'Crucial' work to install piles for the foundations of a new £37.4m, 209m rockfall shelter north of Parson's Tunnel between Dawlish and Holcombe is now complete.

The railway was closed overnight for eight weeks after work began on 24 January. The closures only caused minor disruption, and the GWR Night Riviera sleeper service can operate as normal again.

The closures came about after engineers found that they needed to use specialist rail-mounted piling machines (pictured above) to install the piles from the track due to unsafe ground conditions at the side of the railway.

Network Rail Western Route and Strategic Operations Director Mike Gallop said: "I would like to thank passengers for their patience while we have progressed important piling work at Parson's Tunnel, which has prevented the Sleeper Service from running as normal over the past eight weeks.

"The safety of both our engineering teams and passengers is paramount and while it was frustrating to have to temporarily close the railway overnight, this was the only option to enable our teams to complete their work safely."

Work continues on the sea wall at Dawlish, and Coastguard's footbridge over the railway line has now reopened to the public.

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