Dawlish Sea Wall Phase Two Update September 2021 with Jack from Bam Nuttall

[@stephenlittle7534]

Wow what a wall we have now and still coming on. Brilliant. Well done with the filming and interview. Can not wait to walk on it myself.

[@barryroberts2196]

Very impressive indeed. Good progress & a site manager who knows the names of his team. Thanks for the updates & good shots from the drone, which show so much more, well done.

[@waynetearle1146]

Thanks for this great update. Be coming down in 8 days and going to get some pics as I am currently doing a model layout of Dawlish sea wall. Thank you. 😊🌊

[@nate8551]

Sounds interesting any pics of progress

[@paulnicklin4272]

Thanks for this enjoying your up dates all the best 👍

[@neilfranklin5644]

Yes lots of materials, effort, to keep the surging sea at bay.

[@Joe90V]

They're working well and it's looking impressive, but at 10:10 the designers missed a trick. They could have cast Tesla-Valves into the walls and that would have been maintenance free with no parts to degrade. However, I'm nit-picking and this is a great project to protect the railway. Thanks for filming for future reference.

[@offgrid7837]

When I lived in Dawlish I used to enjoy walking along the beach. It was beautiful and pleasant. Now it looks like a supemax prison blocking out any view of the town from the beach. It may be effective but then so is the supermax prison.

[@breeze1472]

Unbelievable progress

[@12crepello]

Short term. The sea will win. Re-open Okehampton - Bere Alston!

[@CoastCams247]

Okehampton reopened last week.

[@bobjea]

@@CoastCams247 only for driver training.

[@bobjea]

The sea wall collapsed at a known fault that even brunel knew about.

[@5tanne5on5ea]

This looks like the Berlin Wall. Truly an eyesore!!!

[@silentflier5144]

Quite agree. Losing all the character of the granite (?) blocks and arches and being left with a featureless pre-cast slab. Can just imagine mum telling the kids:- " Off you go and enjoy yourselves, you can't get lost if you remember we are sat by the sixty seventh drain hole left of the steps..."

[@Tiger313NL]

Maybe, but it'll save a lot of money in repairs, and potentially even lives.

[@5tanne5on5ea]

@@Tiger313NL It didn't have to look like that!

[@Tiger313NL]

@@5tanne5on5ea Building another stone wall is very labour intensive and thus very expensive. Think about that. If you give it a few years to weather, it might actually not turn out so bad. Also, missing the mines, barbed wire and watch towers, so Berlin Wall not so much. :}

[@rrich52806]

The sea in the end will win.

[@davidbailey533]

It looks weird to be honest and I think that I would rather see that than have no railway at all in bad weather at least then the trains would still be able to run and there be parts raised up to see the view and the railway so steams spotters will still be able to take photos good work to all those people involved in its construction

[@tomatobrush3283]

probably would have been cheaper to move the railway line more inland and get back the coastal land for other uses.

[@felixthecleaner8843]

Awesome vid - felt like actually being there!

[@annar6430]

Well,what a lot of progress. I like the Textured finish of the panels in this phase. We're the panels in phase 1 textured Neil?. Are they going to remove the sunken containers?

[@martinheskins7073]

Great video. I can see this from my window as I live in Exmouth - but not as good as in the video! Thanks

[@reetpateet8656]

Just amazing!

[@johncave9181]

So, as a steam photographer, I now need to take step ladders....!

[@sgthree]

Better that than the line being washed away, which is the alternative.

[@sgthree]

... or, of course you could stand in one of the many places along the wall that will still give a clear view of the track. Nice to know you are more concerned about taking photos than you are about the integrity of the railway line!

[@johncave9181]

@@sgthree if 9000 cu m of concrete doesn't protect the line then adding a wall to the back of the promenade will make little difference.

[@sgthree]

@@johncave9181 I am so glad you know more about this than some of the world’s most experienced and qualified people on this. It is a railway that is there for a purpose far more important than getting a few pretty pictures. There will be plenty of areas along the wall to get your pretty pictures. This part of the wall was impossible to photograph the trains anyway, since the path was several metres below the track and under the station platform anyway, so stop moaning for the sake of moaning!!

[@williamk9490]

I wonder how long this is expected to last?

[@sgthree]

I believe the design life is 100 years or more.

[@Ironbuket]

Is there a reason why in the UK you hardly ever see concrete wave breakers infront of sea defense walls?

