Dawlish Discussion

A TRANSPORT expert is calling for work to start on Westcountry rail links that were scuppered by Hitler 73 years ago.

After train services to London were twice cut in the past week, Neill Mitchell is urging the Government to look again at plans for a new railway line avoiding Dawlish, which were drawn up before the Second World War.

The rail line between Exeter and Newton Abbot was shut this week after a major landslip at Teignmouth followed by 14 smaller landslips on the route.

But the route's weakest point, and the cause of regular disruption, is the stretch along the sea wall at Dawlish.

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Would this be the end or new begining for the tourist business in Dawlish and the Warren ?

Imagine how the sea front area could be re-developed without the access restrictions placed upon it by the railway.

This is going to be a biggy dont know which way local  people would vote on this one. Im sure the railway historians would want to keep most of the line open as a working museum, on the other hand I would imagine Network Rail would jump at the chance to get rid and have the funding in place for a new route

Hm, tunnelling under Haldon or Little Haldon, taking away the train service from Teignmouth and Dawlish ...  Can't see that getting through easily.  (Or maybe the existing line would have to stay open, with the Exmouth-Paignton crawler using it while the expresses go through the new tunnel ? if so, then #FredBassett your speculations may not come to anything).

Not 100% sure but dosent a plan for this already exist somewhere in the system, seem to remember reading about it some years ago. I dont see how the existing line could stay open without Network Rail infrastructure, as the main reason for moving the line inland is to remove the unsustainable cost of keeping it open. The costs of running it as a private concern wouldnt even be feasable for instance who would insure it.

I think once these sort of issues are opened to the public debate then plans to go ahead are already well underway somewhere.

Pehaps a new dual carraigeway road connecting Dawlish and Teignmouth to the main A380 and A38 should be given consideration to be constructed at the same time as any new railway line. Just think of the benefits that would provide, construction jobs, more business oppertunities, easier commuting to Plymouth and the M5

With all the talk about building hundreds of houses around the area would it not be common sense to put in a new road link

Totally agree FredBassett.  But again, a new road wouldn't be easy because it would have to damage Little Haldon (SSSI and all that).