I've just been looking at the Planning Inspectorate Scoping Opinion, dated December 2014.  It's available at www.devon.gov.uk/tavistock-bere-alston-railway-and-trails

This says construction would commence early 2020 and last 2-3 years for the three phases of the construction listed.

Isn't that a further substantial move back in the timetable?

Me too!  Living in Bedfordshire now, but originally from Plymouth; and was in Plymstock last week!

Another source of info and photos is the excellent book by Bernard Mills published within the last year "Backtracking Around Friary, Laira and the Plym", published by Pen & Ink Publishing.

They're mirrors!

Not true - still accessible via Plymouth, just not a very direct route, but certainly not "cut off" in the way experienced this year.  Whilst not ideal, it is only during very occasional periods of closure.

The latest report on the Council website gives a total figure of ^26m for the re-instatement of the Bere Alston to Tavistock line, a distance of 5.5 miles; and planning for that is already in progress.

So, the creation of a total Exeter/Okehampton/Plymouth link would require only the incremental re-instatement of the Tavistock to Meldon section, which I think is about 17 miles.  Just scaling up for distance would give a figure of ^80m.  Simplistic I know, but even doubling the cost/mile would give a ^160m cost.

So what's the basis of the "at least ^700m" cost quoted for re-creating the Exeter/Okehampton/Plymouth line?  Is there a known huge cost re Meldon viaduct?  Or is the ^700m number based on creating a highly engineered mainline over the whole route with full signalling and high capacity?  If so, that is surely not the appropriate brief.  Surely what's needed is a line that could be available as an emergency diversionary route, whilst having the advantage of enabling an ongoing 'local' service.  It might not be able to handle a full service in emergency times but I'm sure having some sort of service during the recent coastal closure would have been a huge plus.

Why so much focus on the journey time?  In relation to its role as a diversion line, surely whether Plymouth-Tavistock-Exeter takes 60m, 90m, or 120m is not that relevant.  What is relevant is that a Plymouth-Exeter journey can be made by rail at all.  I don't think anyone is suggesting it becomes the primary rail route from Plymouth to Exeter.

Unlike the other options, the old Southern route has (in  addition to the 'diversionary' role) an extra big advantage of providing rail access to a large area currently not served by rail (albeit a low population density area).

When costing the re-instatement of the old Southern route, regard should be taken of the fact that funding of the Bere Alston - Tavistock section  is already planned so the incremental costs are only of the Tavistock to Meldon section (plus any costs relating to increased line capacity outside that section)

But the buses currently wait in the forecourt outside the current platform.  So as well as needing to change trains to get to Plymouth by train, passengers from Gunnislake/Calstock would also have a bit of a trek at Bere Alston to meet any bus connections (though maybe those are only to Tavistock which could be served by rail - I don't know).  The benefits of a frequent shuttle between G'lake and BA^» (British Airways - about) include possible rail connections to Tavistock as well as Plymouth, which would be good.  Overall the 'branch connection' at BA does seem to make sense.

I'm sure avoiding the need for a footbridge will be a key consideration.  But how does this proposal avoid that?  How would a passenger aligting from a Gunnislake train exit the station?  Or is there alternative access from that platform into the village (ie: not via the current platform)?

For anyone interested (in case the re-opening ever gets that far) and with a few ^s spare, I see Tavistock (SR^‡(resolve)) station (now a holiday let business) is currently for sale at ^1,250,000 (see rightmove.co.uk)