[@nicholasroberts6954]

It removes the possibility of Sea Wall repeat repair work for civil engineering contractors ? If you go to France, especially West Coast Finistere, which, you understand takes a regular battering from the Atlantic Ocean (Far more severe than Teignmouth experienced), moles and breakwaters, composed of huge lumps of granite, are the order of the day. But many of those defenses have been constructed to protect newly commissioned yatcht marinas . . . . . . Its not as if that section of Teignmouth beach attracted large number of visitors and that breakwaters might interfere with their on-water leisure activities. Obvious thing to do, but they haven't. Why ? Because the issue has been treated as a Network Rail problem only and the wider implications of coastal erosion and the other bodies with interests in that given a stiff ignoring ?

[@tonys1636]

So by this time next year people won't be getting a salt water shower whilst waiting for a train during a storm. Hopefully in a few years of weathering the new wall will mellow and look like it's been there for decades. Someone should order a few drums of Yoghurt to help it along.

[@mbak7801]

Looks great. It's brought some time but that is all. As many other people say eventually it will be swept away.

[@icdgyixifyinstereo]

We still need a tunnel between Newton Abbott and Exeter. This is a short term measure.

[@pedromorgan99]

Yea, and turn railway into a cycle path

[@nicholasroberts6954]

Exactly (Londoner saying this) Even with the new wall, heavy storm and winter sea spray will still delay services, assuming the new wall doesn't get undermined again, which it will unless its been piled or secured to a rock foundation . . . and lets face it, if you look at Devonian/Silurian sandstone, the wrong way it will crumble to dust. Granite it ain't. Network Rail and HMG are still playing Victorian gentlemans' conveyance with this part of the railway. Why can't the West Country benefit from a 21st century mass transit system viz HS2 local to me, no concessions there . . the tunnels go where they want 'em to go for maximum efficacy.

[@sgthree]

If you can find the several BILLION £ that would cost, and I assume you have also already carried out a full geological survey of the rock structures. Oh, and lose the railway, and bye bye the towns of Teignmouth and Dawlish.

[@icdgyixifyinstereo]

@@sgthree Don't get hysterical.

[@sgthree]

@@icdgyixifyinstereo What makes you think I am getting hysterical? I'm just putting to bed ludicrous suggestions that will never happen.

[@teamidris]

Amazing stuff. Must have taken decades to build originally.

[@stephenfisher2413]

I realise the focus of your channel is the Dawlish sea wall but would you care to give your views on Network Rails proposed work for the Teignmouth / Holcombe side of the sea wall please ?

[@lordcustard-smythe-smith9153]

I don't think they could have done anything different. Its that or no railway for months on end when a really big storm hits it. For those who don't know, a series of monster storms a few years ago not only bashed out the wall, but the material under the track and even under a house which had to be evacuated as it almost fell into the sea. With sea levels predicted to rise, it was far too dangerous to just leave it as it was. The finished section up to the tunnel actually looks better than I thought it would. Seems wider and safer than what was there before. Things always look a mess during construction, but once its finished and weathered a bit, it should be fine.

[@johng7rwf419]

Very interesting, thank you..

[@stephendavies6506]

Looks awful, but ho-hum. It'll probably be as good as Kanute in the long run. It might have been a better idea to build it in kent.

[@RalphEllis]

Good comment…

[@mohammednadeemanwar2213]

Norfolk more like 😂

[@mikeedwards7724]

What would like it to look like Stephen?

[@nicholasroberts6954]

The Furhrer would be proud of the promenade . . Atlantic Wall or what . . ..all that's missing is the 16 inch guns. Hardly touristy, is it ? Good engineering, but given the progression of global warming, with rising water levels and increasing storm strength, I really wonder how long that will last ? If the concrete slabs don't interface vertically or horizontally (To the rear) with a solid rock foundation, what's the point ? Won't it just be undermined by the sea again ? Where's the slightly offshore, submerged, Swiss cheese concrete screen, to take the energy out of the storm waves, North-Sea oil terminal style ? Looks too industrial for the best purposes of the Tourist Board - needs a bit of Devon stone-cladding. For the money they've spent on that . . . . could have had the start of a tunnel under Telegraph Hill . . and combined that with the same idea for the A380. Never mind. That sort of solution is good enough for the A3 in Surrey, but not for Devon ? Another exercise in unjoined-up government ? Mean while, Devon County Council,expend shed loads of dosh on the build of a massive road bypass for Torquay ??? When what's really needed is to keep cars out of the peninsular and have a light rail/tram system instead. They'll wake-up when its too late. But they (Network Rail) are, where they are, given the decisions they obviously made. Main-line shouldn't be following the Teignmouth route - it should be restricted to local commuter/holiday specials and specialist excursions only. Ditto the bit of the line running down the side of the Exe estuary . . . when the global warming really gets going that will get regularly flooded as well. If you take the example of the low lying Landes region of South-West France, in between La Rochelle and Bordeaux they've already in the past 10 years started to have storm surges that have driven in land several kilometers, plus the hail stones the size of kids footballs. This King Canute routine, is far behind the curve, its ludicrous . . . but, of course, it can be sold to the unknowing publi by the populist politicians, with a thumbs-up, as if its "All good stuff".

