Weather disruption caused in 2014, and how to prevent it happening again - ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[BBM]

http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/update/2015-08-14/dawlish-railway-repairs-end-with-official-opening-ceremony/

Dawlish railway repairs end with official opening ceremony

A ceremony is being held at midday to mark the end of refurbishment work around the rail line at Dawlish.

It includes the official opening of the walkway next to the track. The footpath and part of the railway were washed away by storms early last year.

However according to FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s Twitter account, the line between Exeter and Newton Abbot is currently closed "due to a safety inspection of the track" and tickets are valid on Stagecoach buses. Does anyone know more about this?

[JayMac]

Possible landslip near Parsons Tunnel. Mud reported to be seen falling by a TM^▸ (Train Manager, or possibly Ticket Machine, depending on context) of a passing HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)).

All on stop while an inspection is carried out.

[Palfers]

looks like the line is closed until 23.00 acording to national rail enquiries

[JayMac]

The location is that known as 'Smuggler's Cove' where previous landslips have occurred and much remedial work was done in the last year to try and shore up the cliff face. It appears that mother nature has again found a way to close the line.

Update at 1800 is that the line has reopened.

Perfect timing from mother nature too. On the day Network Rail announced that work on the Dawlish Sea Wall was completed!

[Jason]

Flooding in 2014 caused 35-days worth of lost train journeys

"getreading has obtained exclusive figures from Network Rail showing the top 10 of these types of incidents to affect Reading over the past three years."

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/flooding-2014-caused-35-days-9970546

[IndustryInsider]

Hmmm, let's hope that suggestion is slightly more accurate than the nonsense sprouted in the Daily Express (and others) last Autumn saying we were all set for the coldest and snowiest winter in modern times!

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/442873/Coldest-winter-in-modern-times-on-way-with-snow-forecast-for-Britain-starting-next-week

Here's this years offering from the Daily Express:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/604619/Long-range-weather-forecast-Britain-cold-winter-2015-arctic-snow-freeze

Someone really should have a word with them!   

[broadgage]

If they forecast exceptional winter weather every year, then they will be right every few years.
Weather only needs to be slightly hotter, colder, dryer, wetter, or more windy than average for it to be called exceptional.

I forecast a mild winter, I base this on the exceptional quantity of fire wood that I have stocked.

[adc82140]

The Daily Express' "We're all gonna die" weather headlines are the in joke over on the Netweather.tv weather enthusiast forums. They're always written by the same hack who always has the same private forecaster providing this information. Said forecaster is a practitioner of "alternative forecasting" techniques (seaweed?)

[TonyK]

I forecast a mild winter, I base this on the exceptional quantity of fire wood that I have stocked.

Look in my woodshed, and you would expect the Express's Armageddon view to be vindicated. Haven't gotten around to it yet, with a rethatching in prospect, which should make it wet as well as cold.

[alexross42]

More challenges at Dawlish:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-34242892

Passengers abandoned a train after huge waves left it stranded on a coastal track.
The Arriva Cross Country service broke down after its electrics failed between Dawlish and Teignmouth at about 21:30 BST on Sunday.
The same stretch of track was destroyed by winter storms last year and was out of action for several months.
Torrential rain on Sunday night has also left a number homes flooded in Dawlish.
First Great Western said its staff were called to help passengers on the Arriva Cross Country train.
"While the majority of First Great Western services were able to continue running, there were delays to some trains while the Cross Country service was recovered," it said in a statement.
No-one from Arriva was available for immediate comment.
Four houses in Brunswick Place, Dawlish, were devastated by about 12in (30cm) of water late on Sunday night. Firefighters helped pump water from the properties.
Fire crews were also called to Tongue End in Okehampton where drains overwhelmed by rain caused flooding in a house.
The forecast for Monday is for more "heavy and prolonged rain".

[phile]

Already posted on Cross Country Services Board.

[ChrisB]

Ex-tropical storm Horatio due Wednesday morning....

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Storm-hit Dawlish rail line rebuild 'could cost £500m'


The proposed line would be about 400m long, and would be built about 30 yards out to sea

A coastal railway line repeatedly battered by storms could be rebuilt in Devon at a reported cost of £500m.

Network Rail wants to build a 400m (1,300ft) causeway near Teignmouth.

The project to replace the flood-hit Dawlish line, which connects the south-west to the rest of the country, would see it built about 30 yards out to sea.

The proposal is one of two options being considered by the rail operator. The other would involve stabilising the cliffs.

Julian Burnell, senior communications manager for Network Rail Western, said it was focusing on areas deemed "most at risk".

"What we've done over the last year or so is compiled an in depth study of the whole coast from Exeter down to Newton Abbot, to work out which areas are the most at risk, and which areas we need to take the most action to protect - not just for the next few years, but over the next 100 years."


Spray Point in Teignmouth has seen significant storm damage disrupt the rail service

The cliffs between Dawlish and Teignmouth have suffered severe damage in the past, with tracks left dangling in mid-air in the wake of storms in 2014.

The line was closed for several weeks in March 2014 and cost the economy up to £1.2bn.

Mr Burnell said that while the Dawlish sea wall is now stronger than ever, the new plans would protect it further.

"We're looking at potentially moving the rail line away from the cliff itself to protect it. That means onto the beach."


The sea wall at Dawlish was destroyed by high tides and stormy seas in 2014

Network Rail is launching a public consultation on November 17.

The BBC understands if approved, the project could cost £500m.

Oliver Colville, MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post - a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London, depending on context) for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, said he did not want to see a repeat of the damage caused in 2014 and warned of the cost associated with the crumbling cliffs.

"[If] the cliffs come down as well that would be incredibly difficult, and cost the west Devon and Cornish economy an enormous amount of money," he said.
Speaking to the BBC two weeks ago, the prime minister said she was aware of the issue along the Dawlish rail line, but wouldn't commit to making funding available for changes.

[LiskeardRich]

Building a causeway 30 yards out to sea-

How would this help unless its high up to stop waves crashing over?

[ellendune]

£500m is a lot of money.  The inland routes don't seem so expensive as they first did.