Should transport infrastructure be more weather resistant ?

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 07 Feb 2014, 12:52

emordnilap wrote:faze

Grammar Nazi!!

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 07 Feb 2014, 13:09

vtsnowedin wrote:...... unless the work was to be conducted in the sea itself.

At high tide it is in the sea.

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 07 Feb 2014, 13:23

kenneal - lagger wrote:
vtsnowedin wrote:...... unless the work was to be conducted in the sea itself.
At high tide it is in the sea.

Well they better familiarize themselves with a tide timetable and lay plans accordingly. Tide and surf can play havoc with work in progress and it will be interesting to see how they go about the repairs. While they are at it, it might be prudent to increase the finished grade a couple of meters. No such thing as too high and dry.
Adding to the projects complexity will be a bunch of Greenies that are worried about the health of the barnacles and cockles growing on the rocks and pilings.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 07 Feb 2014, 13:48

If they've got any sense (and quite a bit of money) they'll do a quick repair on this bit and build a new line inland because when they strengthen the failed bit it will put more load on the bits either side and they will go in the next big storm. With the increasing storm strength and frequency, together with the geological sinking of the south of England, this bit of railway, and, probably, the houses behind it, will not be viable in the near future.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 07 Feb 2014, 13:50

vtsnowedin wrote:
emordnilap wrote:faze

Grammar Nazi!!

Hey! It's American English!

Post by **adam2** » 07 Feb 2014, 15:09

kenneal - lagger wrote:If they've got any sense (and quite a bit of money) they'll do a quick repair on this bit and build a new line inland because when they strengthen the failed bit it will put more load on the bits either side and they will go in the next big storm. With the increasing storm strength and frequency, together with the geological sinking of the south of England, this bit of railway, and, probably, the houses behind it, will not be viable in the near future.

Agree, the problem will be the nimbyfests opposing the inland route, ultimatly though it will have to be done.

And fo course the people of Dawlish would probably be strongly opposed to an alternative inland route, since firstly they would be deprived of train service, and secondly the cost of maintaining the sea wall would presumably fall onto the local council rather than being paid for by network rail.
Of course once Dawlish falls into the sea it wont matter, but I can forsee some complaints meanwhile.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 07 Feb 2014, 17:07

I guess the coming decades will be marked by numerous such dilemmas.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 07 Feb 2014, 18:14

They will probably fix the current breach and mess about with an alternative route but give up due to demand and leave things as is. In a few years time when the jet stream gets stuck in its present position the next time and the whole wall goes and takes some houses with it because the sea level is higher and the winds stronger there will much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth and spreading of blame and they might do something then!!

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 07 Feb 2014, 19:59

Indeed, I fear you are right, Ken. But we are not quite sure what the state of the economy will be like by then.

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 07 Feb 2014, 22:01

emordnilap wrote:
vtsnowedin wrote:
emordnilap wrote:faze

Grammar Nazi!!
Hey! It's American English!

I didn't say you were incorrect. Just expressed that I thought the difference is trivial and both spellings are used and I think it detracts from these conversations to point out such errors. We are not writing a constitution or a nuclear arms reduction treaty so there is no need for such precision.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 07 Feb 2014, 22:22

Faze has no connection with the word phase and should not be spelled with a ph-, although this is a common error: almost a quarter of citations for the word in the Oxford English Corpus are for the incorrect spelling.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defin ... glish/faze
But it's an American word, for goodness sake.

Post by **adam2** » 08 Feb 2014, 10:55

kenneal - lagger wrote:They will probably fix the current breach and mess about with an alternative route but give up due to demand and leave things as is. In a few years time when the jet stream gets stuck in its present position the next time and the whole wall goes and takes some houses with it because the sea level is higher and the winds stronger there will much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth and spreading of blame and they might do something then!!

Yes.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 08 Feb 2014, 18:26

I think the other rail route to the westcountry has now been cut off, due to a landslide.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 09 Feb 2014, 03:20

biffvernon wrote:Indeed, I fear you are right, Ken. But we are not quite sure what the state of the economy will be like by then.

Not very good I would think. The weather damage will be just one more item in a long list of things bringing the country to its knees, most of them done to promote growth at the expense of the environment at the behest of idiot economists.

Post by **adam2** » 09 Feb 2014, 12:17

No rail services at all to the west at present.
The main route is blocked not only at Dawlish, but also near Taunton/Castle Cary, and the diversionery route via Salisbury is blocked by a landslide.

No sleeper service until furthur notice.
No restaurant service until furthur notice.