WORK has been going on round the clock on improvements to the railway station and the rockfall shelter along the Dawlish coast.

As part of the Network Rail programme, engineers have been working on the shelter just north of Parson’s Tunnel.

Richard Griffiths, of Network Rail, explained that the shelter will protect the line and the train from rocks and debris falling from the cliffs above. 

Engineers are now on Phase 3 of the £150million investment to make the vulnerable coastal line more resilient. 

The rockfall shelter involves 160 pieces and will be 109m long. 

A white gantry is being used to keep the pieces in place while keeping the trains running. 

Sarah Fraser, Network Rail programme manager, said: ‘It is an enormous effort by the team every Saturday and Sunday.

‘They get the pieces ready at sidings near Newton Abbot and bring them into position as quickly as possible using a gantry crane which runs on rails either side of the track.

‘This means we can work in a relatively sheltered position and make sure we place as many pieces of this enormous jigsaw as quickly as possible.’

Work on the programme started in September 2021 and it is hoped to finish bulk of the work this autumn. 

Also over the weekend, contractors were also working on the provision of an accessible footbridge at Dawlish railway station.

An excavator was being brought in to break out the rear wall of the landward platform at the station to make room for the new bridge. 

During this time, no trains were due to be running but road-rail vehicles were on track to make deliveries to worksites between Dawlish and Parson’s tunnel. 

A spokesman for the contractors working on the scheme said: ‘Depending on progress, contractors intend to being lifting in pre-cast sections of the new footbridge by crane from the beginning of April. The crane will be located in the station car park and lifts will take place overnight so they can be safely completed while trains are not running.

‘Work may be noisy but everything will be done to minimise disruption.’ 

First shifts to bring in the sections is due to start from 5pm on Saturday, April 1 until 12pm on Sunday, April 2 and from 5pm on Saturday, April 8 to 12pm Sunday, April 9.