Worried about rising sea levels? Derek Buttivant draws our attention to a detailed report.
Hello Keith.
You might like to put the following web link on the CRS site for anyone interested in reading a very detailed report on how rising sea levels can be expected to threaten rail routes and services in coming years. The link is:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692315002197
This is a lengthy scientific paper but it includes a great deal of data about past and likely future disruption to south west train services resulting from storm damage on the Dawlish-Teignmouth sea wall. (The railway press has given coverage to this report in current magazine editions and it was widely reported in the media generally).
We had an interesting talk on this subject a couple of years ago and this study fills in a great deal of the detail. It also reinforces the need for an alternative route - likely to be a new railway inland between Exeter and Newton Abbot but also perhaps strengthening the case for reinstatement between Okehampton and Tavistock. Network Rail, in a report in 2015, looked at future capacity requirements and concluded that, quite apart from the worries about storm damage, four tracks would be needed between Exeter and Newton Abbot by 2034. I would be 90 in that year....so I'm not guaranteed to see whether these reports will have been acted upon by then!
Kind regards, Derek Many thanks Derek
You might like to put the following web link on the CRS site for anyone interested in reading a very detailed report on how rising sea levels can be expected to threaten rail routes and services in coming years. The link is:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692315002197
This is a lengthy scientific paper but it includes a great deal of data about past and likely future disruption to south west train services resulting from storm damage on the Dawlish-Teignmouth sea wall. (The railway press has given coverage to this report in current magazine editions and it was widely reported in the media generally).
We had an interesting talk on this subject a couple of years ago and this study fills in a great deal of the detail. It also reinforces the need for an alternative route - likely to be a new railway inland between Exeter and Newton Abbot but also perhaps strengthening the case for reinstatement between Okehampton and Tavistock. Network Rail, in a report in 2015, looked at future capacity requirements and concluded that, quite apart from the worries about storm damage, four tracks would be needed between Exeter and Newton Abbot by 2034. I would be 90 in that year....so I'm not guaranteed to see whether these reports will have been acted upon by then!
Kind regards, Derek Many thanks Derek
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway Part 5 by Andrew Triggs
931107a Bath Green Park Station frontage in 1991. Copyright Andrew Triggs.
Bath Green Park Station frontage in 2015. Copyright Mick House
931107b Chilcompton Tunnel, looking towards Midsomer Norton,the tunnel on the former 'up' line in use as a riffle range. Copyright Andrew Triggs
931107c Pylle Station, on the branch to Highbridge, the station building viewed from disused trackbed on 7th November, 1993
931107d Pylle Station, roadside view, with the sympathetically extended Station Building on 7th November, 1993.
931107e Midsomer Norton. The Waiting Shelter on the 'Up' platform, in need of some TLC on 7th November, 1993
Middleway Level Crossing Signal Box The late John Fill
There is a certain charm about black and white pictures and we hope to bring you some of the many which the late John Fill took while he was a member of the society. We are most grateful to Mary Fill for giving us the negatives of his work.
Middleway Bridge Crossing Ground Frame. This picture taken in 1981 by the late John Fill. Copyright
The days before barriers and CCTV. The gates and crossing keepers hut seen by the late john Fill while on a CRS Treffry Tramway walk in 1981. Copyright Within a couple of hours of the above pictures appearing on the web site Roy Hart kindly advised us on the history of the box.
Very many thanks Roy.
Dear Keith,
The History of MIDDLEWAY This was believed to be built by the Cornwall Minerals Railway, in 1876. It worked with the original CMR box at St Blazey. Middleway was a fully- fledged signal box at that time. In 1908 the present St Blazey box was built and Middleway became a ground frame, controlling the gates and also 'slotting' the neighbouring St Blazey signals. Slotting meant that the signals were dual controlled, with the levers in both boxes reversed in order for the signal arm to be lowered. Technology improved, and in 1931 Middleway became a crossing keepers post, where the one remaining lever (out of the original 7) -the gate bolt -was released electronically by a lever in St Blazey box. Thus it remained until the next technological advance had the crossing controlled by CCTV from St Blazey.
Roy
Very many thanks Roy.
Dear Keith,
The History of MIDDLEWAY This was believed to be built by the Cornwall Minerals Railway, in 1876. It worked with the original CMR box at St Blazey. Middleway was a fully- fledged signal box at that time. In 1908 the present St Blazey box was built and Middleway became a ground frame, controlling the gates and also 'slotting' the neighbouring St Blazey signals. Slotting meant that the signals were dual controlled, with the levers in both boxes reversed in order for the signal arm to be lowered. Technology improved, and in 1931 Middleway became a crossing keepers post, where the one remaining lever (out of the original 7) -the gate bolt -was released electronically by a lever in St Blazey box. Thus it remained until the next technological advance had the crossing controlled by CCTV from St Blazey.
Roy