Alias Smith and Jones.

Invitiation just received, application simple and completed. Membership also confirmed more or less instantly.

First use of Ponsandane recorded on Facebook today ....

https://www.facebook.com/groups/384010423010289/posts/1420870669324254/

Some stunning photos in this Facebook Group of the loop and associated works, including one, taken from a drone, showing two trains side-by-side within the loop. (Not direct linking due copyright claims on some)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/384010423010289/?hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen&multi_permalinks=1403705101040811

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) offering a 10percent discount on all PAYG^▸ (Pay as you go) Smartcard transactions in the Bristol and West Cornwall areas throughout March 2025.

26 Feb 2025

https://www.creditoncourier.co.uk/news/work-begins-to-build-okehampton-interchange-station-769366?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawIsTOdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQBmQkYbRFpaznNZTsok4-kJWCEmd3bibPD9i1FB2S5FBmFRcqK8sQXttg_aem_-fgfXseD5vNsvThY-BaMZg#Echobox=1740586609

It was a special day in Okehampton this morning (Wednesday) as the turf was cut for work to start on building the Okehampton Interchange station.

The £15 million station is the newest addition to the Dartmoor Line and will connect West Devon, Torridge and North Cornwall with Exeter and beyond. The scheme is being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)) with contributions from Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council.

Got as close as possible to the Goss Moor loop today after finally sussing out where to be to do that. The site is a complete mudbath after the weekend. It really looks, although obviously it isn't going to be, like an impossible job.

Notwithstanding the issue that I think this post would be better elsewhere, people need to be careful. With the elimination of the C2, D and E attractions, Flambards, Dairyland and Open top buses, tourism revenue from every available resource including those using Holiday homes and Lets must not be restricted. Cornwall needs the income, and I dismiss summarily the argument that it doesn't stay in the Duchy, from all sources. It needs to cultivate upper quartile tourism greatly going forwards. Further taxation won't help this.

Drove east on the A30 this morning, got a couple of seconds of glimpse of the cleared loop area on Goss Moor, Are there any recommendations for a 'viewpoint'? I really have tried to find one on the maps without apparent success.

So here then

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.4044747,-4.9046099,749m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEyMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Can someone post a link to Google Maps (or similar) showing the location of the passing loop? It really is poor that such work plans are not piublished in detail from NR^» (Network Rail - home page).

The route that would have worked well would be Newquay to Fowey, but not via Lostwithiel. The former mineral tunnel route from Par (Pinnock Tunnel) to Fowey being used instead.

I believe the EDC is March 2025, don't forget the option for passengers going to and from St Ives from the east, can, using an easement travel to and from Penzance. 

700221
Customers travelling from, to or via Truro to St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Lelant
Saltings may double back between St Erth and Penzance. This easement applies in
both directions.

(Although staff are not fully informed of this, sadly)

Worth keeping a bookmark to
http://iblocks-rg-publication.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/easement_text.pdf

in your phone to show the reference to any questioning staff.

I presume this easement will stop when the bridge opens fully.

National Grid are still fixing issues across Cornwall (and seemingly their whole distribution area) residual from last weekend, around 6,000 properties being cut off today NE of Redruth not being unusual. Unsurprising considering the number of issues they've had to deal with following the storm, I am expecting these to continue up to Christmas as I've heard of many 'make do and get power back on' rather than 'complete the repair and fully test for resilience' repairs being implemented in the days following. This resilience work is being undertaken now. 

The Newquay line will be closed for at least a week for emergency repairs because of ballast slipping near St Blazey.

Network Rail Media Centre ...

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/emergency-repairs-mean-newquay-line-will-be-closed-for-at-least-a-week