A Brief History of the Railway at Dawlish
The Atmospheric Railway The Broad Gauge Steam Locomotives
The “Western” Diesel Hydraulics Limited Edition Railway Prints of Dawlish
| 1835 | First serious proposals made for a railway to run from Exeter to Plymouth |
| 1836 | Brunel survey’s a route across South Devon (preferring to tunnel behind Dawlish & Teignmouth to avoid a sea wall) |
| 1843 | Resurvey carried out by Brunel Great Western Railway and Bristol & Exeter Railway agree to provide large share of Capital South Devon Railway deposits its plans Isambard Kingdom Brunel appointed Engineer for the South Devon Railway Considerable opposition on environmental grounds, especially at Dawlish |
| 1844 | All objections referred to the Admiralty Engineer, James Walker SDR received its Act in July, just after completion of line from London (Paddington) to Exeter Construction commences with completion objective of July 1845, with 2,000 workmen known as “navies” employed SDR buys almost all properties in Marine Parade, Dawlish to buy out opposition and uses a house (now the site of Great Cliff) for Board Meetings for several months SDR Directors agree to adopt the Atmospheric system following a visit to Dalkey, near Dublin but would not be operational until 1847 |
| 1845 | Many problems experienced in building the sea wall Sea Wall at Dawlish built with sub-way from the beach to Marine Parade Track-laying commences on Broad Guage 16th December first SDR test run from Exeter to Cockwood and back Boathouse footbridge built |
| 1846 | Track laid as far as Teignmouth, through Dawlish Gradient from Dawlish Station past Marine Parade has a steep gradient of 1 in 30 to avoid spoiling residents’ sea views (now 1 in 96) 5 tunnels built – Kennaway, Coryton, Phillot, Clerk’s and Parson’s (first three are named after the landowners; last two named after the famous rocks) Temporary timber station built at Dawlish – lasts for 27 years! Work starts on the Engine House at Dawlish for the new Atmospheric Railway Saturday, 30th May first train from Exeter to Teignmouth via Dawlish with 9 coaches hauled by locomotives Exe and Teign (renamed Viper for the event), hired from the GWR by the SDR 4,000 tickets sold at Teignmouth on the Bank Holiday Monday, many to Dawlish Trains take 45 mins to travel from Teignmouth to Exeter with 7 trains each way Teignmouth to London takes an unprecedented time of 5 hours 20 mins 31st December line opens as far as Newton Abbot Sea breaches line near Breeches Rock |
| 1847 | First Atmospheric trains start to run in February but no public service trains until 13th September Icy weather disrupts services with valves not closing properly |
| 1848 | Whole service is Atmospherically worked as from February Hot weather during summer causes valves to dry and tear Half year accounts for Atmospheric Railway show a loss & Shareholders vote to abandon the system in August Last Atmospheric train runs on Saturday night 9th September, returning to steam locomotives. SDR begins to sell off properties in Marine Parade Fares increase & public enthusiasm destroyed until lowered in 1850’s |
| 1852 | Exminster Station opened |
| 1853 | Railway bridge at Holcombe destroyed in a storm |
| 1855 | Sea breaches line at Smugglers’ Lane |
| 1869 | Sea breaches line at Sea Lawn High level footway on sea wall extended eastwards from Coastguard footbridge |
| 1870 | Footbridge constructed at Rockstone (known as Black Bridge locally) |
| 1872 | Sea breaches line at Rockstone |
| 1873 | Original Dawlish Station destroyed by fire Doubling of line through Dawlish Warren Line slewed inland at Langstone rock Footbridge at Langstone Rock removed Footbridge built at Dawlish Warren GWR agrees with Dawlish Local Board to provide a public footway along the sea wall when the line is doubled |
| 1874 | Line doubled from Starcross to Dawlish |
| 1875 | Dawlish Station rebuilt |
| 1876 | South Devon Railway taken over by the Great Western Railway |
| 1879 | Cast iron footbridge added from sea wall across to Marine Parade |
| 1884 | Signal box built at Parson’s Tunnel Line doubled west of Parson’s Tunnel |
