Okehampton-Tavistock. Discussion on reopening and potential use as a diversionary route

[whole diary]

[woody]

Apparently the Dartmoor Railway now have one mile of brand new track, capable of supporting 125 mph trains completed in February by Network rail to trial its High Output Track Renewal Equipment.
http://www.dartmoor-railway.co.uk/news.html
 Any one know what lines speeds could be acheived if the entire former Southern Plymouth/Exeter route via Okehampton was re-opened with similarly ugraded track.
 Perhaps that was what Devon and Cornwall railways meant by "Improved rail links between Exeter and Plymouth".Just a thought.

[BUMPER]

The Okehampton-Exeter saga seems to have become a bit unfocussed. While any rail improvement is welcome, it is worth mentioning that Exeter-Okie bus services have contracted in recent years, and commuters would have to climb a couple of hundred feet to get to the station. I am alarmed to think that Devon CC money has gone into this enterprise without any overt cost benefit analysis. As regular on the Exmouth line, I think there are more deserving cases going begging for a relatively modest amount which would transform rail into a bright 21st century future. Our line (EXD_EXM) is basically full, already maintaining 10% passenger increase annually even during the recession, with the prospect of 6000 more houses approved to be built on its line of route within the next five years. While ^35 million is allocated for various local road schemes, little is available for rail. I think promotion of investment where the system is already successful, but creaking, would be better than fantasy thinking about possible HST^▸ (High Speed Train) timings between Exeter and Plymouth via Tavistock - how many hundreds of millions would that cost, and should it take precedence over electrification to Exeter and Plymouth? There is a grave dange in talking up romantic schemes for new or reopened services, and getting money for them, while the bread and butter lines, which will have an increasing part to play in the overall transport network they serve, wither through lack of what should be routine upgrading.

[SandTEngineer]

Apparently the Dartmoor Railway now have one mile of brand new track, capable of supporting 125 mph trains completed in February by Network rail to trial its High Output Track Renewal Equipment.
http://www.dartmoor-railway.co.uk/news.html
 Any one know what lines speeds could be acheived if the entire former Southern Plymouth/Exeter route via Okehampton was re-opened with similarly ugraded track.
 Perhaps that was what Devon and Cornwall railways meant by "Improved rail links between Exeter and Plymouth".Just a thought.

Think this stinks a little bit.  Public money (ours) being used to upgrade a private railway.  There are pleanty of 'national' lines that could have been used for the trial (Looe branch on winter sundays comes to mind).

[paul7575]

What if the equipment had failed on the line mid trial?  Then everyone would be asking why the new gear hadn't been trialled somewhere else.  Probably done at no actual cost to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) anyway, should be a manufacturer's demonstration as well as a trial.

Paul

[The SprinterMeister]

Think this stinks a little bit.  Public money (ours) being used to upgrade a private railway.  There are pleanty of 'national' lines that could have been used for the trial (Looe branch on winter sundays comes to mind).

Possibly the excercise benefits both parties as the TRT / HOBC^▸ (High Output Ballast Cleaner) team can do their staff training on a nice long railway with a four mile straight section in it without worrying too much about what happens if there are problems encountered during the training. And the quarry co get a mile of nice new track into the bargain. Win win to me.

Mind I'm not saying that the Barnstaple line couldn't do with some more CWR^▸ (Continuously Welded Rail) but I don't believe the steel sleepers NR^» (Network Rail - home page) use on rural lines are compatible with the machinery on the TRT.

[woody]

There is a grave dange in talking up romantic schemes for new or reopened services, and getting money for them, while the bread and butter lines, which will have an increasing part to play in the overall transport network they serve, wither through lack of what should be routine upgrading.

Quite agree but that does not stop poeple dreaming up such schemes sugh as a ^30billion North/South high speed line when so much needs doing on what we have already like HST^▸ (High Speed Train) replacement and providing more rolling stock generally.All sorts of factors effect market economics and they are not always logical(Politics for one).

[FlyingDutchman]

Hi

I just wondered what the tracked bed is like between these two location Okehampton to Tavistock. I got told several years ago there was only one house in the way.

I am not sure what the status of the Bridge is I know they place a cycle track on the bridge. I would not be sure about trains now.

[FlyingDutchman]

The Line between Crediton and Cowely Exeter was this ever a double track line

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

The Line between Crediton and Cowely Exeter was this ever a double track line

if it ever was it was a long time ago ive been looking at some old photos and its single at cowley... found this link http://freepages.nostalgia.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cyberheritage/cowley.htm

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

this had already been discussed im sure someone else on here will have more details i will have a hunt for the thread for you

[TerminalJunkie]

The Line between Crediton and Cowely Exeter was this ever a double track line

Yes - I can remember it being double track in the late 1970s. According to http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/gen/signal/sl-lswr.html#Oke it was singled in 1984.

This picture from 1978 shows the double track through Newton St Cyres.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

The Line between Crediton and Cowely Exeter was this ever a double track line

Yes - I can remember it being double track in the late 1970s. According to http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/gen/signal/sl-lswr.html#Oke it was singled in 1984.

This picture from 1978 shows the double track through Newton St Cyres.

singled the year i was born... strange how things deteriorate after 1984 lol

[Chris from Nailsea]

Details are in this topic on the forum.

[FlyingDutchman]

Thanks

Guy

[Umberleigh]

The Line between Crediton and Cowely Exeter was this ever a double track line

Yes - I can remember it being double track in the late 1970s. According to http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/gen/signal/sl-lswr.html#Oke it was singled in 1984.

This picture from 1978 shows the double track through Newton St Cyres.

Was singled when they installed the colour light signalling back in mid-80's, so could have been '84. Guy: it was very much a double line back in Southern days as it was a section of the Waterloo - Plymouth main line; I've heard it said that at certain times there was a train through Crediton station every 4 mins!

Good luck to Devon & Cornwall Railways with their Open Access service, if they provide decent space for bikes I can see a lot of custom coming their way from Exeter (where I work)