Dawlish sea wall collapse

[ikcdab]

https://twitter.com/FGW/status/433577310579466240

Looks like great progress being made.

And here is the YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCQykSLMhKU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[455driver]

I forgot about that one starmill!

 

[ainsworth74]

Six weeks may still prove a not unreasonable estimate!

 

[YorkshireBear]

Six weeks may still prove a not unreasonable estimate!

It struck me as very sensible when suggested. Something like this under my estimates as an emergency job would be 3 weeks in normal circumstances. So 6 seemed a very good estimate. The weather has not hampered them as much as first predicted and next weeks weather is for calmer storms with much longer gaps between storms. Good progress is clearly being made. Very impressed.

 

[swt_passenger]

It struck me as very sensible when suggested. Something like this under my estimates as an emergency job would be 3 weeks in normal circumstances. So 6 seemed a very good estimate. The weather has not hampered them as much as first predicted and next weeks weather is for calmer storms with much longer gaps between storms. Good progress is clearly being made. Very impressed.

Does anyone have an idea what the normal 'calm' high tide level is, with respect to where they are working?

In other words, does the working area flood to significant depth every tide?

 

[D1009]

Does anyone have an idea what the normal 'calm' high tide level is, with respect to where they are working?

In other words, does the working area flood to significant depth every tide?

Well if you're referring to the Youtube video, they are working on the beach, which definitely does flood every high tide! As described earlier in the thread, the part of the sea wall carrying the footpath where the major breach occurred is at a much lower level, not far above the beach and this also floods every high tide, so at high tide you can't walk along the wall to Dawlish Warren without getting very wet. The height of the tide obviously varies, but you will get wet on other parts of the sea wall if it's high tide and the wind is sending the sea crashing against it. In calm conditions the sea will be a few feet below the level of most of the wall at high tide.

It should be remembered that there have been at least another two locations where the wall has been breached where the wall is at full height.

 

[LateThanNever]

It struck me as very sensible when suggested. Something like this under my estimates as an emergency job would be 3 weeks in normal circumstances. So 6 seemed a very good estimate. The weather has not hampered them as much as first predicted and next weeks weather is for calmer storms with much longer gaps between storms. Good progress is clearly being made. Very impressed.

So pretty summery then! As you say excellent progress but although no storm is good I think it's the southerly wind that is the problem - that did the damage originally. Tempted to say that as long as the weather reverts to its normal westerly gale things should go swimmingly...

 

[D1009]

things should go swimmingly...

Not sure that's the best choice of phrase

 

[YorkshireBear]

So pretty summery then! As you say excellent progress but although no storm is good I think it's the southerly wind that is the problem - that did the damage originally. Tempted to say that as long as the weather reverts to its normal westerly gale things should go swimmingly...

I hope that was intentional because that is comedy gold.

 

[KEITHGEORGE]

Iam taking our train mad Grandson for a weeks holiday in the camping coaches at Dawlish Warren in early April, so I hope the line will be open by then. What are the chance's. ?

Keith.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Iam taking our train mad Grandson for a weeks holiday in the camping coaches at Dawlish Warren in early April, so I hope the line will be open by then. What are the chance's. ?

Keith.

I am on holiday in Dawlish Warren in early April too.
Currently Network Rail estimate 18th March. This is not yet confirmed as definite yet but work is doing well. Keep an eye on this thread and i am sure you will be kept updated.

 

[LateThanNever]

I hope that was intentional because that is comedy gold.

Thought it would sit very well with your "calmer storms" oxymoron!

 

[KEITHGEORGE]

I am on holiday in Dawlish Warren in early April too.
Currently Network Rail estimate 18th March. This is not yet confirmed as definite yet but work is doing well. Keep an eye on this thread and i am sure you will be kept updated.

Yes indeed I will be keeping a eye on this thread. All postings about Dawlish have now been banned on RMWEB. A very strange way to conduct a Forum. It was up to 40 pages when the ban came.

Regards, Keith.

 

[D1009]

Yes indeed I will be keeping a eye on this thread. All postings about Dawlish have now been banned on RMWEB. A very strange way to conduct a Forum. It was up to 40 pages when the ban came.

Regards, Keith.

Well welcome to this forum, and I think you'll find it's run very well.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Live Camera. (pictures every minute)

http://www.siteeyelive.com/monitor/bbcdawlish/camputerb86.jpg

BBC time lapse of work so far.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26180491
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
SEVERE flood warning in place for Dawlish Coastline tonight.

 

[jopsuk]

big storm + spring tides is not what they want!

 

[Mainliner]

Live Camera. (pictures every minute)

http://www.siteeyelive.com/monitor/bbcdawlish/camputerb86.jpg

SEVERE flood warning in place for Dawlish Coastline tonight.

Still a few people down there, in what seems pretty awful conditions, with the sea coming over the containers and wall!

 

[jopsuk]

Looks like last staff have retreated; every wave now coming over the wall.

 

[Rich McLean]

This could cause further damage by the looks of it.

 

[D1009]

Still a few people down there, in what seems pretty awful conditions, with the sea coming over the containers and wall!

High tide this evening 1832 hrs, mean forecast wind speed at 1800 29 mph gusting to 52 mph from SSW. From met office forecast issued at 1500 hrs today.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

big storm + spring tides is not what they want!

We're actually approaching a neap tide early next week.

 

[jopsuk]

High tide this evening 1832 hrs, mean forecast wind speed at 1800 29 mph gusting to 52 mph from SSW. From met office forecast issued at 1500 hrs today.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
We're actually approaching a neap tide early next week.

Um, full moon tonight. Spring tides are at New and Full moon. Neaps at First and Last Quarter (half moon). Last Quarter is next Saturday.

 

[Mainliner]

Looks like last staff have retreated; every wave now coming over the wall.

Still some down there at 1654!

 

[D1009]

Um, full moon tonight. Spring tides are at New and Full moon. Neaps at First and Last Quarter (half moon). Last Quarter is next Saturday.

Sorry, posted from memory, must have missed a week.

 

[DXMachina]

The Dawlish live camera linked by Yorkshirebear is now showing apparent large body of water behind the container wall. Hope its just an optical effect not a new lagoon on top of the building site

- saved version - time shown in image

live version: http://www.siteeyelive.com/monitor/bbcdawlish/camputerb86.jpg

 

[YorkshireBear]

Whats important is the containers have not moved! A lagoon that size can easily be pumped out its not very big!

 

[fairysdad]

https://twitter.com/emmathomasson/status/434422337388412928

Reports on Twitter that the container wall has been breached

(Although I can't find anything backing it up so might just be a rumour)

 

[eastdyke]

Just had a look at the live cam and sadly it looks to me as if some more wall may have gone. Look at the white container and work back towards the cam. I think that the containers are still in place.

I hope that a second opinion will tell me that I am mistaken about further damage.

 

[b0b]

looks like a container is gone

 

[DXMachina]

I thought that as well, then I measured the distance from the right hand edge of the photo to the container thats visible - it hasnt changed. Either a bit more wall has collapsed letting more light shine off the sea, or its just a sign of reduced spray or better conditions

Either way, YB was certainly right, the water behind the container wall has nearly all drained away as the sea withdraws from high tide

 

[Rich McLean]

Some more wall has come away.