Re: Dawlish Sea Wall

In article <ZW4ef.7917$Lw5.6988@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, turbo
<turbo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes
>
>"Paul Scott" <notvalidpmscott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:dlakep$hsd$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> "Paul" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:oZ-dnVoVEKpTUOXenZ2dnUVZ8qqdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Just been looking at a few piccys of the sea wall at Dawlish, and to my
>>> surprise it appears as if the wall between the walkway and the running
>>> lines is no more than a couple of feet high. It's a long time since I was
>>> down that way and I was half expecting the health and safety brigade to
>>> have installed 8ft high fencing to prevent people getting onto the track.
>>>
>>> So can anyone give a reason as to why this wall remains in all its
>>> diminutive glory? Surely it can't be just because a great fence stuck
>>> there would look awful? That's never stopped the H&S industry from
>>> screwing up many a vista before?
>>>
>>> Paul
>>>
>> Perhaps if a fence was put up, the first decent wave would send it into
>> the path of a train?
>>
>> Paul Scott
>
>
>Its been like that for over a hundred years since construction without any
>major problem, except the exceptional wave, so why should H & S say that
>there is any more risk now!
>
>
Well, they have everywhere else.
Still seems crazy to me why we have to fence our railways while it is
not a requirement in Europe
Having just travelled in Germany and Austria noted the lack of fencing
which is the onus on the neighbouring landowner to stop his animals
straying onto the railway
A few years ago I was travelling on the main-line from Basle to Paris
when the train broke down air-con failed on a hot summers day. Much to
our amazement passengers opened the doors and sat on the railway bank
and adjoining field, until a roar from the engine and a mad scramble to
get back on board. In UK you would be locked in.

More alarmingly these days substantial high security fencing is being
erected, which is bad news should the emergency services have to be
called to a train in the event of an accident or similar.

Similarly when barrier level crossings were introduced to replace gates
they were called Continental Level crossings. However where much of
Europe is content with 1/2 barriers the UK has to have full barriers

Why does our HSE insist on such draconian measures
In Europe common sense rules, if you are foolish enough to venture onto
the tracks that is your misfortune not the railways.
Low platform heights in Europe do temp persons to cross the track, and I
saw evidence of this, but no one seemed bothered. In some cases a barrow
crossing was the only means of reaching platforms at rural stations
In UK such as Kings Sutton a railway official has to be employed to
escort persons to the down platform.

Much to my surprise on a high-speed German ICE train I noted passenger
seating with just a glass screen separation from the drivers cab on a
train capable of travelling at 300 km/h. Here in the UK front carriage
use is banned in trains at speeds above 100mph (about 140km/h) unless a
strong bulk-head exists such as in Adelante's and Pendolinos

--
Al
.

Relevant Pages

  • By GWR to Narnia (following on from: other Narnia-related threads)
    ... with a few thoughts on the railway scenes. ... There's a rather neat cgi shot of Paddington station ... train, which looks like selected vehicles from the Severn Valley's ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: 50kV electrification
    ... There is actually a 50Kv railway - one of the heavy haul lines in ... They used 50kV electrification, the first of its kind in the world, ... They also installed a system for automatic train ... release brakes would dictate that the driver set a brake application to ...
    (uk.railway)
  • Re: Photography on stations
    ... RAILWAY BYELAWS ... regulating the use and working of, and travel on or by means of, railway ... Railway Byelaws - Why they help us to help you ... can only be used on a specified train service. ...
    (uk.railway)
  • OT - Travelogue - Portsmouth Sunday/Monday
    ... Alan's in as ornate a manner as possible, and the hovercraft from Southsea ... In the absence of a train to spot, ... railway bridge. ... We leave the bridge, dodge a bus station, and make our way to the ticket ...
    (rec.arts.mystery)
  • Re: BBC NEWS | England | Devon | Waves leave 160 stranded on train
    ... the usual HST rescue train and subsequent dmu's and 66s managed ... >>east onto the east facing coast between Dawlish and Teignmouth. ... >>cliffs along that stretch would have been severely eroded by now had ... Days when the railway is impassable are very ...
    (uk.railway)