Washout at Dawlish

[The Stationmaster]

21 hours ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Unfortunately the older sea wall towards Langstone Rock has suffered damage and the walkway is closed north of Coastguards Footbridge. Pictures show the coping stones lifted off the top of the wall / edge of the path.

Similarly closed north of Sprey Point Point.  Facebook lonk:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0DhS8qf3XLhNhTS7yPNPKA9FugNRbxKPM3HgNmpAL2GTpMt9G4HRZGtix6z2oTVy8l&id=100057845071374&sfnsn=scwspmo

Even given Mike Stationmaster's comment on sea and wind direction,  its surprising this happened now and not during storm Babet - although that may well have started the process.

rA lot depends on the path of the cyclonic depression which creates the named weather event.  In the northern Hemisphere (and I've rechecked what I learnt many years ago) the winds generated by an extratropical cyclone moving across the UK run anti clockwise around the centre of the depression. So the wind direction in any particular place in the UK depends on the path of the depression.

 

If the depression passes to the north the initial winds will be south westerly and will continue to come from that quarter until the centre. passes over at which point the winds will be north westerly.  This is, I seem to recall, the most common event as far as the UK is concerned.  But if there is an anti-cyclone (much less common for Britain in other than summer) the winds run clockwise so again depending on the track it will bring south easterly winds (and warm weather).

 

The pressure also affects the behaviour of the sea surface, and that also depends on the tides, which in conjunction with the winds can lead to exceptionally high tides and flooding - e.g the disastrous British East Coast, and Dutch, floods in the early 1950s.

 

So an awful lot of what happens anywhere on the coast depends entirely on the path the depression (anticyclone) takes or the path a cyclone takes. Plus near to the cenmtre of either wind direction can be a lot mor fickle with backing a etc causing changes in wind direction or very little strong wind at all.

[Mallard60022]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

rA lot depends on the path of the cyclonic depression which creates the named weather event.  In the northern Hemisphere (and I've rechecked what I learnt many years ago) the winds generated by an extratropical cyclone moving across the UK run anti clockwise around the centre of the depression. So the wind direction in any particular place in the UK depends on the path of the depression.

 

If the depression passes to the north the initial winds will be south westerly and will continue to come from that quarter until the centre. passes over at which point the winds will be north westerly.  This is, I seem to recall, the most common event as far as the UK is concerned.  But if there is an anti-cyclone (much less common for Britain in other than summer) the winds run clockwise so again depending on the track it will bring south easterly winds (and warm weather).

 

The pressure also affects the behaviour of the sea surface, and that also depends on the tides, which in conjunction with the winds can lead to exceptionally high tides and flooding - e.g the disastrous British East Coast, and Dutch, floods in the early 1950s.

 

So an awful lot of what happens anywhere on the coast depends entirely on the path the depression (anticyclone) takes or the path a cyclone takes. Plus near to the cenmtre of either wind direction can be a lot mor fickle with backing a etc causing changes in wind direction or very little strong wind at all.

The direction of the Cyclonic Rotation has been very obvious up here in deepest bandit Country (Notts), over the last couple of weeks. The direction of the Clouds' movement has been distinctive and during both Storms, rotated through at least 180*. Quite exceptional conditions in many areas (see Chesterfield then Derby), as well as sunny Retford, with the River Idle not being Idle at all!

My old Sailing saying used to be Low for a Blow! It certainly was and it certainly did.

Phil

[PhilJ W]

6 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

rA lot depends on the path of the cyclonic depression which creates the named weather event.  In the northern Hemisphere (and I've rechecked what I learnt many years ago) the winds generated by an extratropical cyclone moving across the UK run anti clockwise around the centre of the depression. So the wind direction in any particular place in the UK depends on the path of the depression.

 

If the depression passes to the north the initial winds will be south westerly and will continue to come from that quarter until the centre. passes over at which point the winds will be north westerly.  This is, I seem to recall, the most common event as far as the UK is concerned.  But if there is an anti-cyclone (much less common for Britain in other than summer) the winds run clockwise so again depending on the track it will bring south easterly winds (and warm weather).

 

The pressure also affects the behaviour of the sea surface, and that also depends on the tides, which in conjunction with the winds can lead to exceptionally high tides and flooding - e.g the disastrous British East Coast, and Dutch, floods in the early 1950s.

 

So an awful lot of what happens anywhere on the coast depends entirely on the path the depression (anticyclone) takes or the path a cyclone takes. Plus near to the cenmtre of either wind direction can be a lot mor fickle with backing a etc causing changes in wind direction or very little strong wind at all.

The strongest winds are mostly to the south of the depression. Whether or not this is due to the curvature of the Earth I'm not sure. 

[RJS1977]

On 03/11/2023 at 19:27, Gwiwer said:

Trains are not seaworthy. Most ships are.  
 

If it comes to challenging contracts then this term would need to be defined. Surely no-one expects that rail vehicles will be “seaworthy” in the context of being fit for purpose on the oceans? 

 

"The ship was disguised as a train, to make the train sea-worthy it was done up to look like a boat and painted to appear like a tram." - Seagoon

"All rather confusing, really" - Milligan

[Rivercider]

On 03/11/2023 at 22:25, KeithMacdonald said:

Here's what "Seaworthy" means in Sidmouth.

Look! The lights are still working!

 

 

A couple of years ago I was in my late mums seafront flat at Weston and watched a car that had got stuck in the mud become submerged by the tide. Once the tide was high enough the car floated for almost half an hour before gradually sinking. To my surprise the hazard lights started flashing some time after the car became partially submerged - like the car was asking to be saved!

 

cheers

[jcredfer]

15 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

The strongest winds are mostly to the south of the depression. Whether or not this is due to the curvature of the Earth I'm not sure. 

 

A depression moving from West (ish) to East (ish) will add it's speed to the winds to it's South, and subtract from the perceived effect to the North of it.  You're also right about the Earth's curvature, in that the wind has slightly less distance to travel, the further North you go.  There is also an increase of the wind speed, due to the direction change, behind the front, which is usually quite distinctive on weather maps, showing the pressure lines closer to each other.

 

[RJS1977]

6 hours ago, jcredfer said:

 

A depression moving from West (ish) to East (ish) will add it's speed to the winds to it's South, and subtract from the perceived effect to the North of it.  You're also right about the Earth's curvature, in that the wind has slightly less distance to travel, the further North you go.  There is also an increase of the wind speed, due to the direction change, behind the front, which is usually quite distinctive on weather maps, showing the pressure lines closer to each other.

 

 

The reason winds blow around depressions rather than straight into the centre is also due to the rotation of the earth - the Coriolis effect.

[Matt C]

On 03/11/2023 at 16:06, keefer said:

Or modern trains designed to have a lot of crucial electrical/electronic equipment mounted on the roof, even when the problem has been known about from previous modern trains.

Hitachi may argue as to the exact definition of 'seaworthy' but the problem is a simple and well-known one - can/will the trains still work when covered by seawater?

 

 

 

[Siberian Snooper]

It's has just been on the Spotlight news, that the seawall has had some damage done by a recent storm, just north of the recently restoration/ upgraded section. It has not been enough to close the line, but has resulted in closure of the footpath. This has apparently not been very well signposted.

 

 

[Siberian Snooper]

It's just been on the Spotlight news, that it's the 10th anniversary of the washout!!! I can't believe it was that long ago!