[@sgthree]

@@nicholasroberts6954 Maybe you should have given Network Rail your greater knowledge than the world's experts on this subject sooner! I wish I had a fraction of your vast intellect! Shame you left it so late!

[@brianhurkett5128]

I didn’t realise we had a Berlin Wall in Devon !!

[@sgthree]

it isn't!

[@inh92]

Great project civil engineering 🦾

[@barongreenbackthe2nd418]

Looks like the Berlin Wall.Shocking.

[@barrysheridan9186]

Good update thanks.

[@mikecawood]

This all looks to be great stuff.

[@isitme5669]

how do you actally get on the beach absail?

[@m101ist]

It could be turn into a secret beach, a private beach and only limited amount to go selected paying persons allowed to go there? 😳

[@andrewreynolds4949]

If you look at the design on Network Rail’s page for it there will be a set of stairs on the station side of the underpass and stairs and a ramp at the coastguards end. That’s in addition to the ramp that was built in as part of phase one.

[@GodmanchesterGoblin]

It's in the video - steps being built at each end. I guess abseiling may be quicker, especially if you want the middle area of the beach.

[@bobjackson4720]

First time here. A question will there be any ladders or other ways to escape from the beach if you get caught by the tide?

[@andrewreynolds4949]

According to the designs published by Network Rail there will be beach access at each end of the section. Nothing has been described about intermediate access points.

[@bobjackson4720]

@@andrewreynolds4949 I don't know the details but the sea defences look pretty long. For an older person or someone with children it could take several minutes to get to the end points. If nothing else perhaps signage should identify the closest escape point so people can at least know which way to go in the event of an emergency.

[@sgthree]

@@bobjackson4720 The tide times are known, so with proper planning and using some common sense, no one will get trapped. The access points to the beach are actually the same as they have been for 150 years.

[@bobjackson4720]

@@sgthree I'm sure every tourist who walks on the beach will have a copy of the tide times?? The wall is pretty substantial and perhaps intimidating to someone caught behind it, and not knowing the closest exit point. A few signs would be helpful for someone in a panic.

[@sgthree]

@@bobjackson4720 You make it sound like the time it takes the tide to come in is a matter of seconds. It isn't - it takes hours! We are not talking about an area that has fast tides. I am not aware of anyone ever being trapped on the beach there (having lived in the area pretty much my whole life and being sent on cross country runs at school along that beach). As I said, the access points are no different to how they have been since the railway was built. As for signage, re-tracing one's steps for a distance of a few metres, is well within the ability of people who can find their way to the beach in the first place. There is no point along that part of the beach where you cannot actually SEE the exit point at one end or the other. Common sense is a valuable asset, and isn't difficult to apply.

[@JamesSmith-mv9fp]

The battle to keep the railway working ! It's been an ongoing battle for over a hundred years !! How long will this latest attempt to keep the sea at bay last? Indeed how much is this latest attempt costing the tax payer ? Would it not be cheaper to reinstate the Southern Railway route considering that line is still partially in use as far as Okehampton ???

[@joopterwijn]

No breakers before the wall?

[@fletch61]

I know it needs to be done, but it looks like a prison wall from the beach !.. ..all that history buried under concrete and no more sitting on the wall !

[@annar6430]

I have picture of 19yr old me,bikini on,sat on the wall. I took my nursing books down to Grandparents..to study for finals..not much studying went on .😅

[@DavidSmith-tc3se]

will we loose the views of the trains running past??

[@sgthree]

no - because at this part of the wall, you couldn't see them anyway.

[@Goldenhordemilo]

top effort guys

[@terryroberts4589]

A lot of hard work done but I'm surprised the promenade walkway is not a lot wider for a cyclepath each way and also wide enough for a couple of couples to walk past each other 🥴

[@andrewreynolds4949]

People have already complained online about the wall taking away too much of the beach, I doubt they would like an even wider wall.

[@rtalbot87]

many of the concrete slabs are cracked already !

[@sgthree]

that is not true - they are textured, but not cracked.

[@rtalbot87]

@@sgthree Hi Daniel, they may be textured but I feel sure I can see 'cracks' running across the face of some panels. I guess they could be pouring marks

[@Aubury]

Climate change, and rising sea levels, super storms. The inland route does have a proper job solution ...

