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

[whole diary]

[devon_metro]

Thats an average speed of 75mph 

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

to be fair i dont know the line speed of this line... i know its not that ok then if it went at max possible speed that the line allows how long would it take to get to exeter from barny

and just to back up my theory that people would use this service your logic would apply to the existing services from exeter to waterloo and even as far as plymouth, people use these.. and i dont just mean from honiton onwards people use them from exeter and plymouth so why dont they use fgw?

[devon_metro]

I bet few business minded (who travel first class) people use the SWT^▸ (South West Trains) service. Its slow!

Why would you leave the house before 4am to get to Barnstaple station when you could leave nearer 5.30am and get to London 14 minutes later.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

exactly, a few... 

i was answering the question of a direct service from barn to london that would get there by 9 do you agree that if a service was introduced that this would be the cheapest way of provideing it?

[vacman]

bearing in mind not everyone wants to go first class and if they do its there! and i did say forget Eggesford, Crediton  i think your looking at a journey time of more like 4 hours and ten mins if you can do barnstable-exeter none stop in 30 mins there are power sockets on these units even in standard, the only issue is the trolly which i have never seen on a swt service but its in the timetable book so hey

trains have to stop at Eggesford to do the token and operate the level crossing.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

bearing in mind not everyone wants to go first class and if they do its there! and i did say forget Eggesford, Crediton  i think your looking at a journey time of more like 4 hours and ten mins if you can do barnstable-exeter none stop in 30 mins there are power sockets on these units even in standard, the only issue is the trolly which i have never seen on a swt service but its in the timetable book so hey

trains have to stop at Eggesford to do the token and operate the level crossing.

they do indeed guess that adds 5 mins easy, is there a token section at crediton too?

[devon_metro]

No, it would cost a fortune and run empty till Exeter!!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

No, it would cost a fortune and run empty till Exeter!!

back to the question does anyone want a direct service or is this a pointless convo... people who live in or near barns please

[Feckham]

Hi

No, it would cost a fortune and run empty till Exeter!!

back to the question does anyone want a direct service or is this a pointless convo... people who live in or near barns please

Short answer, yes, but know it will never happen.

Even the thought of an 05:55 from BNP^▸ (Barnstaple)>EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains), you would have to get the stock there in the first place to run it, so again won't happen

BNP> TAU^» (Taunton - next trains) will never reopen, the A361 North Devon link has been built on much of the trackbed, and bridges removed closer to Norton Fitzwarren

Perhaps the next suggestion would be to have North Devon International Airport at Chivenor 

[gaf71]

Most of the line speed on the Barnstaple branch is 55mph, with a couple of 60/70 mph sections. With the token exchanges at Eggesford and Crediton, I reckon the quickest you could do BNP^▸ (Barnstaple)-EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) would be about 50 mins.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

well if i had to be in london by 9 and lived up there i would use that service if it existed as long as there was deffo a trolly!

[devon_metro]

I'd drive.

[oilengineer]

For a long time the Last DOWN SWT^▸ (South West Trains) service from Waterloo DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) THIS, on arrival at Exeter St D the Coaches went into the yard, the Train Crew THEN took a long break till the early hours in Hyde Park Train Crew Mess then worked the same unit as the First up Exeter St D- Waterloo, now why not make the trip up to Barnstaple, your early service easily provided.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

For a long time the Last DOWN SWT^▸ (South West Trains) service from Waterloo DID^» (Didcot Parkway - next trains) THIS, on arrival at Exeter St D the Coaches went into the yard, the Train Crew THEN took a long break till the early hours in Hyde Park Train Crew Mess then worked the same unit as the First up Exeter St D- Waterloo, now why not make the trip up to Barnstaple, your early service easily provided.

glad someone else agrees, you know when you see the price difference its easy to see why alot of people chose the west of england route!!

click below for price differences interesting to see an off peak available at 630 on a london bound service??

http://www.flickr.com/photos/relex109/3638862545/sizes/o/

[Lee]

From the North Devon Journal:

Call for late night Tarka Line train service

A pressure group has called for improvements to the Tarka Line in response to a Network Rail report.

Network Rail has produced a draft "route utilisation strategy", which sets out the future of the South West railways until 2030. Members of the public can offer comments on the strategy.

In response to the draft, the Tarka Rail Association (TRA) has published its own 18-page report calling for the current hourly train service on the line to run 18 hours a day, and for the provision of a late-night train from Exeter to Barnstaple departing at around 11pm.

In addition, TRA has suggested enhancements to the track to achieve Barnstaple to Exeter journey times of less than one hour and the provision of more modern three-car trains to improve passenger comfort and to boost seating capacity.

TRA chairman John Phillips said: "We have an unrivalled knowledge of the issues that most affect passengers day-to-day, and we see it as our job to make sure the planners are fully aware of passenger needs and concerns that otherwise might go unnoticed.

"We view our report very much as part of a cooperative process. The Tarka Line has experienced greater passenger growth than any other route in the West of England.

"A collaborative effort between all the major stakeholders ^ Network Rail, First Great Western, Devon County Council and, in particular, the passengers who ride the line and whom we represent ^ is crucial to the line's future success."

The Tarka Line has seen a 91% increase in passenger numbers since 2001, TRA said.

The Network Rail draft strategy is out for consultation until November 27 and the final document is expected in early 2010.