General Discussion
Rail closures
Just been talking to some of the rail workers. It looks like there will be closures at least between Dawlish and Teignmouth some time over the Christmas period. Not sure when or for how long, but they're needed to repair the landslip between Smugglers cove and Sprey point. Sounds like a big operation with abseillers, huge digger with long reach to remove loose earth from up the cliff, re-installation of drainage under the railway lines, more cliff netting and reinforcement of fencing. If you've seen the site it's incredible how the huge steel girders there (set 4 metres into concrete) just buckled under the weight of the earth. The storm last night also swept away the railworkers' hut which is now matchwood on Holcombe beach
@neilh.I cannot find anything about this on first great western website and the national rail enquiries website.I am not doubting you but with 11 days to Christmas i would have thought something would have appeared.
Agreed. They just said some time over the Xmas period. Apparently it depends on getting this special digger with a long reach which then has to be trained in from Dawlish.
Was told today that the line between Dawlish and Teignmouth will be closed from evening of Christmas Eve to morning of 27th December to carry out the land-slip repair work. It also looks like work will continue for up to two months after that but no details as yet.
They are still working round-the-clock to remove the cliff debris which fell in both the original slip and the 2nd one 4-5 days ago. Latest estimate is completion of this part by 4 o'clock tomorrow. But they then still have to carry out the repairs. Don't know when that will start and what effect there will be on traims but of course trains from Exeter are still not coming through anyway.