NETWORK Rail is about to work round the clock on the next phase of the new rockfall shelter near Holcombe.

Work starts tomorrow until Sunday to lift more sections of the shelter just north of Parson’s Tunnel.

Richard Griffiths, of Network Rail, explained that the shelter will protect the line and the trains from rocks and debris falling from the cliffs above. 

Engineers are now on Phase 3 of the £150million investment to make the vulnerable coastal line more resilient at Dawlish and Holcombe.

The rockfall shelter involves 160 pieces and will be 109m long. 

A white gantry is used to keep the pieces in place while keeping the trains running. 

Sarah Fraser, Network Rail programme manager, said: ‘It is an enormous effort by the team every Saturday and Sunday.

‘They get the pieces ready at sidings near Newton Abbot and bring them into position as quickly as possible using a gantry crane which runs on rails either side of the track.

‘This means we can work in a relatively sheltered position and make sure we place as many pieces of this enormous jigsaw as quickly as possible.’

Work on the programme started in September 2021 and it is hoped to finish bulk of the work this autumn.