Teignmouth - facilities, services, improvements and incidents - merged posts

[whole diary]

[bobm]

Line re-opened just after 3.45pm.

[a-driver]

Obviously the Germans aren’t happy they went out in the group stages whilst England have made the Semi-Finals!   

[SandTEngineer]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) quoting it as a WW2 bomb https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-44784001?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-devon-44722873&link_location=live-reporting-story

[Oxonhutch]

I was going to say. I couldn't think what German aircraft was capable of carrying a 1000 lbs bomb in WW1.

Edited to add ...

However wiki says of Zeppelins in 1916...

 "These could carry loads of three to four tons of bombs and reach speeds of up to 103 km/h (64 mph), powered by six 240 hp (180 kW) Maybach engines."

...but I don't think that such large bombs had yet been made.

[Kernow Otter]

This only failed to compound my sister's travels from Wellington, (NZ not Somerset).  Still exceptional customer service from platform staff at EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) by all accounts, and sister plus 2 little ones now safely delivered to the promised land.  BZ, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway).

[southwest]

Fantastic news for the locals, the proposals to move the line further out to sea has been suspended due to mass public anger at the plan. A fantastic result to all the locals (include myself) who were against this stupid plan.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-54538258

Network Rail will now go back to the drawing board and put new proposals out for consultation next year.

(Please move if a thread is already created)

[REVUpminster]

I thought this was over engineered with too much earth moving when a simple pier system anchored to the bedrock alongside the existing track allowing any rock fall to fall on the beach.

dlr by Robert, on Flickr

This is the best I could come up with. You have to imagine the road the beach and the offices the cliff face. The beach would still be there except for the piers. The existing track bed and embankment would could be cut back to allow rock fall on to the beach where it could be cleared. Complete separation from the rock face.

dlr - Copy by Robert, on Flickr

Got Picasso to knock this up.

[southwest]

I thought this was over engineered with too much earth moving when a simple pier system anchored to the bedrock alongside the existing track allowing any rock fall to fall on the beach.

dlr by Robert, on Flickr

This is the best I could come up with. You have to imagine the road the beach and the offices the cliff face. The beach would still be there except for the piers. The existing track bed and embankment would could be cut back to allow rock fall on to the beach where it could be cleared. Complete separation from the rock face.

dlr - Copy by Robert, on Flickr

Got Picasso to knock this up.

It's a good idea, but from speaking to local people they want the railway line to stay where it is, The loss of Spray Point is one of the main issues along with the reduced beach. I don't see why grout couldn't be pumped into the cliff to permanently bond it together?

[ellendune]

It's a good idea, but from speaking to local people they want the railway line to stay where it is, The loss of Spray Point is one of the main issues along with the reduced beach. I don't see why grout couldn't be pumped into the cliff to permanently bond it together?

So what is the alternative? 

What are these far simpler and cheaper solutions they speak of? 

How would the locals feel about moving the cliffs back so they have a nice neat engineered slope or a quarried face further inland?  The visual impact would be quite significant.  Can't see it would be cheaper either.

Edited to add note about cost

[REVUpminster]

They would not lose much beach and none at all but gain beach if the coast side existing track bed was cut back and the footpath moved onto the cliff side track bed. The whole key to my version is separation of cliff and track.

I think a similar track on lower piers will have to be adopted along the Exe Valley to combat rising sea levels.

[southwest]

It's a good idea, but from speaking to local people they want the railway line to stay where it is, The loss of Spray Point is one of the main issues along with the reduced beach. I don't see why grout couldn't be pumped into the cliff to permanently bond it together?

So what is the alternative? 

What are these far simpler and cheaper solutions they speak of? 

How would the locals feel about moving the cliffs back so they have a nice neat engineered slope or a quarried face further inland?  The visual impact would be quite significant.  Can't see it would be cheaper either.

Edited to add note about cost

As I said pump grout(liquid concrete) into the cliff face, the same technique has been used to shore up parts of London during the Underground & Crossrail constructions.

[ellendune]

As I said pump grout(liquid concrete) into the cliff face, the same technique has been used to shore up parts of London during the Underground & Crossrail constructions.

Although I am a Civil Engineer geotechnics is not my specialism and I have not studied the geology of the area.

That said there is a huge difference between compensation grouting to prevent building subsidence during tunnelling, and grouting to stabilise embankment slopes. They are very different solution to a very different problem. 

If the cliffs could be stabilised by grout treatment then I am sure that would have at least been an option. I am not aware that such a solution possible, Is anyone with more specialist expertise and local knowledge able to comment?

My understanding is the the proposed stabilisation solution is a combination of rock bolting and a buttress at foot of the cliff. Unfortunately, the buttress requires some space and so requires the railway to be moved. 

An alternative would be to moved the cliff back and do the same; or even batter the cliff back to a more stable slope.  These would require land take at the top of the cliff.  What is there? It would also require an extended closure and would be very expensive.

I look forward to hearing what NR^» (Network Rail - home page) propose next year.