded into the hopper

 

the guy lifts the bag onto those nasty looking teeth,

 

the weight splits the bag open, he lift the ends like a cook  breaking an egg,

 

the empty bag gets chucked straight into a dumpy bag 

 

The powder goes down one pipe

 

water down another & the two mix in the nozzle as it is applied

 

One local observer informed me that the gear

 

& in particular the pallets of shotcrete arrived by barge from Teignmouth docks

 

on a barge with a ramped loading door, being uloaded by the swing shovel

 

felt pity for them, hard hat, face mask,  overalls, sweat was running down their faces

 

it must have been 30 degrees in Dawlish today

 

too hot for me, I left soon after 11 am

 

post-22449-0-78979900-1403212192.jpg

 

post-22449-0-00604300-1403212211.jpg

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

 seen on the Dawlish beach live webcam  at  03-07-12  ( the bottom video timer, not their website time) 

 

you can see the machine tip forward as is goes down to the next lower level

 

I have never been along that far, so dont know if its a slope or steps

 

I would assume steps

 

 

post-22449-0-29163000-1403214180.jpg

 

oops just as I saved that screen shot the webcam updated & I missed getting the BStime on webcam

 

you probably wont find it now

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...