Great Western Coffee Shop

Ruth Kelly has pledged to give ^1 million to Dartmouth station to boost the "backbone" of the railways - despite it being probably the only station in the world which has never seen a train (link below.)
http://thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=143632&contentPK=17916839

Ms Kelly told MPs there would be "^150 million in 150 stations in the towns and cities outside London which form the backbone of the national network. Better and safer stations from Wolverhampton to Dartmouth, Cleethorpes to Swansea and Barking to Chester."

However the only thing people calling at Dartmouth Station can catch is a light lunch - it is now a restaurant.

And it has only ever offered tickets for train services to and from Kingswear - a short ferry ride across the River Dart.

Local MP Anthony Steen said: "Clearly Ruth Kelly must have been reflecting on Brunel's idiosyncrasies whereby he built a station without a railway line - maybe this is the way she wants to go."

A Department for Transport spokesman said a "definitive list" of stations in line for cash did not yet exist.

How utterly stupid. As a local resident a bridge being built accross the River Dart is totally unsuitable and the steep valley it sits in would not be much help. The need for a train to Dartmouth is not enough to build a new line. I support local FGW services being extended to Kingswear and perhaps saturday trains from London.