General Discussion

Am I being petty? Yesterday a walk down to Coryton Cove and observed the work being constructed with one operator using his digger with no less than 12 workers leaning on the rail watching. There is not a hope as far as I can see that this project will be finished within the time specified. After talking to one of the workers I asked "what are they trying to achieve" he replied "I have no idea" Like I said am I being petty? 

Same thing during the previous sea wall reinstatement. I took plenty of pics of that with 10 to 20 orange jackets standing around whilst one bloke operated a JCB.

I think its what you would call a gravy train.

No BB you are not being petty, just accurate. I live opposite the sea wall and regularly observe what you have seen. The project is at least three months behind schedule and we haven't even hit winter yet! And when it's completed will it stop the 50 foot waves crashing onto the line? 

Thanks for your agreement on this point and being three months behind at this early stage is really unacceptable.  I was talking to Network rail rep the other day and I told him that some of these workers that have nothing to do for hours should be sent down to the sea wall in front of the station and clear all the sand and silt that builds up on the walkway. Yes, they did it once but no more, he did say that he would pass it on, yea!

@BB, I looked out of my window 20 minutes ago and there are 10 men all standing and chatting on the sea wall, it's high tide so they cannot work but..........hey ho let's have chat. They were there for at least 20 moniutes, on night time pay rates, doing nothing!! When I queried in June why the work had to be 24/7 when the line wasn't breached and services were running I was told by both project managers that they had to do 24 hour working to cut the cost to the public purse!! What a joke!! Residents living on Marine Parade have just had six nights of through the night working and face another eight! Fourteen nights of disrupted sleep, for what? An ineffectual sea wall costing millions and men paid premium rates for standing on the sea wall for a prolonged chat!! You really couldn't make it up!! 

Gravy train on steroids. These workers get paid well for this project, but the toffs at the top .....well that is another world. The more workers the more money up the chain of command. The only people who lose are the millions on low earnings who pay the most compared to the corporations.

When the rail line collapsed a couple of years ago there was more urgency from the Government to get the line open. This latest project is going to be spun out as long as possible, and with a lot of manpower just standing around which has not gone unnoticed by Dawlish residents. I predict that this project will be going on much much longer than they have stated. I do feel for those of you that live along Marine Parade.

Aren't they allowed to have tea/dinner breaks?

That could also be a reason as to why they are seen doing nothing but chatting.

As for sleepless nights, when it's done, you will be able to sleep soundly knowing that the next big storm will save not just your your property from being undermined by the sea, but possibly your life as well.

Small price to pay (sleepless nights for a while) for your life.

Very  very long tea/dinner breaks!! I'll post photographs of the first storm after the wall is completed, no doubt showing the 50 foot waves still crashing onto the line and over into the road! 

Oh, come on Carer I'm all for any workers taking their scheduled breaks. But they're having a laugh at the taxpayer's expense, Network rail that is. But to see one working and twelve just standing and watching, not chatting, in fact, a couple of them sitting by the toilets. I think you are being an alarmest has anyone died in Dawlish due to storms?  I understand something needed to be done and there were other alternatives like building man-made reefs at the most vulnerable spots and we all know where they are. Sidmouth is a good example.

Sidmouth is an excellent example. Two of the project managers and the lead engineer told me at the first consultation, in answer to my question, that man-made reefs out at sea was the best option but was also the most expensive option. I did point out that as this was a project to protect the line for the next 100 years then cutting on costs was particularly shortsighted. Surely they should have gone with best option not the cheapest!