Avocet Line - Exeter to Exmouth - incidents and events; services, stock and related improvements

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Express and Echo:

A man was killed when he was struck by a train in Exeter.

It is the second death within a month on the same stretch of railway line.

The 41-year-old, from Exeter, was struck by a train close to Sowton and Digby station, and officers do not believe there were any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. According to transport police the man had been standing on the line when he was hit by the Exmouth to Exeter St David's train.

He is expected to be named on Monday, following formal identification this weekend.

Exeter and Greater Devon coroner Dr Elizabeth Earland has been informed.

Transport police were called to the spot 250 yards from the station following reports from the train driver.

As a result the train was stopped for an hour and a half to allow police to carry out an investigation into what had happened.

Passengers in two coaches on the service, the Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line, were transferred on to buses which took them into the city to complete their journey.

The spokesman said: "Officers from British Transport Police and Devon and Cornwall Police attended the incident, which was reported to police and is currently being treated as non-suspicious. Paramedics from the South Western Ambulance Service also attended, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene."

The train is run by First Great Western and is the regular service between Exmouth and the city, stopping at stations including Lympstone, Topsham and Central before terminating at St David's. A spokesman for First Great Western said it could not comment on how the incident had affected the train driver. But he said: "The train left Exmouth at 8.08pm on Thursday. Passengers from two coaches were transferred to buses and taken to the centre of the city."

Local councillor Margaret Danks said it was distressing that there has been two similar deaths on railway tracks in the city within a month.

Last month tributes were paid to 44-year-old Shavaun Hannaford from Leypark Road, Whipton, who was hit by a train. in the Hill Barton area.

Cllr Danks said: "I feel very sorry for the family of this man. It must be terrible for the driver knowing you are unable to stop before hitting someone. It must have been very traumatic. If this is a suicide then there is no way you are going to stop this happening. People can get onto railway lines no matter how many safeguards are in place. Even with barriers people can get on to lines. It is very difficult to make any judgement in this instance."

[TJ]

Details of the planned events on and around the 1st May 2011 can be found on this new website:

http://www.avocet150.co.uk/

TJ

[molinnis]

Will be interesting to see what the special train consists of 

[noddingdonkey]

4x142 although it won't be able to stop at Digby and of course front door only at St. James!

[vacman]

why not get all 8 142's and send them on a special one way trip back to manchester where they belong!

[chrisoates]

why not get all 8 142's and send them on a special one way trip back to manchester where they belong!

I used to think they were, in a nostalgic way, sort of OK mainly for the unobstructed view - then I rode one all the way to Barnstaple and back.

 

[vacman]

I must say, the novelty has certainly worn off!

[grahame]

Post to add to calendar ... this is part of one of the four-day weekends we're having about then

http://www.avocet150.co.uk

[TJ]

A small but very interesting exhibition was opened last night at Topsham Museum by FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s Julian Crow. Well worth a visit if you are in the area. http://www.devonmuseums.net/topsham. All the display material was created by a member of ALRUG (Avocet^▸ (Branch line from Exeter to Exmouth) Line Rail Users Group). Anyone wishing to join ALRUG should watch out for a special membership offer over the weekend in question.

The special train on May 1st will be an HST^▸ (High Speed Train). Any hopes of a weekend steam event were finally dashed by a certain Royal wedding as operators were convinced that the whole world would be glued to the TV.

TJ

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

is this running a normal diagram or an extra one?

[TJ]

The HST^▸ (High Speed Train) is planned to work down to Exmouth on the 10:48 from St Davids. There is likely to be some adjustments to normal timings but I have not been advised of these to date.

It will be a full length HST, with one carriage reserved for dignatories but otherwise a normal service.

Will publish more when information is to hand.

TJ

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

If it forms a service to Barnstaple I'm in ! Unlikly as it is

[amy2311]

I am travelling out of exmouth on the 1st if i had known about the hst i soooo would have booked my onward journey to bristol to co-incide with that train, but i cannot change it, i might have to make a trip to exeter for no reason now!!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Welcome to the Coffee Shop forum, amy2311 - and thanks for your evident enthusiasm! 

[TJ]

There is now a reference to this event on FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s web site with a link, as under, to their poster giving timings of the HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s run.
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Documents/Custom/GW110401%20Avocet%20150%20Poster%20A%20V3.pdf

If you are prepared to travel in Victorian costume then you you could ride down to Exmouth for free and, subject to sufficient supplies being available, acquire a souvenir booklet and Edmonson ticket - see http://www.avocet150.co.uk/1st-may-costumed-passengers-ride-free-on-special-train/

Have a great day whatever you decide to do.

TJ