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Summary

Steel viaduct built circa 1928 replacing that originally constructed in 1846 to carry the railway line over Dawlish Water.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VIADUCT (Built, XIX to XX - 1846 AD to 1928 AD (Between))

Full description

Historic England, 2017, Kennaway Tunnel Portal, Footbridge adjacent to Tunnel Portal, Marine Parade Sea Wall, Colonnade Bridge and Colonnade Footbridge, Dawlish, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360803.

Notification that Historic England have received an application for a Certificate of Immunity for a number of structures including Colonnade Viaduct.

Historic England, 2017, Structures, to the south of Station Road, Dawlish (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360680.

Historic England has been asked to assess a number of structures on the railway line between
Dawlish and Teignmouth, Devon for listing through a request for a Certificate of Immunity (COI) from Listing. They have completed their initial assessment upon which they will base their recommendation.
The original Colonnade viaduct was constructed at this location to the south of Dawlish Railway Station in 1846 on the line designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was built to carry the railway line over a small river, known as Dawlish Water, which runs through the town centre and down to the sea. The viaduct was originally supported by a line of stone columns along both sides and provided a pedestrian underpass between the town and the beach. It was slightly widened between 1902 and 1905 when the double track was added, and the structure was replaced by one built of steel in around 1928. At that time the town council requested that the new underpass provide better views and access to the beach, and to facilitate this the number of supports to the viaduct were reduced by using more substantial supporting brick walls at less regular intervals.
The triple viaduct is constructed of sets of steel girders supported by brickwalls. At either end of each wall is a rusticated stone pillar. The eastern end of the viaduct is connected to Dawlish Railway Station, and at its western end, on the south side, it is connected to a short section of stone-faced sea wall. On the north side is a stone-faced flight of stairs that leads up to a flat, raised seating area with storage and maintenance buildings below, also faced in stone.

Historic England, 2018, Railway Structures Between Kennaway Tunnel East Portal and Dawlish Railway Station, Marine Parade, Dawlish (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV361086.

Notification that following a recommendation from Historic England, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has decided not to list the railway structures between Kennaway Tunnel East Portal and Dawlish Railway Station but is minded to issue a Certificate of Immunity from Listing (COI).
The South Devon Railway was first laid out in 1846 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel during the pioneering phase of railway development in Britain. The section of line between Dawlish Railway Station and Kennaway Tunnel included a length of sea wall, with a viaduct supported by a classical-style colonnade at one end and a tunnel with a rusticated-stone portal at the other, as is evident in Williams Dawson’s 1846 illustrations of the section of the railway between Dawlish to Teignmouth. However, most of these structures, which were part of Brunel’s original design,have been either completely rebuilt or, as in the case of the sea wall, altered and obscured by the addition of a later structure. In the early C20 changes to this part of the line were made as part of the widening the railway in order to add a second track. Subsequent repairs and alterations have occurred due to damage caused by sea erosion and to provide pedestrian access between the town and the beach front. Cumulatively, these changes have eroded the cohesion of Brunel’s original design for these structures.
The MARINE PARADE SEA WALL was built in front of Brunel's original sea wall in the early C20. During its construction some of the distinctive limestone parapet of the earlier wall was removed to below the level of the current track bed. Although fabric from the 1840s structure is likely to survive underneath track bed and behind the later wall, it has been completely obscured and the wall's character and extent of survival cannot be established. The rubble-stone facing of the later wall is contrasted by rough-hewn capstones. It has, however, been subject to incremental repairs including the replacement of some capstones and parts of the wall itself in concrete. Although the wall is a prominent feature on the sea front, it has a relatively plain battered design and, as a late example of a retaining sea wall which lacks any technological interest, it is not considered to be of special architectural or historic interest.
KENNAWAY TUNNEL EAST PORTAL was rebuilt in the early C20. With the exception of some architectural decoration to the parapet, the portal is constructed of standard engineering brick to a plain design. The west portal at the opposite end of the tunnel (subject to a separate assessment) has also been entirely rebuilt in engineering brick in a slightly different style. Both portals are late in date and architecturally do not compare well with other contemporary examples, such as the classically-styled, late-C19/ early-C20 Chipping Sodbury West and East Portals in South Gloucestershire (both Grade II; 1409491 and 1409492). These utilise an interesting combination of engineering brick and sandstone, and group well with a series of decorative ventilation shafts (Grade II, 1409630) that run along the 2.5 mile tunnel.
The COLONNADE VIADUCT was rebuilt in the 1930s. The original viaduct included an elegant classical-style colonnade which complimented the contemporary rusticated portal tunnel to the south-west; however both structures have been replaced. Although the mid-C20 viaduct incorporates some detailing such as the rustication to the bridge piers that appears to echo the rustication on the listed railway station, overall the mid-C20 structure does not demonstrate sufficient special architectural or historic interest to merit listing.
The FOOTBRIDGE to the north of KENNAWAY TUNNEL and FOOTBRIDGE adjacent to the COLONNADE VIADUCT date from the C20, and were built to replace earlier structures. Both bridges are late, utilitarian structures and do not merit inclusion on the List.
These various railway structures along Marine Parade, between Dawlish Railway Station and Kennaway Tunnel have undergone piecemeal repairs, rebuilding or have been entirely replaced. They have local historic interest as features associated with this early railway line which was established by Brunel and in reflecting the continuing improvements made on this prominent coastal railway route. However, they do not demonstrate sufficient special architectural or historic interest to merit listing.
CONCLUSION
After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are not fulfilled. Certificates of Immunity from listing should, therefore, be issued for the various railway structures, including the sea wall, viaduct, footbridges and tunnel portal, along Marine Parade, Dawlish, between Dawlish Railway Station and Kennaway Tunnel.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
It is recommended that the various railway structures along Marine Parade, Dawlish, between Dawlish Railway Station and Kennaway Tunnel, including the sea wall, viaduct, footbridges and Kennaway Tunnel East Portal, be issued with Certificates of Immunity from listing for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* they are architecturally modest structures in the context of the national rail network;
* they do not demonstrate sufficient technological interest or innovation in terms of their engineering;
* the sea wall has been subject to repairs and alteration; the footbridges are plain and utilitarian structures;
and the viaduct and tunnel portal are C20 replacements.
Historic interest:
* these structures are situated on the former South Devon Railway which was first established in 1846 and designed by Brunel. However, this association is not sufficiently strong to outweigh their lack of architectural and technological interest.
See report for further details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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