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

[whole diary]

[Rapidash]

Which of the branches is taking a hit to frequency for that then? Exeter isn't exactly awash with surplus stock, is it?

[LiskeardRich]

I assumed it will be 143/150 released by turbos.

[grahame]

Which of the branches is taking a hit to frequency for that then? Exeter isn't exactly awash with surplus stock, is it?

I assumed it will be 143/150 released by turbos.

The rolling stock situation is dynamic in current times ...

From Exeter, all the 150/1 units and half of the 153 are being lost over the next three months.  Most of the 150/0 and 150/2 units that operate Bristol based service at present, and most of the 158s will be operating services from Exeter and west thereof, together with the 143s,  150/2 units already based there, and remaining 153s.    Also incoming will be a drip feed of short HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) (very slow drip to start with, I suspect).   On longer distance services, class 802 will be phased in as full length HSTs are faded out, and perhaps some class 800 may bite into odd services that don't go too far west.

I would be very interested to see a time series of month v no of units (or) number of carriages in each class. I'm sure someone has one, but I haven't seen it published.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I would be very interested to see a time series of month v no of units (or) number of carriages in each class. I'm sure someone has one, but I haven't seen it published.

Mark Hopwood probably has one. 

However, as we may find him rather less elusive than Mark these days, may I invite our respected Coffee Shop forum member RichardB to comment here?

Chris from Nailsea. 

[RichardB]

Thanks Chris.

Let's just say that the poster in Okehampton is a bit on the optimistic side and is just one indication of how keen local people are to get the service and Okehampton Parkway station in.

The DfT^» (Department for Transport - about), GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway), NR^» (Network Rail - home page), Devon County Council are all looking at how both can happen.  The push to get the service and station is being led by the OkeRail Forum and OkeRail CIC^▸ (Community Interest Company ), both of which have wide support locally and far out into the area that Okehampton would provide a railhead for (eg Bude and Launceston, among others).

[Chris from Nailsea]

Many thanks for your well-informed comments, RichardB. 

For the benefit of any of our readers here who are particularly interested, may I also offer a link to the Okerail website - 'OkeRAIL Forum & CIC^▸ (Community Interest Company ), Restoring Okehampton to Exeter rail services - and rail links to the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'.

Best wishes and good luck to them in their campaign. 

[Andy]

More power to their elbows!

I imagine that a daily service is not necessarily conditional on the completion of the new parkway station, however beneficial that might be. In the route map on the poster, only Sampford Courtney and Crediton are mentioned, with the latter given as the interchange for Barnstaple. Does this mean that there are no plans to stop at Yeoford or Newton St Cyres?   

[plymothian]

There's no [usable] platform at Yeoford.

[Andy]

I'm assuming the cost of recommissioning the second platform at Yeoford (and installing a footbridge) would be too great. A reinstated junction at Coleford would enable the single platform at Yeoford to be used but a double crossover would create a long 4m + double track loop all the way to Crediton. 

[grahame]

I'm assuming the cost of recommissioning the second platform at Yeoford (and installing a footbridge) would be too great. A reinstated junction at Coleford would enable the single platform at Yeoford to be used but a double crossover would create a long 4m + double track loop all the way to Crediton. 

Playing Devil's advocate here ... what's the economic case for an Okehampton service calling at Yeoford?     Currently a request stop on the hourly Exeter to Barnstaple service, (14 calls in each direction - so up to 28 train calls) with under 25 passengers joining and 25 passengers leaving each day.    If there's no stop on the Okehampton trains, 2 single tracks from Crediton will continue to work, won't it?

If there was major development planned at Yeoford (Yeoford Garden City), if there was a big potential traffic from Okehampton to Barnstaple (change at Yeoford), or if a Okehampton to Yeoford shuttle were planned for quiet times of day with a change there, then each and any of those would help improve the case for station investment.   The case will also be helped when the line's extended beyond Okehampton to Bere Alston, making for a dynamic loop from Crediton to Yeoford.

[Andy]

All valid points, Grahame. I'd say the main attraction of a second platform at Yeoford (or a junction at Coleford enabling Okehampton services to use the existing platform) would be to avoid an unnecessary 9 miles to Crediton and back for passengers interested in getting to stations to Barnstaple. 

[eightf48544]

Are there many potential passengers wanting to go from Okehampton to stations to Barnstaple?

[Andy]

It'd be a small traffic flow in both directions, I imagine, but it'll be even smaller with an unnecessary 25 minutes+ added to the journey time (assuming connections could be timed to avoid a wait at Yeoford).
 

[RichardB]

The bigger problem is the amount of money it would cost to bring the disused platform back into use and provide access to it.  The platform is low and in poor condition with cable trunking along it - you could be looking at £500k plus.  Can't see that sort of money being available for Yeoford in anything like the short/medium term.

If it were decided to reinstate Coleford Junction and make Crediton - there double track again, completely different ballgame, of course.  Not sure that's where that kind of money (if available) would be best spent to improve the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Line though.  There is a working party looking at these issues and drawing up a draft Line Plan for the line at the moment. 

[Bob_Blakey]

Speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC this morning, Chris Grayling stated quite categorically that a trial service will be implemented between Okehampton & Exeter.
No timescale given of course but I live in hope of a prompt start.
Do the relevant experts on this forum know if such a service would require any signalling upgrades between Crediton & Cowley Bridge?