A TEAM of marine engineers from Teignmouth has been working to repair a sink hole at Sprey Point.

Marine civil engineering company TMS Maritime Ltd. has now completed its part in the project to repair alongside the railway line which was damaged during recent storms.

TMS was brought in to fix the ‘substantial’ sink hole which had closed the footpath adjacent to the main railway line.

The team faced significant challenges from persistently poor weather conditions, high tides, and onshore swell to the challenging logistics of getting more than 400 tonnes of bulk material to the site.

This involved moving materials along the beach and had to be delivered through a number of night-time rail closures.

Over several weeks the team made the coastline safe, effecting repairs to the sinkhole, reinstating the footpath and surrounding area.

They made final concrete repairs to the seaward face, eastern slipway and access stairs, which also suffered significant damage.

The Riviera Line is well known for being a highly scenic stretch of railway which runs along the coastline between Dawlish and Teignmouth.

But it is vulnerable to the weather and regularly damaged due to its proximity to the water and exposure to extreme conditions.

The coastal path has been closed for repair since January after suffering significant damage in the New Year storm Chandra, when the seaward side of Sprey Point was breached.

Iain Martin, project delivery manager at TMS Maritime said: ‘Our specialist teams mobilised quickly to support the works at Sprey Point, bringing together the specialist marine and civil engineering expertise needed to operate safely in a challenging coastal environment in difficult weather conditions.

‘We are incredibly well supported by our key suppliers, who are able to mobilise plant and significant volumes of materials at short notice, in this case so we could help protect the railway line and restore reliable access for the local community.'

Roger Full, Managing Director at TMS Maritime, added: ‘This project is a strong example of the specialist capabilities, heritage and experience TMS brings to complex civil engineering projects in marine environments.

‘Our teams are used to working in extremely demanding conditions to deliver safe, high-quality solutions at pace, and the results at Sprey Point are a great demonstration of this.’

TMS Maritime’s involvement in work on the line continues and includes upcoming phases involving the rebuilding of sections of the parapet wall between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren.

Stonemasons will be creating a solution that prevents future failure but remains in keeping with the surroundings.

Other recent TMS projects include battling strong winds, torrential rain, and freezing temperatures to conduct critical inspections on Brunel’s iconic Royal Albert Bridge; marine installation of pontoon shoreside connection ramps in a 400m long floating walkway/cycleway along Bristol Harbour; stabilisation works at Brighton Marina; and delivery of a two-year climate adaptation scheme to protect low-lying island communities of the Isles of Scilly.