Victorian engineering and Storm Imogen - Hats off to them...

[John K]

When I look at pictures like this...

 

 

I can't help being amazed how these sea defenses that were built by the Victorians are standing up to the holy bejezus of a battering they are getting.

 

You might call me a cynic (shut up the lot of you..!) but I really can't believe anything built in the last 50 years would have coped so well.

 

I think we would be getting news articles with pictures like...

 

 

Three Cheers for Izzy and all those who built with him..!

[pistonbroke]

The cost of building sea walls using the same materials as used in Picky 1 would be astronomical today 

[jeff oakley]

But much cheaper in the long run! When you look at some of the Victorian buildings, like pumping stations, they could have built ordinary but they didn't as they valued quality.

 

I know which I like

[Mattt]

We could build better defences today, but it comes down to time, cost & quality trade offs as with everything.

[windy]

Sea walls not so difficult - Lighthouses on the other hand - now you're talking.   

 

I'm fascinated by lighthouses as one of my ancestors was a lighthouse keeper in the era when Stevenson built them. Skerryvore is one that to build was a great engineering achievement in itself, and it's all held together by gravity (granite blocks and no mortar).

[jeff oakley]

The big issue for me is how do they make that call. We all know quality lasts longer and there is a cost. But with infrastructure projects it is so short sighted.

The M42, build it two lanes and anyone who uses it knew it should have been three, it will be one day at increased cost on what it would have.

Sea wall is a good example. How come the Dutch manage so well whilst we have decided to abandon areas to the sea? Flood defences, if it is London build at whatever cost, if it is elsewhere sticking plaster.

We need to stop the "it will do" mentality and build things to last.