| 1885 | Large rock fall at West Cliff – cliff face then “sloped”. |
| 1892 | Last Up and Down Broad Gauge trains run on Friday 20th May, both passing each other at Dawlish Station First Standard Gauge Down test train leaves Exeter on Saturday 21st May at 5.30am and passes Dawlish at 1.15pm on way to Newton Abbot Normal service with Standard Gauge resumes on Monday, 23rd May |
| 1901 | Work starts on replacing the Sea Wall at Dawlish – 18ft further out and has a dramatic effect on lowering the beach level. The sub-way from the beach to Marine Parade is reconstructed |
| 1902 | New walkway along sea front opened at Dawlish in April – sometimes known as “The King’s Walk” in commemoration of the coronation of Edward VII. Work starts on doubling the last section between Dawlish and Parson’s Tunnel. |
| 1903 | The Teign Valley line available as a diversionary route for problems with sea wall until 1968 |
| 1905 | Completion of last section of double lines between Dawlish and Parson’s Tunnel Railmotor service introduced between Exeter St Thomas and Dawlish or Teignmouth New station created at Dawlish Warren, known as “Warren Halt” located by deserted waste land but with good beach |
| 1906 | Warren Halt’s platforms extended – site becomes popular day trip destination from Exeter Replacement signal box built at Parson’s Tunnel |
| 1907 | Warren Halt becomes staffed and renamed “Warren Platform” |
| 1909 | Parson’s Tunnel signal box boarded up out of use |
| 1911 | Line slewed inland for second time at Langstone Rock |
| 1912 | Warren Platform station replaced by a new station ¼ mile to the North – named Dawlish Warren by the GWR |
| 1918 |
Present (now disused) signal box built at Dawlish |
| 1920 | Rock tipping begins between Langstone Rock & Dawlish Warren with engineers siding installed to tip direct from wagons. Footway closed. |
| 1921 |
Parson’s tunnel lengthened by 129 yds to avoid rock-falls |
| 1924 | Dawlish Warren platform building destroyed by fire |
| 1929 | GWR builds Haldon Aerodrome |
| 1930 | Sea breaches line at Sea Lawn |
| 1934 | Dawlish down platform lengthened Parson’s Tunnel signal box re-instated to cope with summer traffic |
| 1935 | Camping coaches introduced at Dawlish Warren |
| 1936 | Act approved for a “Dawlish Avoiding Line” from Eastdon to Hackney |
| 1937 | Act approved for a revised “Dawlish Avoiding Line” from Exminster to Hackney |
| 1939 | Outbreak of war puts “Dawlish Avoiding Line” on hold. |
| 1937 | Footbridge span replaced at Dawlish |
| 1941 | Engineers siding at Langstone Rock lifted |
| 1945 | Footway re-opened between Langstone Rock and Dawlish Warren |
| 1948 | New Parcels Office built at Dawlish |
| 1949 | “Dawlish Avoiding Line” scheme abandoned |
| 1952 | Sub-way to Marine Parade filled in – slight protrusion marks site |
| 1961 | Ridge and Furrow type Canopies of Dawlish station replaced by Flat Canopies |
| 1962 | New generation of diesel hydraulic locomotives gradually replace steam locomotives Ballast washed out at Marine Parade on 8th March due to storm - Dawlish down platform also damaged. |
| 1964 | Parson’s Tunnel signal box closed for good |
| 1965 | New concrete footbridge from sea wall to Marine Parade replaces cast iron bridge |
| 1971 | Major works commence by the Water Authority to help stabilise Dawlish Warren |
| 1974 |
Large section of Dawlish down platform demolished by a storm on 11th February |
| 1976 | Diesel hydraulic locomotives phased out in favour of High Speed Trains (HST’s) |
| 1981 | Camping coaches replaced at Dawlish Warren |
| 1986 | Sea breaches line West of Smugglers’ Lane Mechanical signalling replaced by colour light signalling, controlled from Exeter St Davids. Reversible working introduced between Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth on the Up Line Dawlish & Dawlish Warren Signal Boxes closed for good |
| 1989 |
Dawlish Warren signal box demolished |
Useful Links....
Atmospheric Railway
Broad Guage
Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives
Haldon Aerodrome
Great Western Railway
Steam Locomotives