Reopening Cullompton and Wellington stations (merged topic)

[whole diary]

[Witham Bobby]

On the other side of the motorway and railway, there are open fields, rather pretty, in fact a true Garden of Eden

I didn't know there was a paper mill in The Garden of Eden.  perhaps that's why the mill is called "Higher Kings"?

Often see a cloud of steam issuing from the mill chimney when travelling along the M5.  Not many paper mills left in UK^▸ (United Kingdom) now - many have been brought up, closed, and the sites sold for housing.

[TonyK]

I didn't know there was a paper mill in The Garden of Eden.  perhaps that's why the mill is called "Higher Kings"?

Often see a cloud of steam issuing from the mill chimney when travelling along the M5.  Not many paper mills left in UK^▸ (United Kingdom) now - many have been brought up, closed, and the sites sold for housing.

  My learned friend mischievously truncated my quote, omitting "when compared to the other side"!

To see the TV report or read the rather vague outline in either the glossy brochure or on the website, you wouldn't know that human foot had ever trod the green rolling fields, or the Culm flood plain.

[grahame]

Wellington has rather slipped off our Coffee Shop radar - this thread not updated in a year.  I have posted elsewhere on the forum, though, of RailFuture Severnside planning for their September meeting to be held in support of this campaign, and I read from the Somerset Gazette from the pen of local MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) Rebecca Pow:

And finally, my work with stakeholders to progress plans to bring a railway station to Wellington continues building on the Government’s ambition to open many new stations with a £500m fund devoted to this. I’ve recently met with Transport Secretary of State Grant Shapps to discuss our case and will be meeting the Rail Minister following this week’s Devon and Somerset Metro Group meeting.

[grahame]

From Devon Live

Councillors have backed proposals to get the project to reopen Cullompton’s railway station back on track.

The station, which was initially opened in 1844, was one of the many that were closed as part of the Beeching Axe.

Tiverton Junction, Cullompton, Hele and Bradninch and Silverton were closed to passengers on October 5, 1964, and the Cullompton station site has been turned into the motorway service station.

And at Thursday’s Mid Devon District Council cabinet meeting, councillors unanimously agreed to establish the clear lines of decision making and governance for the project going forward.

Cllr Graeme Barnell said: “It has been nearly 60 years since the station closed and we want it to reopen as part of a key strategic underpinning of Local Plan, Culm Garden Village, and expansion of Cullompton itself. We are keen to take this forward.”

The Local Plan proposes the allocation of a site of 160 hectares to the east of Junction 28 of the M5 for the development of the initial new settlement in the East Cullompton area, with 1,750 houses to 2033 with at least a further 850 to follow.

As well as new homes, at least one new primary school, a secondary school, a country park, new sports facilities, reopening of the railway station and up to 32,000 sq m of employment land close to the M5 are included in the masterplans.

The Culm Garden Village project eventually has the potential to deliver up to 5,000 sustainable new homes in a country park landscape, with jobs, community facilities and transport, all integrated with Cullompton itself.

Cllr Nikki Woollatt said it was gratifying to see the ball rolling, albeit slowly, on getting the railway station back, while Cllr Elizabeth Wainwright said it was a fantastic opportunity for sustainable travel methods and that anything to support low carbon travel should be supported.

[Umberleigh]

Ah, the old justify building new homes on a green field site because there will be a railway station attached to ‘green’ the proposal.

Railway station then never gets built

[trainbuff]

Yes I too am a sceptic. Remember Tavistock in 2014 and earlier?

[grahame]

Yes I too am a sceptic. Remember Tavistock in 2014 and earlier?

... and Corsham in the previous decade!

If a new or significantly extended community is to be predicated on public transport, that public transport need to be running on or by the date that the first resident or business moves in.  Otherwise the station / bus route is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.   It CAN and has been done (I have a number of bus examples) but everyone needs to understand that the public transport will have a "ramp up" period during which it will be carrying a lot of fresh air!

[CyclingSid]

Exactly, you have got to have the public transport offer first. By the time Reading Green Park opens the residents will be set in their ways, i.e. driving the car. And unless they work in Reading or Basingstoke having to change trains will also reduce its attractiveness.

[The Tall Controller]

Pedant alert: Tiverton Junction wasn't one of the stations closed in 1964. It closed 22 years later on 11 May 1986 with Tiverton Parkway opening the next day.

[TonyK]

Pedant alert: Tiverton Junction wasn't one of the stations closed in 1964. It closed 22 years later on 11 May 1986 with Tiverton Parkway opening the next day.

Correct! The platforms remain, and the line between Tiverton and the former junction remains reasonably clear all the way to Great Western Way. In fact, it is a pleasant stroll from the Grand Western Canal into Tiverton itself if you really want to go there, but don't let that stop you. Reopen that branch of the the line, and I can sell the car.

If a new or significantly extended community is to be predicated on public transport, that public transport need to be running on or by the date that the first resident or business moves in.  Otherwise the station / bus route is like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.   It CAN and has been done (I have a number of bus examples) but everyone needs to understand that the public transport will have a "ramp up" period during which it will be carrying a lot of fresh air!

Cranbrook springs to mind, even if a number of houses were built by the time it opened. Cullompton could be built relatively simply, and already has quite a catchment area. There has been a fair bit of development west of the M5 since the station closed. The same wouldn't be true of Tiverton Junction, with the remnants tucked away behind an industrial estate.

[grahame]

From Around Wellington

Official optimism about a new station for Wellington is at its highest level, with an overwhelming business case going forward to the government’s New Stations Fund in May. “We’re on target to get on a train at Wellington in 2026,” said Cllr Mike Rigby, the district council portfolio holder for transport who is leading on the scheme.

“We’re in the most positive territory for a station since the old one closed 56 years ago,” added Cllr Rigby. However, the old site at Tone Dale is no longer viable for a range of reasons and the preferred location is near the Longforth Farm estate, with road access off the A38.

According to those close to the matter a new Taunton-Exeter shuttle would provide an hourly service, with trains on the existing Penzance-Exeter-Cardiff service also stopping in Wellington. Trains to Paddington would not stop at the town because of the short distances to Taunton and Tiverton Parkway stations.

[infoman]

Small item on ITV West news on thursday 28 october about opening Cullompton and Wellington train stations.

[Red Squirrel]

More details:

The plan to develop railway stations in Cullompton and Wellington has come a step closer to reality with the announcement of funding in the Government’s autumn budget.

This latest funding announcement of £5 million will enable the projects to advance to the next stage of their development and follows the submission of a business case to the Department for Transport earlier in the year.

Both stations closed in 1964. However, both towns have grown in population since then and are the largest settlements unserved by a rail station between Exeter and Taunton. The funding announcement follows months of hard work, research and partnership building to develop the case for the proposed new train stations at Cullompton and Wellington by the Steering Group and WSP Consulting.

...continues

Source: Mid Devon District Council

[bradshaw]

Wellington and Cullompton stations one step closer as Network Rail set to lead on next stage of developments.

Network Rail has received £5m for the next stage in the development of this programme.
Detail in press briefing below
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/wellington-and-cullompton-stations-one-step-closer-as-network-rail-set-to-lead-on-next-stage-of-developments

[TaplowGreen]

Wellington and Cullompton stations one step closer as Network Rail set to lead on next stage of developments.

Network Rail has received £5m for the next stage in the development of this programme.
Detail in press briefing below
https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/wellington-and-cullompton-stations-one-step-closer-as-network-rail-set-to-lead-on-next-stage-of-developments

Does the development of the design and business case really need £5 million?