Dawlish

Watch: Amazing Aerial Video of the Dawlish repairs

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 03/21/2014 - 3:19pm

Network rail have today released a new video of the lastest repairs to the Dawlish coastal track.

Taken by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) the short video shows how far the engineers have got since the track was destoyed on Febuary 3.

The UAV pans the entire operation bringing a e view of the staggering scale of the repair works.

The tarck is expected to be re-opened next month.

£2,000 Reward for Devon Robbery Suspect

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Thu, 03/20/2014 - 4:01pm

A reward of up to £2,000 is being offered through independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers, for information on a robbery that occurred in Dawlish Warren last summer. Dean Smart, aged 27, is wanted in connection with the robbery which took place at Golden Sands Holiday Park in the early hours of 27 August 2013. Smart, who is from the Bath area, is considered dangerous, and police believe he is actively evading capture.

The incident, saw four offenders wearing balaclavas forced members of staff to open a safe containing a large quantity of cash.

One member of staff...

New Daily Coach Links to Exeter Airport

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Tue, 03/18/2014 - 10:58am

Catching a flight to and from the South West could be about to get easier as the Stagecoach group announce a new daily transport link to Exeter Airport.

The new link, from Stagecoach’s megabusplus services, will see all four of its routes to and from the Honiton rail hub stop at Exeter Airport from this week.

The group say that the new service will provide a ‘seamless link’ between London and the West Country by using a combination of their megabus.com buses as well as the rail links at Honiton.

Managing Director of Stagecoach UK Coach, Elizabeth Esnouf said: “...

Watch: Amazing Timelapse of Dawlish rail repairs

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Tue, 03/04/2014 - 1:09pm

Today officially marks the one-month anniversary of the closure of the South West’s main rail link after line at Dawlish was left in tatters by extreme storm damage on the 4th February.

The closure has badly hit the South West’s economy as businesses face severe disruption to their normal activity. The region’s tourist industry thought to have been hot particularly badly seeing significantly lower bookings than expected. Since the destruction, Network Rail engineers have been working hurriedly to repair and reinforce the broken track often in very difficult circumstances. The...

Official opening of Central Station forecourt improvements

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Mon, 03/03/2014 - 12:34pm

The newly improved forecourt at Exeter Central station was officially opened today after a £660,000 enhancement project. The scheme was joint funded through Devon County Council’s successful bid to the Department for Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund to improve access to stations, as well as £185,000 from Exeter City Council and a further £160,000 from Network Rail. The improved layout includes a new bus shelter, taxi provision, free and user-friendly pick up and drop off facility for rail users,formal cycle parking as well as loading bays for local businesses and their...

Police warning after family allegedly cycle on Dawlish line

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Thu, 02/27/2014 - 11:28am

A photo which allegedly shows a family cycling on the rail line between Exeter and Dawlish has led to warnings against using the line from British Transport Police and Network Rail. The photograph appeared on social media apparently showing a family of cyclists using the tracks in the Powderham area while work continues by Network Rail to repair damage caused by severe weather earlier this month. The photo is alleged to have been taken in mid-February when the nearby Dawlish Warren road was flooded but there remains some uncertainty around the photos authenticity. Despite the uncertainty,...

Five Alternative routes to Dawlish

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Wed, 02/26/2014 - 11:16am

Network Rail has said they will consider five alternative routes as a long term response to the destroyed line at Dawlish.

Options include creating a new passenger route using the existing freight train lines at Alphington and Heathfield near Newton Abbot. Another option is to reinstate the closed Okehampton line which is expected to cost up to £700m. Three new routes travelling to Newton Abbot propose new tunnels being built and would maintain a high number of trains travelling through Dawlish. Network rail also suggest work to make the current coastal line more resilient as...

Dawlish Line could re-open early

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Tue, 02/25/2014 - 10:18am

Work on to re-open the railway line could be completed earlier than expected, according to Network Rail. The work to repair the area of track destroyed during the recent heavy storms was initially expected to be completed by mid-March but was pushed back to mid-April after further storm damage frustrated repairs. However the Rail Minister, Steve Hammond, said the rail company had given a “commitment” that “if they can beat that target they will.” He continued: "Network Rail had a good weekend last weekend and they have had some 20-hour days." "They are also looking at the long-term options...

Red Arrows confirmed for Dawlish Air Show

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Thu, 02/20/2014 - 10:31am

The organisers of Dawlish Air Show have confirmed that the Red Arrows will be appearing at this year’s show.

The Red Arrows, who celebrate their 50th season this year, are the first display team to be announced in what is promising to be another spectacular event.

Last year around 100,000 people basked in the glorious Devon sunshine and enjoyed a varied and thrilling day of flying which featured a Eurofighter Typhoon, Vulcan and Pitts Special.

Dawlish Air Show runs over two days again this year, with a family fun day on Friday 22 August and the flying displays...

Stagecoach discount buses affected by Dawlish closure

Authored by Huw Oxburgh
Posted: Fri, 02/14/2014 - 3:59pm

Stagecoach Bus confirmed today a package of measures to help communities affected by the closure of the storm-damaged railway line at Dawlish in Devon.

Around 80m of sea wall was destroyed by high tides and storms last week, causing a significant stretch of railway to collapse into the sea.

Work is underway to repair the sea-wall, but Network Rail estimates that the damage means the line between Exeter St David’s and Newton Abbot will not re-open until mid-March at the earliest.

Stagecoach, which operates around 330 buses across the south-west of England, is...

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