Tarka Line - Exeter to Barnstaple - services, passenger numbers, carriages, engineering works, incidents and events

[whole diary]

[The SprinterMeister]

I never heard of North Devon Public Transport Users Group.


The Railway is for the General public and the person from the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail Association pointed on Radio Devon this morning out that Network Rail are going to work on the Line at the end of this year , which will increase the line speed.

It sounds to me that a couple of 'big noise' people want faster journeys to Exeter and think the idea of stopping the train to pick up people en route is a bloody inconvenience best catered for by the Turners 377 bus.

The idea that you can improve a railway by removing several points of access to it is absurd (I've had to restrain my thoughts on the choice of words by the way), a point no doubt not lost on the 8% (their own figures) likely to be affected by such a move.

The worrying thing is that as the franchise is currently being re-let is that the bereft of brain at DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) might take such an idea seriously. Lets hope not.....

[Umberleigh]

It's an interesting dilemma. Part of the problem is that the services which are amongst the busiest - those getting people to Exeter before 9am - are those that have the most intermediate stops, and, are also the sensitive most sensitive to journey time i.e. how long it takes them to get to work.

It will be interesting to see how NR^» (Network Rail - home page)'s track most welcome track improvement works increase line speeds, but the central issue remains: the vast majority of passengers would rather the train didn't stop between BNP^▸ (Barnstaple) and EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains). The frequent stops become rather tedious (for perhaps any one but a rail enthusiast) and make the journey feel twice as long. This is not my opinion but that of the passengers around me.

However, all the facts point to increased usage of the majority of intermediate stations, most showing a year-on-year increase for several years. Look at how Umberleigh has prospered ( ). Look at Crediton with its fantastic paintwork and wonderful cafe. Morchard Road is a crucial access point for many walking the Two Moors Way. Yeoford could/will soon become an interchange. We know why all trains stop at Eggesford... and so on.

Of course, money could solve the dilemma. A new passing loop at, perhaps, Portsmouth Arms and and it would be possible to run a half-hourly peak time service, allowing an hourly three-stops-only service. Oh, and a new signal box at Eggesford. Remove Salmon Pool crossing. Half a dozen new units to provide the extra services. Electrification... (I'll stop now ).

Perhaps one part-solution worth investigating is that 377 bus providing a feeder service into Crediton station from Lapford, Coppletone etc with through ticketing. The rail journey into the City is faster and easier than the bus having to fight its way through rush hour traffic. Thoughts anyone?

[JayMac]

This issue raised it's head at the TravelWatch SouthWest AGM^▸ (Annual General Meeting) on a couple of occasions. Were you there Umberleigh?

[FlyingDutchman]

I think what ever you do you will not please everyone.

When NR^» (Network Rail - home page) sort out the track and increase the speed of the line this will help to improve things.

The other thing you could do is have a service from Okehampton stops at all the stop to Exeter and this will allow the Barnstaple train to only have to stop at Crediton and then Exeter.

Long term

Build  freight transfer yard  on the outskirts of  Barnstaple
Create a  extra loop.
Modernise the signaling on the line
Find  European  funding to  build the line from Barnstaple to Great Torrington.

[TerminalJunkie]

The other thing you could do is have a service from Okehampton stops at all the stop to Exeter and this will allow the Barnstaple train to only have to stop at Crediton and then Exeter.

How many stations on the Barnstaple line would trains from Okehampton be able to stop at, precisely? 

[Btline]

This does throw open the issue that there are stations on the system that simply need closing! In many places, stations are as close together as stations in urban areas! This is ridiculous. Why should a clump of houses get stop when they can travel 5 minutes down the road to a station? If we went on that basis, there would be stations every 100 yards along railways in urban areas. Most towns just have one station, people are expected to travel to it, not for it to stop outside the front door.

A lot of thinning out happened on the mainlines, resulting in faster journey times benefitting the majority of people. Some lines were missed!

This comment is general - I'm not saying that a dozen stations on this route should be axed, but I imagine there are some which have little purpose! I read once that 25% (I think) of stations cater for 1% of traffic. This is shocking and wrong! In an age where we need value for money as fares go up, we should stop wasting money and fuel on some halts that should have gone years ago!

In this case it seems that axing 12 stations to save 15 minutes seems pointless - esp as it is a rural branch line.

[FlyingDutchman]

It would be three stations

Yeoford
Crediton
Newton St Cyres

The Okehampton line

Okehampton railway station
Sampford Courtenay

North Tawton
Bow

[TerminalJunkie]

So if a Barnstaple train is only going to call at Crediton, you are happy to leave Chapelton, Umberleigh, Portsmouth Arms, Kings Nympton, Eggesford, Lapford, Morchard Road and Copplestone with no service, yes?

[The SprinterMeister]

So if a Barnstaple train is only going to call at Crediton, you are happy to leave Chapelton, Umberleigh, Portsmouth Arms, Kings Nympton, Eggesford, Lapford, Morchard Road and Copplestone with no service, yes?

Well it seems the The North Devon Public Transport Users' Group (two x clarts) want this to be the case. Not quite sure why you wouldn't serve Eggesford bearing in mind trains stop there to operate the NSTR and level crossing equipment, dont suppose the The North Devon Public Transport Users' Group are overly bothered about little details like that though.

I gather the The North Devon Public Transport Users' Group are a different body altogether to the established North Devon Rail Users Group, the transport users group being a pair of clarts who consider 8% of the traffic can be dumped just to get them between Exeter & Barnstaple about 5 minutes quicker. If the two clarts are disatisified with the train service they can drive up the A377 instead, they wont get to Exeter any quicker....

[polymath]

Please note that the North Devon Rail Users Group (the long established organisation) was renamed the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail Association in 2009, one of the reasons being that it attempts to represent all users of the line, not just those in North Devon.

[The SprinterMeister]

Please note that the North Devon Rail Users Group (the long established organisation) was renamed the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail Association in 2009, one of the reasons being that it attempts to represent all users of the line, not just those in North Devon.

After I posted that I had another look at the original article which confirmed the North Devon Rail Users Group is now indeed known as the Tarka Rail Association. There is however a danger that some might think the transport users group is in some way affliliated to the Tarka Rail folk and represents some form of widespread opinion. When a franchise is being relet the last thing you want to have taken seriously is some f***witted proposal to close most of the North Devon line stations.

[Milky Bar Kid]

all stations on the line have shown increases in foot fall year on year, The line i think will stay as it is but timings and stops will be altered, Crediton needs and should get a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine). Barnstaple needs re-grading urgently.

[TerminalJunkie]

I'd forgotten that I posted this four years ago. Those names seem awfully familiar...

[FlyingDutchman]

Hi

I noticed this update

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/cost-slow-trains/story-15522472-detail/story.html

Guy

[The SprinterMeister]

Hi

I noticed this update

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/cost-slow-trains/story-15522472-detail/story.html

Guy

The 30 or so daily users (that is from all of them) would still be no more than a bike ride away from a station, considerably nearer than many Barnstaple station users.

I assume these f**kwits do live in Devon and actually know the topography and road layouts round Mid / North Devon? I think its more a case of not very enlightened self interest.....