Storm to close line at Dawlish evening 23rd to Saturday afternoon (and beyond)

[Snow1964]

BBC story with pictures

Teignmouth pier and part of sea wall by railway, and sand drifts at Exmouth

Part of a historic pier has washed away and a sea wall next to a railway line has crumbled as Storm Ingrid lashes Devon and Cornwall.

Teignmouth mayor Cate Williams said the town had "taken a real battering" overnight into Saturday with "just wild" waves damaging part of Teignmouth Grand Pier.

A sea wall protecting the railway line at nearby Dawlish has partially collapsed and services are currently suspended between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth.

A Met Office yellow warning for rain is in place until 22:00 GMT and the Environment Agency said flood warnings were in place across the south Devon and south Cornwall coasts.

Teignmouth's mayor said it was "sad" to see part of the resort's pier, which opened in 1867, washed away.

"It has lost part of the pier structure itself, that has dissolved and gone away into the sea," she said.

"It's an old pier and it was needing some attention and I suppose age and wear and tear has taken its toll.

"It has survived many weather conditions as well as world wars. It's sad when you look at it now to see some of it now missing


Dawlish also experienced a "very dramatic" night, said resident Peter Large.

He said part of the wall protecting the railway line had "just crumbled".

"The wall is now gone at either end," he said.

"I'm looking down at it now and there's a strip about 80 to 90 ft long where the wall has just crumbled.

"The waves are still crashing over the railway line and over the wall."

Teignmouth Pier washes away and sea wall crumbles during Storm Ingrid

Part of a historic pier washes away and a sea wall next to a railway line crumbles as Storm Ingrid lashes Devon and Cornwall.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JUMOUK]

I’ve not been out towards Crediton today but the rivers around Cowley Bridge are pretty low considering how much rain we’ve had. They may well rise a little higher still but I don’t think it’ll be by very much.

The works done on improving the flow through Exeter’s pinch points in the past few years has made a dramatic difference. In previous years the fields around Cowley Bridge flood plain would stay flooded for a good few days but they barely flood at all now.

Edit - Mrs C has just been out for a walk and took a photo of the Creedy just north of Cowley. Highish, but fine.

View attachment 196558

I think the loss of Pynes water treatments weir has made a big difference, it’s dropped the levels in the Exe before cowley almost a metre

 

[dk1]

That's just a general feature of Facebook these days. Full of armchair experts on everything. Always brings to mind the Harry Enfield character: "Only me! You don't wanna do it like that, you wanna do it like this".

And don't get me started on people who post "can't park there mate" next to any pictures of vehicular mishaps. It was funny, for about 2 minutes, in 1994.

Oh mate that comment sends me into orbit and ‘just saying’ is another

If I read one more ridiculous post about reopening the Tavistock route or that new wall didn’t last long. Give me strength!!!!!

 

[185143]

Oh mate that comment sends me into orbit and ‘just saying’ is another

If I read one more ridiculous post about reopening the Tavistock route or that new wall didn’t last long. Give me strength!!!!!

Just saying, the new wall didn't last long.

 

[Forty29]

The " you can't park there mate " reply winds me up too always reply "how predictable"

 

[Railwaycat]

That storm looks ferocious - how do the waves compare to past storms on a score of 1 to 10 (question for locals to the area) ?

 

[Cowley]

There’s a thread on Dawlish avoiding routes here for that kind of shenanigans.

Dawlish avoiding route?

Moderator note: split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/storm-to-close-line-at-dawlish-evening-23rd-to-saturday-afternoon.297732/page-4#post-7645435 How long before the press start calling for the Southern line to be reopened?

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[VP185]

A sinkhole has been discovered with voiding of the main lines between Teignmouth and Dawlish.

Can’t see a reopening anytime soon.

 

[YorkshireBear]

A sinkhole has been discovered with voiding of the main lines between Teignmouth and Dawlish.

Can’t see a reopening anytime soon.

That really depends on what they mean by sink hole.

I've seen holes filled with ballast and reopened in hours. It depends what's caused it.

 

[Pete_uk]

Some of the videos doing the rounds are incredible! Its a testament to the engineering crews that there is relatively little damage.

 

[JUMOUK]

A sinkhole has been discovered with voiding of the main lines between Teignmouth and Dawlish.

Can’t see a reopening anytime soon.

I doubt that would impact trains running, if it’s the one I’ve seen on Facebook, it’s behind the teignmouth letters, which are over 100ft from the rails

 

[Cowley]

I think the loss of Pynes water treatments weir has made a big difference, it’s dropped the levels in the Exe before cowley almost a metre

Yes definitely.

 

[Signal Head]

When they finished the taller, stronger (and in parts further from the track) wall with its wave deflecting top. They hailed it as permanent resilience.

Doesn't appear the resilience was very permanent if line now has to close again.