[@MrJonah53]

No doubt it will do the job, but is ugly all the same. On the upside though, it's a lovely blank canvas for the Graffiti artists.

[@MyKharli]

In a thousand or so years it will have to be 67m higher !

[@barrytipton1179]

About as clear as mud

[@Pikestnt]

So much negativity. Yes it’s brutal and ugly but it’s got a job to do. Everyone loves stonehenge and that’s large vertical slabs. When its finished with stairs, signage plus a bit of seaweed it’ll look a lot less ugly

[@taurus1127]

How weird is that..before people were building everything near the beach n now everyone running away from it n building tall walls to stay away..strange world we living nowadays 🤔🇳🇴

[@sjr999r]

I know it needs to be done,but there’s a part of me that thinks ‘this is abit overkill’ It will have no character,just a shame…..a real shame ☹️

[@sgthree]

It is being built to future proof, as much as possible.

[@mattphillips9107]

What an eyesore! The south devon coast is beautiful......and then this monstrosity. Until the next big Atlantic storm....

[@nicholasroberts6954]

£35million spent and Network rail will still not have guarenteed resolution of the strategic issue of the interruption of West Coast Main Line Services by coastal bad weather events. Tax payers and west coast line passengers, who will be jointly paying for that, will of course be heartily laughing all the way to their bank accounts. I recall from the time that the damage was first reported by the national press, that there was an alternative inland route available for the re-routing of main -line West coast Services . . . and Network Rail turned it down . Would £35 million have been spent if Dawlish - Teignmouth had been on a local line only and not involved visits by publicity hungry national politicians ? One for the Auditor General and the PAC ?

[@alex8man2]

They could have made the wall more decorative I think, looks strong but boring!!

[@chadgdry3938]

Needs rip-rap

[@metricstormtrooper]

That'll slow those Germans down.

[@geoffdundee]

greggy weggy ...its rubber dinghies we shud be worried about

[@NacGT4]

This must win a prize for the ugliest "improvement" ever! Why are they continuing when significant elements are yet to be designed?

[@boblovell5789]

@Alltrains_mayhem Translate.

[@Tiger313NL]

These "significant elements" are additions on top of the sea wall, they're not related in any way to the hydraulic engineering solution that keeps the railroad from being washed away. So they are continuing the work on the sea wall because the window for construction is limited. When the storm season begins, they need to have the gaps in the sea wall closed. Otherwise the water can get behind it and tear it all back down.

[@Tiger313NL]

@Alltrains_mayhem I know why it needed to be done. I really don't need to watch some TV show to know that. :)

[@nicholasroberts6954]

"And one little piggy built his house on sand". . . You've only got to look at the remains of Hitlers Atlantic Wall in Normandy to see the effect storm waves have on even the most massive concrete structures which have been built on insubstantial (Sandy) foundations . . . subsidence . . . big time. I wonder how deep that steel shuttering behind the precast concrete slab sea wall really go ? Remembering that the bedrock is only Devonian/Silurian sandstone . . . look at it the wrong way and it crumbles to nothing. Anybody done an impact study on how the improvements to this part of the coast are going to effect the Teign estuary, 'cause that will be the next thing, flooding of the Teign valley at high tide consequent on wave rebound from the refurbished sea wall. At last sight, Newton Abbot station and the race course are on the valley bottom. Hello, Thames barrier ! The important thing is that the thumbs-up, "Get-it done" populist politicians can sell it to the unknowing great British Public and that plenty of civil engineers did alright . . . even though its not the ideal solution. Countdown for how long it takes for this post to be removed.

[@nate8551]

Love it. Trump would be proud. Stop the dingys landing

[@mooremob100]

Is this the wall trump wanted 🙀🙀🙀🤣🤣🤣🤣🤭🤭

[@neilworroll9278]

Trump said he was going to build a wall.

[@Tuckaway]

It looks like the anti-terrorist wall round Jerusalem or Trump's Mexico Wall.

[@johnhunt7069]

I would not like to see this wall when a serious storm and high tide hit it. Unless there are huge rocks or other geometric concrete to break the force of water hitting the base of the wall at 90 degrees the consequences may be disasterous

[@suewilkinson910]

That has to be one of the ugliest sea walls imaginable. No expense wasted for the sake of a holiday maker who's money you will still want for your economy! Who is going to want to sit on the sand under that! Looks like a prison. Just needs lookout towers on top with gun placements. So unbelievably ugly. What a shame.

[@pumkineater7219]

Can't believe the wokes complaining about how it looks etc.

[@rossbolton9966]

Its awful, no view of the beach and restricted view of the trains, high security prison springs to mind, health & safety gone mad yet again !