THE Dawlish sea wall project, instigated to protect the exposed railway line from high tides, has been completed.
The official opening of the £80m project was undertaken by the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, along with guests from the wider rail industry, the local council and pupils from local schools.
It was in February 2014 when the sea wall was breached by storms and high tides, undermining the railway and leaving tracks in mid-air. It cut off all of Cornwall and parts of Devon from the rest of the rail network.
Temporary repairs using shipping containers provided protection from the waves, allowing the railway to reopen two months later, but a more permanent solution was required.
While reopening alternative routes was looked into, it was the rebuilding of the sea wall under the title of the South West Rail Resilience Programme (SWRRP) which went forward.
This long-term project has seen 775 metres of sea wall rebuilt to a height of eight metres and strengthened, to deflect the waves back to the sea, protecting the railway and Dawlish town centre.
There are new walkways for pedestrians and new fencing along the promenade.
During the build more than £15m has been invested in the local economy, using local labour, materials and accommodation.
Further along the coastal line at