From photos on the BBC of the part that has collapsed, this isn't the main sea wall which directly face the waves, but a waist-high masonry wall on top of the sea wall, fencing off the railway from the public area along the top of the sea wall.

Probably a large wave hit the sea wall and was deflected up and over, but still with enough energy to push the rather flimsy secondary wall over.

 

[185143]

GWR and XC now both saying the line will be closed until 16:00 tomorrow.

 

[dk1]

GWR and XC now both saying the line will be closed until 16:00 tomorrow.

They are both doing sterling work to get through this. I do expect it may slip a little but am extremely grateful all the same.

 

[185143]

They are both doing sterling work to get through this. I do expect it may slip a little but am extremely grateful all the same.

Indeed.

I'm not at all confident of the Night Riviera actually running though. And as I'm officially only boarding at Exeter (rover+advance), I can't take advantage of taking the advice not to travel yet.

I quite fancy ticking the 'Spoons hotel in Cambourne. Be a good excuse!

 

[londonmidland]

There’s the possibility of further disruption next week in the South West, but perhaps affecting other areas of the country too.

Particularly in already exposed and affected areas, such as Dawlish, as further deep areas of low pressure approach from the Atlantic.

 

[dk1]

Indeed.

I'm not at all confident of the Night Riviera actually running though. And as I'm officially only boarding at Exeter (rover+advance), I can't take advantage of taking the advice not to travel yet.

I quite fancy ticking the 'Spoons hotel in Cambourne. Be a good excuse!

Go for it. That’s a hotel too so get wasted

 

[185143]

Go for it. That’s a hotel too so get wasted

I meant to stay there!

Visited the pub a couple of times before, even managing to get the train there on a Wednesday.

 

[VP185]

I doubt that would impact trains running, if it’s the one I’ve seen on Facebook, it’s behind the teignmouth letters, which are over 100ft from the rails

There’s a suspected void under the down main. That would affect train running.

 

[30907]

I doubt that would impact trains running, if it’s the one I’ve seen on Facebook, it’s behind the teignmouth letters, which are over 100ft from the rails

Sprey Point on the map.

There’s a suspected void under the down main. That would affect train running.

Yes, it would mean SLW if confirmed

 

[Russel]

BBC story with pictures

Teignmouth Pier washes away and sea wall crumbles during Storm Ingrid

Part of a historic pier washes away and a sea wall next to a railway line crumbles as Storm Ingrid lashes Devon and Cornwall.

www.bbc.co.uk

Unrelated to the railway, but the end of Teignmouth Pier has been earmarked for demolition for a couple of years, but the owner couldn't afford to do it, so it looks like Mother Nature has helped them out!

 

[Sporty60]

Indeed.

I'm not at all confident of the Night Riviera actually running though. And as I'm officially only boarding at Exeter (rover+advance), I can't take advantage of taking the advice not to travel yet.

I quite fancy ticking the 'Spoons hotel in Cambourne. Be a good excuse!

My room there had the largest bathroom I've seen, complete with roll top bath.
Excellent choice.

 

[Jan Mayen]

My room there had the largest bathroom I've seen, complete with roll top bath.
Excellent choice.

Sorry, but what is a roll top bath?

Edit: This will be be my entry in the 'strangest question asked on this Forum' competition, should such a thing happen.

 

[josh-j]

Sorry, but what is a roll top bath?

Edit: This will be be my entry in the 'strangest question asked on this Forum' competition, should such a thing happen.

Imagine the part of the Dawlish sea wall that curves outwards, applied to the top edges of a freestanding bath (but more so)

 

[QueensCurve]

Shot of the damaged wall.

Dawlish

A good job the Up line is bidirectional on that stretch.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jan 2026 ==

Also, note that the damaged part of the wall by sea view terrace is adjoining the 2014 rebuild

Is the webcam that was adjacent to the 2014 breach still available? It was on a node called lobstervision.aws.com.

 

[tumbledown]

Imagine the part of the Dawlish sea wall that curves outwards, applied to the top edges of a freestanding bath (but more so)

That's what I call a "bath".

 

[Dan G]

That storm looks ferocious - how do the waves compare to past storms on a score of 1 to 10 (question for locals to the area) ?

So that got me looking. I didn't find information on actual meteorological conditions as I was distracted by this excellent paper, listing previous Dawlish damage events and their mechanisms.

For what it's worth, Saturday morning's waves equalled 2014, at least visually. Don't forget that it was at least as intense on Friday evening's high tide.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jan 2026 ==

Oh and I would say the new defences worked exceptionally well. Despite the strong onshore wind, the recurving wave deflectors were keeping at least half of the splash plume from going inland. No damage to the new defences either, at least as far as I could see. Can't ask for more than that.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Seems they are running a limited service this morning, with a train for London about to leave Plymouth now and call at Dawlish in about an hour's time

 

[rebmcr]

No damage to the new defences either

Thanks, I was surprised at the lack of detail on this particular topic elsewhere online, so I came here!