Okehampton

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

I'm not sure whether this is the correct thread for this snippet, but I notice that Okehampton services from May 17th have appeared in RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)

See here


[Mods, please move this if it more appropriate elsewhere]

[GBM]

See here

Interesting Unadvertised Ordinary Passenger
Crew training perhaps

[PhilWakely]

See here

Interesting Unadvertised Ordinary Passenger
Crew training perhaps

Class 2, so should be revenue earning services.

[RichardB]

See my post from 26 Feb above.  The services are in the timetable in readiness for introduction at a future date subject to the Government announcement, resulting engineering work etc.

The Budget today has some positive news.  I've been looking at the Budget document online and there's this -

"2.132 Investments in local railways and stations – The government will invest £59 million towards the construction of five new stations in the West Midlands, cutting journey times from Willenhall, Darlaston and south-west Birmingham into the city centre. This Budget will also unlock more than £40 million of funding to reinstate passenger services on the OkehamptonExeter line, subject to final approval of costs and contracts. These investments will provide good quality transport links between communities, and improve employment opportunities across these areas."
 
Page 61   https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966161/Budget_2021_Web_accessible.pdf

All good news.

[The Tall Controller]

See here

Interesting Unadvertised Ordinary Passenger
Crew training perhaps

Class 2, so should be revenue earning services.

These are what Train Planners call 'Q paths'. They may not be required but they're there in system and can be used at short-notice.

For example, there is an unadvertised Q path for the Night Riviera to go via the Southern route on Sundays. It is hardly ever needed but its there for when it is. The same principle applies for these Okehampton trains in that they're there and ready for when services can start.

[infoman]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Spotlight local news said 40 million pounds had been awarded to get train services re-instated at Okehampton.

[onthecushions]

There are some buying opportunities also:

https://rmslocotec.com/for-sale

I fancy the 4BIG buffet but would Mrs OTC?

OTC

[grahame]

There are some buying opportunities also:

https://rmslocotec.com/for-sale

I fancy the 4BIG buffet but would Mrs OTC?

OTC

All four pages of rolling stock in one URL ... and archived for posterity ...

I am getting lost in the complexity of organisations ... but lots of rolling stock including two thumpers up for sale.

http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/dfsall.pdf

[REVUpminster]

See here

Interesting Unadvertised Ordinary Passenger
Crew training perhaps

Class 2, so should be revenue earning services.

These are what Train Planners call 'Q paths'. They may not be required but they're there in system and can be used at short-notice.

For example, there is an unadvertised Q path for the Night Riviera to go via the Southern route on Sundays. It is hardly ever needed but its there for when it is. The same principle applies for these Okehampton trains in that they're there and ready for when services can start.

These train paths seemed to have dropped to 2 trains in the morning and 2 in the evening. This could be a good sign for a May start with a covid service and the 8 trains following lockdown.

[phile]

Go back to sleep and wake up when the trains appear in Journey Planning Systems and not what is in Real Time Trains (RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website)) where editing is taking place   




Edit: VickiS - Clarifying Acronyms 08:35

[TonyK]

This Budget will also unlock more than £40 million of funding to reinstate passenger services on the OkehamptonExeter line, subject to final approval of costs and contracts. These investments will provide good quality transport links between communities, and improve employment opportunities across these areas."
 
Page 61   https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966161/Budget_2021_Web_accessible.pdf

All good news.

Presumably, this includes all the money so far spent and/or earmarked for restoration of services.

These train paths seemed to have dropped to 2 trains in the morning and 2 in the evening. This could be a good sign for a May start with a covid service and the 8 trains following lockdown.

This is really going to annoy certain people in Another Place, who took to social media to complain bitterly that the original listing was woefully inadequate. I did point out that it is traditional to wait until services actually begin before fulminating, but to little avail.

[TonyK]

A heads up for anyone keen to hear Network Rail's presentation of what should happen in the run-up to opening.

The website for https://www.okehampton.gov.uk/?fbclid=IwAR3P_iHi2ncfgSXWY-DDQxuZcFeaJ7dVVBxJGCOpJiOiCVMLtm_CfowL7FE]Okehampton Town Council[/url] lists the forthcoming Annual Town Assembly, to be held virtually on Monday 22 March 2021 at 7pm. The notice says:

Annual Town Assembly - Monday 22nd March 2021, 7pm
This is a public meeting that is open to all Okehampton Town residents. 

Representatives from Network Rail will be in attendance and making a presentation about the reopening of the passenger rail service from Okehampton to Exeter.

The Agenda for the meeting which is being held virtually because of the ongoing pandemic restrictions, and details of how you can attend will be available from here or by contacting the office on 01837 53179 or townclerk@okehampton.gov.uk.

If any Okehampton Town resident reading this would like to watch and report back to us, I am sure we will all be very interested. You never know - they may even allow guests.

[RichardB]

See here

Interesting Unadvertised Ordinary Passenger
Crew training perhaps

Class 2, so should be revenue earning services.

These are what Train Planners call 'Q paths'. They may not be required but they're there in system and can be used at short-notice.

For example, there is an unadvertised Q path for the Night Riviera to go via the Southern route on Sundays. It is hardly ever needed but its there for when it is. The same principle applies for these Okehampton trains in that they're there and ready for when services can start.

These train paths seemed to have dropped to 2 trains in the morning and 2 in the evening. This could be a good sign for a May start with a covid service and the 8 trains following lockdown.

There is no chance whatsoever of a May start.  As I said in a previous post, I don't see services starting in anything we would call "Summer" but I certainly see them starting in 2021.  Ignore anything that might appear in Real Time Trains until we have a definite start date.

[RichardB]

A heads up for anyone keen to hear Network Rail's presentation of what should happen in the run-up to opening.

The website for https://www.okehampton.gov.uk/?fbclid=IwAR3P_iHi2ncfgSXWY-DDQxuZcFeaJ7dVVBxJGCOpJiOiCVMLtm_CfowL7FE]Okehampton Town Council[/url] lists the forthcoming Annual Town Assembly, to be held virtually on Monday 22 March 2021 at 7pm. The notice says:

Annual Town Assembly - Monday 22nd March 2021, 7pm
This is a public meeting that is open to all Okehampton Town residents. 

Representatives from Network Rail will be in attendance and making a presentation about the reopening of the passenger rail service from Okehampton to Exeter.

The Agenda for the meeting which is being held virtually because of the ongoing pandemic restrictions, and details of how you can attend will be available from here or by contacting the office on 01837 53179 or townclerk@okehampton.gov.uk.

If any Okehampton Town resident reading this would like to watch and report back to us, I am sure we will all be very interested. You never know - they may even allow guests.

It's a public meeting so I see no problem with anyone, anywhere attending though, of course, only Okehampton residents will be allowed to ask questions.   Here's the agenda with Zoom link https://www.okehampton.gov.uk/data/uploads/2032_74043058.pdf

[RichardB]

This Budget will also unlock more than £40 million of funding to reinstate passenger services on the OkehamptonExeter line, subject to final approval of costs and contracts. These investments will provide good quality transport links between communities, and improve employment opportunities across these areas."
 
Page 61   https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966161/Budget_2021_Web_accessible.pdf

All good news.

Presumably, this includes all the money so far spent and/or earmarked for restoration of services.

No, money was allocated in Great Western Railway´s (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) Direct Award (started last April) to take forward the Okehampton plan and there has been more money provided for the work necessary to allow test and delivery trains.  Deliveries of materials have been strictly on the basis that they would be taken away again if approval was not forthcoming.  Don't think it will be too much longer (touch wood) until things become much clearer.


Edit: VickiS - Clarifying acronyms - 08:45