Okehampton

[whole diary]

[bradshaw]

Further pictures on the Cornwall Railway Society website this morning.

[TonyK]

There was a few second on Spotlight yesterday to say the track relaying had been completed.

This line must open before December. After all passenger trains, if not for covid, would have run last summer on Sundays even if at a lower speed.

There is apparently a lot more work to be done. As for last summer, you are assuming that the track would have been passed fit for passenger traffic again. Some of those sleeps looked decidedly dodgy.

[REVUpminster]

True but would it have deteriorated that much in a year when you consider the weight of the freight trains carrying the sleepers compared to a 150. I think reported here or elsewhere a proving train went to Okehampton before all the freight. A derailed freight could have been a disaster. Maybe a proving train went first every summer Sunday before to check the track as a passenger crash would have been a bigger disaster.

As for the signalling improvements that's really down to manpower thrown at it.

[infoman]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) local news for south west england showing pictures of the ballast and track being laid at Okehampton.

BBC local news is available for 24 hours only on the i-player thingy

[TonyK]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) local news for south west england showing pictures of the ballast and track being laid at Okehampton.

BBC local news is available for 24 hours only on the i-player thingy

Just watched it - thanks! It's at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000w8dx/spotlight-evening-news-15052021

and is available until 1615 on 15 May 2021.

[MVR S&T]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) local news for south west england showing pictures of the ballast and track being laid at Okehampton.

BBC local news is available for 24 hours only on the i-player thingy

Just watched it - thanks! It's at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000w8dx/spotlight-evening-news-15052021

and is available until 1615 on 15 May 2021.

Till 16th May.

[TonyK]

Till 16th May.

Darn - have I lost another day?

I love the shots of this huge machine, which with sleeper trucks must be a few hundred metres long and north of a thousand tonnes heavy, all being directed by a man walking backwards using a pad with with a couple of buttons.

[TonyK]

More from Rail Advent here, with a video embedded, showing the track laying gizmo.

[eightonedee]

Can they now train it to install OHL^▸ (Over-Head Line) gantries and wires? 

[REVUpminster]

Went to Okehampton today. doesn't open to 11am for platform 1 and 2 for the small museum, bookshop, and some refreshments. Free parking. Platform 3 out of bounds. Only toilets I could see were portaloos by the bicycle hire

The platforms are in remarkably good condition. Picture show limit of works is just across the road bridge. Tracks still require tamping. Old concrete sleepers were removed as well as wooden ones. There are metal sleepers in the bay. Lot of removed material to take away, by train?, to get the car park back.

Okehampton Station looking east 1 June 2021.JPG from platform 2 by Robert, on Flickr
Okehampton Station looking west 1 June 2021. platform 2 by Robert, on Flickr
Okehampton Station looking east 1 June 2021.JPG old concrete sleepers by Robert, on Flickr
Okehampton Station looking west 1 June 2021 by Robert, on Flickr

[TonyK]

Went to Okehampton today. doesn't open to 11am for platform 1 and 2 for the small museum, bookshop, and some refreshments.

Very nice pictures, REVUpminster.

[Oxonhutch]

Very nice pictures, REVUpminster.

Indeed, I very much agree. But the last one causes me some confusion: I thought from further up this thread that only one line remains in use. If so, why the extra signal on the other line?

[paul7575]

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) the two lines combine at a set of points just out of shot west of the station, so movements towards Meldon Quarry can still be made from either platform 2 or 3, so both need the fixed stop boards?

But there’s no route east out of P2.

Paul

[bradshaw]

Network Rail have completed acquisition of Okehampton line from Aggregate Industries and the northern half of the station from Devon County Council, who retain the southern half and will maintain the footbridge linking them.
There is also a piece in todays news on the Cornwall Railway Society website

https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/network-rail-commences-ownership-of-dartmoor-line-and-okehampton-station

[REVUpminster]

From another site some pictures that update mine.
Scrap train removing old track to Westbury on the 23 June 2021.

Okehampton scrap train by Robert, on Flickr

scrap train 23 June 2021 by Robert, on Flickr