Coast on BBC 2 Tonight

[Nathan]

Dawlish - Brunels railway under threat

There are only a few coast railways left in Great Britain - but they are under threat. Their sea walls are getting undermined by the waves.

The extension of the railway along the coast In 1843 Isambard Kingdom Brunel was commissioned to build an extension to the Great Western Railway along the south Devon coast to Plymouth. But why did he build the line here?

Due to the landscape he had two options - to build along the coast or put the route through some very long tunnels linking Dawlish to Teignmouth.

The original route was further out and exposed to the sea. But after opposition from locals he built a system of five tunnels through cliffs and a 4 mile sea wall.

The base of the wall which is prone to erosion When the line opened in 1847 he used a new means of propulsion - the Atmospheric system. But it was expensive to maintain and steam locomotives took over after a year.

Mark Horton travels in style on the Torbay Express Steam Train to meet railway historian Peter Kay, to find out about the troubled life of the railway along this stretch of coast.

Tonight Mark Horton will be traveling on the Torbay express with what looks to be some great footage, thats tonight at 8:30.

 

[Coxster]

Thanks for the heads-up - might watch that.

 

[nath9425]

Set SKY+ To record it

 

[Nathan]

Thanks for the heads-up - might watch that.

I had a feeling that some might have thought, hmm coast its going to be boring Course us in the south can watch tonight and think, we've got better locos than the midlands, but we also have a coast

 

[devon_metro]

I watch it anyway.

 

[Mintona]

Me too Liam, fantastic show I reckon

 

[Guinness]

I missed it

Was it a good program for anyone who watched it? I'll try and find if Virgin Media put it on "Pick of the Week".

 

[theblackwatch]

I missed it

Was it a good program for anyone who watched it? I'll try and find if Virgin Media put it on "Pick of the Week".

It's repeated on next Saturday evening on BBC2.

 

[Coxster]

Went to that Burgh Island place they mentioned last year. Makes quite a nice walk along the top of the cliffs.

 

[devon_metro]

Bantham beach is far nicer IMHO.

Great to see Torquay beach won the sandcastle competition

 

[mbonwick]

Good program (as always ), bit to much Farce Late Western for my liking though

 

[Coxster]

Good program (as always ), bit to much Farce Late Western for my liking though

Quite a bit of Transpennie Express too

 

[mbonwick]

Moving on, my bit of the coast next week - Morecambe Bay!

 

[devon_metro]

Good program (as always ), bit to much Farce Late Western for my liking though

I didn't see FGW doing anything wrong. Care to enlighten me on what errors they made in that footage? Perhaps the unit at Starcross was 1 second late?

 

[mbonwick]

Nothing, but the very sight is enough.....

 

[devon_metro]

*sigh*

 

[adambro]

Quite funny seeing the old Transpennine Express 158s. Looks slightly more scenic than doing Manchester to Hull.

 

[Jim]

Good program (as always ), bit to much Farce Late Western for my liking though

I for 1 never stick up for FGW, but I really don;t understand what you are trying to say!