South Devon Railway sea wall facts for kids
The South Devon Railway sea wall is a special railway line in Devon, England. It runs along the south coast. Imagine a train track right next to the sea!
There's a walking path next to the railway. It goes from Dawlish Warren to Dawlish. Another path continues to the beach front at Teignmouth. Both these paths are part of the longer South West Coast Path.
The South Devon Railway was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It starts in Exeter and follows the River Exe. Then it goes along the sea cliffs to Teignmouth. After that, it follows the River Teign to Newton Abbot. About 13 miles of the track are next to tidal waters. Four of these miles are right next to the open sea.
Contents
History of the Sea Wall Railway
This part of the railway opened on May 30, 1846. It ran from Exeter St Davids railway station to Teignmouth railway station. It was extended to Newton Abbot railway station on December 31, 1846.
The railway first used a "broad gauge" track. This meant the rails were 7 feet and a quarter inch apart. Most railways today use "standard gauge," which is 4 feet 8½ inches. The railway was also meant to be an "atmospheric railway." This was a special system where trains were pulled by air pressure in a tube. However, these atmospheric trains only ran for about a year.
The South Devon Railway joined the Great Western Railway on February 1, 1876. After May 20, 1892, the tracks were changed to the standard gauge. A station opened at Dawlish Warren in 1905. Other stations on the sea wall had opened much earlier, in 1846.
The Great Western Railway became part of British Railways on January 1, 1948. Today, Network Rail owns the line. The stations and most trains are run by the modern Great Western Railway.
On February 4, 2014, a big storm hit the sea wall at Dawlish. High winds and huge waves broke part of the wall. About 40 meters of the wall and the ground under the tracks were washed away. The railway had to close. Network Rail quickly started repairs. The line reopened just two months later, on April 4, 2014.
The Railway Route
Along the River Exe
The River Exe becomes visible at a place called Turf. You can still see parts of an old engine house here. This engine house helped power the atmospheric trains long ago. Soon, the river wall runs right next to the railway near Powderham Castle.
The railway then goes between the river and the deer park of Powderham Castle. It reaches Starcross railway station, which is in the middle of Starcross village. Across from the ferry pier to Exmouth, you can see another old engine house.
Further along, the railway crosses the mouth of Cockwood harbour. An old pier used to be here, but it's gone now. You might see trains on the other side of the river near Lympstone Commando railway station.
The River Exe flows into the sea at Exmouth. The railway goes behind the sand dunes at Dawlish Warren. Then it reaches Dawlish Warren railway station.
Along the Sea Wall
After Dawlish Warren, the railway comes onto the main sea wall. The walking path is right next to it. The line quickly enters a short, deep cutting at Langstone Rock. When it comes out, you can see views towards Torbay.
A walking path follows the railway all the way to Kennaway Tunnel at Dawlish. Just before Dawlish railway station, there's a footbridge. This bridge was used when the railway was being built. The town of Dawlish can be seen from the Colonnade Viaduct at the other end of the station.
The railway then enters its first tunnel, Kennaway Tunnel. It goes under Lea Mount. Beyond this is Coryton beach. This is the furthest you can walk from Dawlish on the sea wall path. Coryton tunnel leads to Shell Cove beach. You can only reach this beach by walking along the shore at very low tide.
The railway then goes through Phillot Tunnel and Clerk's Tunnel. It comes out onto a section of sea wall at Breeches Rock. Then it goes into Parson's Tunnel under Hole Head. The last two tunnels are named after the Parson and Clerk Rocks. These are natural rock arches in the sea.
After Parson's Tunnel, there's a short bridge over Smugglers Lane. The walking path starts again here. It goes past Sprey Point to a cutting at Teignmouth Eastcliff. Near Sprey Point, you can see the remains of an old lime kiln. This was used when the railway was built.
Along the River Teign
After passing through Teignmouth railway station, the line goes through a cutting. It then comes out behind the busy Teignmouth Harbour. The railway then runs next to the water again, following the River Teign. The cuttings on both sides of the station used to be tunnels. They were opened up between 1879 and 1884.
The line goes under the Shaldon Bridge. It passes a boat yard. Then it follows the river past small points of land like Flow Point and Red Rock. It goes through two small cuttings. Finally, it crosses Hackney Marshes near the race course to reach Newton Abbot railway station.
Across the river from Summer House, you can see the waterside inn at Coombe Cellars.
How Trains Use the Line
When the tide is very high, some trains cannot use this route. Trains like the Class 220 and Class 221 are not allowed. This is because sea spray can damage them. Other trains, like the Pacer, Sprinter, and Class 43 trains, are fine.
Newer trains, like the Class 800 and Class 802 models, have been tested. They seem to handle the conditions well. These trains will replace the older Class 43 trains.
Keeping the Sea Wall Safe
The sea wall has always been difficult to maintain. It runs next to the open sea at the bottom of cliffs for four miles. This means it can get damaged in bad weather.
In December 1852, a large landslide from the cliffs closed the railway for four days. In 1855 and 1859, the sea broke through the line at Teignmouth. There have been many more closures since then. These are caused by landslides from the cliffs and by the sea breaking through, especially in winter. In 1929, a storm damaged the wall between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren. Part of the track sank.
In 1936, the Great Western Railway looked into building a different route inland. This "Dawlish Avoiding Line" would have gone further away from the coast. Construction started in 1939, but World War II stopped the project. The land was later sold.
In 2010, it was said that about £9 million had been spent on keeping the sea wall safe. It costs Network Rail about £500,000 each year to maintain the sea walls. The government has said that this railway line is very important for the economy of South Devon and Cornwall. Even if a new inland route were built, it would not replace the main line along the coast. This is true even though maintenance costs will likely go up because of rising sea levels.
In 2018, Network Rail suggested extending the sea wall further into the English Channel at Teignmouth. This would move the railway further from the cliff. It would create space between them. This way, the railway would not be affected by cliff movements. Other plans include making the sea wall better between Kennaway Tunnel and Dawlish. They also plan to build a special shelter at Horse Cove. In February 2019, the government approved £80 million to raise the sea wall south of Dawlish station by 2.5 meters (about 8 feet).
Images for kids
-
Illustrated London News 3 March 1855. Sketch by F. W. L. Stockdale.
-
A mobile platform used during the rebuilding of the sea wall in 2014-2015
.JPG)
See also
In Spanish: Dique del Ferrocarril del Sur de Devon para niños
