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

[whole diary]

[AMLAG]

Please don't give the impression (because it is not the case) that 4 cars (2 x 143 units) are regularly in use on ND (Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter)) line trains such as 0700,0843 & 0943 Barnstaple and 1527 & 1657 Exeter St D all of which are only 2 cars (143, 150 or 2 x 153 units) and regularly full & standing with many passengers standing for well over 20 minutes.

There are however one or two mid day M-F trains that are diagrammed to be worked by 2 x 143 units which for operational convenience (but not for capacity, fuel efficiencies/cost reduction issues) stay coupled together all day because they are required for peak trains on the Exmouth & Paignton services.
Many ND line trains on Saturdays are, and have been for some while, made up to 3 or 4 cars because there are sufficient units spare/available on Saturdays.
Unlike the London commuting area there are no spare units sitting all day in sidings at Exeter between peak hours M-F requirements (other than a SWT^▸ (South West Trains) cl 159 !)

[TonyK]

Thank you for pointing that out, AMLAG. It does, to the uneducated eye, seem odd that there is higher capacity on the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) line during the quiet times, and less at peak times, but your explanation will help anyone who isn't  familiar with these idiosyncrasies, and who has had the good sense to look here for answers. I suppose the point is that the passenger base between Exmuff and Paignton, apart from being two direction into Exeter, is higher than that of the Tarka, and it is expedient for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to run the units in the way you describe.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the North Devon Journal:

Call for further improvements to the railway line between Barnstaple and Exeter



A train users group has called for more improvements to the rail service between Barnstaple and Exeter, including faster and more regular trains.

The Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Rail Association has submitted its views on a potential new First Great Western franchise for local rail services.

A Department for Transport document published in May gave details about the planned approach for the next franchise when the current one ends in September 2015. It stated First Great Western was awarded the last franchise, which was put in place in October 2013, with the expectation it would be awarded a second.

The association said it supported the proposal to award First Great Western the franchise, but wanted to see a number of improvements on the Barnstaple to Exeter line. These included higher speed trains, additional car parking at Umberleigh, Eggesford and Copplestone and an hourly service between 5.30am and midnight Monday to Saturday.

Other suggested improvements included better, faster and longer trains, the recognition of Barnstaple as a ^major railhead^, and the adaptation of a small number of older trains to be attached to service trains on Sundays and bank holidays to accommodate cyclists.

Association chairman John Burch said there had already been successes in securing extra capacity on trains at 7am and 4.57pm, which would come into effect from December 2014. But he said there were still gaps in the timetable which the association would like to see filled with extra services.

^There are a number of particular trains which are very heavily overloaded on a regular basis,^ he said. ^We would like to see an earlier departure from Barnstaple because the earliest is currently 7am.^

Mr Burch said the greatest frustration was persuading Network Rail to increase speed limits on the line.

North Devon Council leader Brian Greenslade said the council had held discussions with Exeter City Council about improvements to the line. ^One objective was to try and make it faster and more attractive to commute between the two,^ he said.

^I have also spoken to the chief executive of Devon County Council about the same issue and we hope we can lobby First Great Western to see what they can do to provide faster connections first thing in the morning and at tea time.^

First Great Western said it could not comment on the franchise beyond September 2015.

[DavidBrown]

Just as a quick aside on the TRA, is there any particular reason why their website isn't updated anymore? (Or rather, indeed, hasn't been for a couple of years).

[The Grecian]

I believe there was a plan to increase speed limits by replacing the old jointed track with continuous welded rail when the line was intended to be closed for 2 weeks in November 2012.

Unfortunately the elements had other ideas and Network Rail's attention was quickly diverted to other nearby locations such as Cowley Bridge and Broom Crossing. I'm not sure if the intended works ever happened.

[TonyK]

A lot of it has been done with CWR^▸ (Continuously Welded Rail), including the bit past my son-in-law's workshop in Crediton, a little west of the station. He said the difference is remarkable - he hardly hears trains passing now. I noticed a lot of kit in the siding at the station a few months back.

[John R]

Association chairman John Burch said there had already been successes in securing extra capacity on trains at 7am and 4.57pm, which would come into effect from December 2014. But he said there were still gaps in the timetable which the association would like to see filled with extra services.

I hadn't heard about this before. Great news for the branch, although I'm intrigued as to where the capacity is coming from given the dearth of available stock at the moment.

[Chris from Nailsea]

See http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=14140.msg156036#msg156036 for a hint ... 

[John R]

I did suspect the two were linked.