Campaign for Tavistock reopening

[whole diary]

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Greetings Alex :-)

[RichardB]

Currently no active campaigns, you do get the odd murmuring now and then

Feel guilty abt posting this as it's off-topic but...
   Is the campaign to relay Parkandillack-St Dennis Jcn as part of the eco-towns project a dead duck? There was talk of the incinerator being rail-served as well at one point, wasn't there?

Sadly, Andy, I think it has come in as being far too expensive. 

[alexross42]

Hmm. 

As well as going off at various tangents on this particular topic, we seem to have overlooked our manners.

May I now offer our rather belated customary warm welcome to the Coffee Shop forum to you, alexross42? 

Thanks for the welcome 

[swrural]

From me too Alex, good to see your post.  What I think is signal in this discussion is whether the local councillors have the faintest notion of what you are talking about.  Most drive and get expenses from the Council for doing so.  I was one myself, so believe me  - I know the type.

They think 'social exclusion' is not being invited to the freebies they otherwise enjoy.

[alexross42]

I don't think this has been posted already - a Facebook group, about the re-opening of the line. Some interesting photos of old and current developments: https://www.facebook.com/PlymouthToTavistockRailwayTheDrakeLine

There's an interesting old OS^▸ (Ordnance Survey) map extract on there, showing the Callington, Plym - Yelverton - Tavistock, and Princetown lines too

[alexross42]

A new news story here today - http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plans-750-new-homes-Tavistock/story-18970177-detail/story.html

Which eventually led me to this: http://www.westdevon.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4469&p=0

The most relevant section of which is this:

5.12 The railway itself is expected to be delivered in phase with the mixed use development to the south west of the town and the intention is that new rail services will be in operation by the time the development is completed. Whilst the railway is a critical piece of infrastructure and is required to achieve the vision for the town, the residential development itself is not dependent on the railway being in place in the early stages of the plan period. The railway scheme is needed to mitigate the impacts of new development on the A386 and any future developments in the town will be expected to contribute towards it in accordance with Core Strategy Strategic Policy 4. The delivery of the railway will be managed by Devon County Council as the Highway Authority for the area.

5.13 A range of studies and surveys have been undertaken which provide information and evidence to support the railway proposals. Devon County Council is continuing to gather and update information as it progresses the project to deliver the railway. These documents are available on the Council^s website at www.westdevon.gov.uk and include:
 Tavistock Route Re-Opening: Option Refinement and Business Case (October 2012)
 Tavistock to Bere Alston Community Rail Project - Evidence of Deliverability (April 2009)
 Tavistock to Plymouth Corridor ^ Analysis of A386 and Proposed Rail Scheme (September 2010)
 Affordable Housing Viability Assessment ^ Strategic Sites in Okehampton and Tavistock (October 2012)

5.14 North of the planned railway station and access road, no further development should take place along the length of the old railway line that would restrict a possible eventual relaying of the line and rail link to Okehampton. However it is important to note that this will be challenging to deliver and is not currently being developed as part of the on-going rail project.

Edit note: Quote marks and quoted text layout amended, for clarity. Chris.

[Plymboi]

Woooo!!

Another step to reclaiming a link we never should have lost. I'm glad they are thinking ahead in regards to okehampton, bodes well for the future with thinking like that.

Hopefully this is the catalyst needed to get the ball rolling.

[34104]

A new news story here today - http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/Plans-750-new-homes-Tavistock/story-18970177-detail/story.html

Which eventually led me to this: http://www.westdevon.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4469&p=0

The most relevant section of which is this:

5.12 The railway itself is expected to be delivered in phase with the mixed use development to the south west of the town and the intention is that new rail services will be in operation by the time the development is completed. Whilst the railway is a critical piece of infrastructure and is required to achieve the vision for the town, the residential development itself is not dependent on the railway being in place in the early stages of the plan period. The railway scheme is needed to mitigate the impacts of new development on the A386 and any future developments in the town will be expected to contribute towards it in accordance with Core Strategy Strategic Policy 4. The delivery of the railway will be managed by Devon County Council as the Highway Authority for the area.

