Dawlish storm from cab CCTV

[whole diary]

[Pb_devon]

On the Plymouth Herald website:  http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/watch-view-from-cab-as-storm-batters-train/story-30109372-detail/story.html

[Bmblbzzz]

Dramatic! It would be interesting to know in what way a driver alters their driving for those situations. They seem to be braking at the start of the video when the first waves are seen but maybe that's for the approach to the station.

[eightf48544]

It's scenes like this and the other years washout etc. that suggests that whatever is causing it, subjectively, Dawlish seems to be much more in the news for the sea stopping trains than I can remember.

It seems to me that reopening Bere Alston/ Tavistock - Okehampton should happen sooner rather than later. The diversionary line can be built later.

Please move to appropriate thread if necessary.

[a-driver]

Dramatic! It would be interesting to know in what way a driver alters their driving for those situations. They seem to be braking at the start of the video when the first waves are seen but maybe that's for the approach to the station.

We don't alter driving style unless Network Rail impose a 20mph speed restriction along the seawall of which we are stopped and told in advance. We would also brake earlier for the Dawlish and the approaches to the station can become quite slippery.

[ellendune]

There is more that could be done to protect the line from the sea.  For example you could essentially more the sea wall further out and have lots of rock armour out there to take the energy out of the waves.  At a push you could probably still have a good beach as part of it.

The question is.  How much would it cost and at what point do other ways of keeping the line open, either via Okehampton or inland from Dawlish become cheaper?

Of course if the diversion becomes the cheaper option, how much would government have to spend to protect Dawlish from the Sea?  That is a strong argument that a Dawlish line protection scheme could be funded using a combination of funding from NR^» (Network Rail - home page) and Defra Flood and Coastal Erosion Funding.

[JayMac]

Moving the line further out would mean a rebuilt Dawlish station too. And how far toward Teignmouth do you go? Rejoin the existing formation at Kennaway Tunnel, or bypass all the tunnels too?

[plymothian]

And not to mention the local outcry of the loss of their beaches/views/environment. 

However, the sandy beaches have already been "lost" to longshore drift, there is now the only the underlying rocks and shingle left.

[ellendune]

However, the sandy beaches have already been "lost" to longshore drift, there is now the only the underlying rocks and shingle left.

I think that is part of the problem.