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On the coast at Dawlish, around 80m of both tracks has been severely damaged by the sea, washing away ballast and the foundations on which the track is built. There is also severe damage to the sea wall and the track and platforms at Dawlish station.

Network Rail engineers are on site at a number of locations in the south west of England and are making repairs where the weather conditions permit. It is hoped that these repairs will enable some services on the main line between Plymouth and Penzance to resume today, however the line between Exeter and Plymouth will remain closed until further notice owing to the damage at Dawlish.

An initial assessment of the damage at Dawlish will be carried out as soon as the weather subsides to help Network Rail identify the extent and scope of repairs required to enable trains to run safely.

Passengers are advised to check with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries for the latest information on how the weather is impacting on journeys before setting off.