Network Rail and its contractor Bam Nuttall have finished installing wall panels and key structural elements for the second section of the £80M sea wall in Dawlish, Devon.

A total of 164 wall panels, 203 pre-cast blocks and 189 recurve units which return waves back out to sea have now been installed along the 415m long second section of sea wall.

Construction of this section, which stretches from the Coastguard breakwater north east of Dawlish station to Colonnade breakwater, began in November 2020.

Its design, coupled with the increased height of the new sea wall, will help minimise the likelihood of the tracks flooding and allow the line to reopen more quickly after major storms.

The first section of new sea wall – which runs for 360m along Marine Parade south west of Dawlish station – was completed in July 2020.

Network Rail and Bam Nuttall will now focus on completing the link bridge that will connect the two sections of public, accessible promenade and the new stilling basin, where Dawlish Water runs into the sea.

This work is now expected to be finished in December, due to the discovery of an uncharted gas main in June, which delayed piling to install foundations for the new link bridge close to Colonnade viaduct.

The final part of the project will see the construction of a new, accessible footbridge with lifts at Dawlish station, meaning any passengers, residents or visitors will be able to enjoy easy step-free access at the station for the first time. Work is due to start in September, with the bridge due to open next summer.

Network Rail senior programme manager Ewen Morrison said: “Achieving resilience for the railway in Dawlish is a major milestone not just for Network Rail, but for our passengers, the town and the south west region as a whole. It’s what we set out to do when we were awarded £80m of funding from the Department of Transport back in 2019.

“This landmark moment is testament to the hard work and coordination of staff from Network Rail and our contractors Bam Nuttall, who have worked under extremely challenging conditions around the tides and through the seasons as well as during the Covid pandemic.”

The new sea wall at Dawlish is part of Network Rail’s ongoing efforts since 2014 to improve the resilience of the railway between Dawlish and Teignmouth in Devon, known as the South West Rail Resilience Programme.

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