5.13 A range of studies and surveys have been undertaken which provide information and evidence to support the railway proposals. Devon County Council is continuing to gather and update information as it progresses the project to deliver the railway. These documents are available on the Council^s website at www.westdevon.gov.uk and include:
 Tavistock Route Re-Opening: Option Refinement and Business Case (October 2012)
 Tavistock to Bere Alston Community Rail Project - Evidence of Deliverability (April 2009)
 Tavistock to Plymouth Corridor ^ Analysis of A386 and Proposed Rail Scheme (September 2010)
 Affordable Housing Viability Assessment ^ Strategic Sites in Okehampton and Tavistock (October 2012)

5.14 North of the planned railway station and access road, no further development should take place along the length of the old railway line that would restrict a possible eventual relaying of the line and rail link to Okehampton. However it is important to note that this will be challenging to deliver and is not currently being developed as part of the on-going rail project.

Edit note: Quote marks and quoted text layout amended, for clarity. Chris.

Excellent news that a bit of foresight is being shown at last in protecting the railway east of the proposed new station in the event of a reinstatement to Okehampton.One aspect that is slightly bothersome is the line which says the "the intention is that the new railway will be in operation by the time the development is completed". Does that mean that 2026 is a possible date for the reopening of the railway? Awfully long time to wait if that is so.

[34104]

Some very intense activity in the Shillamill area. Lots of vans,personnel and diggers [and a Portaloo ] have congregated in the past couple of days near the gated road ingress to the line and the trackbed has been scraped and cleared back to the iron skewed bridge which crosses the lower BA^» (British Airways - about)-Tavistock road. It could be to do with the cyclepath but interestingly both the up and down trackbed has been cleared. I tried to post a couple of photo's last night but apparently the KB volume of them is too big,4.4 as opposed to the 2.56 stipulated. Is there any way around this? Would appreciate any advice, because the pics are quite interesting.


Edit note: As agreed with 34104, I've now added his pictures to his post here - I'll leave it to him to comment / explain any particular points of interest in them. Chris. 

[Red Squirrel]

Some very intense activity in the Shillamill area.

I would think it has more to do with the cycle way than the railway, though they are linked inasmuch as they share a route. The exhibition material for this project makes it clear that work on the cycleway should start in 2013/14, whereas they won't even start the process of acquiring the powers to build the railway until 2014 with a view to delivering in 2015-2020.

[34104]

Had another look this evening-they've certainly made some progress,way past the road bridge towards Shillamill viaduct.On the bridge itself,the down line has been covered with a hard packed sand material,maybe a clue that this is indeed the cyclepath being started-i seem to remember from somewhere that the railway will be situated on the up line,that is still just compacted mud on the bridge at the moment.Whatever,the trackbed is clearer now than it has been for probably 40 years and that is good to see.I'll keep an eye on developments,wish there was some way of posting those darned photo's though.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I tried to post a couple of photo's last night but apparently the KB volume of them is too big,4.4 as opposed to the 2.56 stipulated.  Is there any way around this? Would appreciate any advice, because the pics are quite interesting.

If you would please send them to me as attachments in an e-mail, 34104, I'll do whatever is necessary to put them out in this topic.  

(My e-mail address is in my profile)

[34104]

Thanks Chris,i'll forward them to you.

[Chris from Nailsea]

No problem - I've now added those pictures to your previous post - I'll leave it to you to comment / explain any particular points of interest in them. Chris. 

[34104]

Thanks Chris.

Photo 1-taken today looking towards Tavistock from the BA^» (British Airways - about) side of the skew bridge which crosses the lower BA-Tavistock road

Photo 2-also today but looking back towards BA from the Tavistock side of the bridge-note the Portaloo in the distance.

Photo 3-taken today to show the limit of how far the work has progressed

Photo 4-taken yesterday,included to emphasise the progress made since-note the skew bridge in the middle distance

Photo 5-taken today -essentially a 50 yards further up the line version of photo 3

Photo 6-taken today,a close up version of photo 2 to give a clearer idea of the difference in treatment of the down line from the up line on the skew bridge-see my earlier post

Hope that makes sense!