Campaign for Tavistock reopening

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

P.S. PHD, eh? Do you have access to informed sources, or is that a guess?

Hedging my bets! I will also take a punt on AVG, ASD, PLL, SLF, and HRF. I'm struggling with Corsham.

[I'm struggling with Corsham.

YEY or NOW?

OK, so:

PHD - Portishead
AVG - ?

ASD - Ashley Down (but isn't this normally referred to as 'Ashley Hill'?)
PLL - Pill
SLF - Saltford
HRF - Horfield

YEY - ?
NOW - ?

Of course there's a reasonable chance that ASD (or whatever it is) could end up as the more-distinctive LKZ. Others we could consider:
THY
AHO
HNR

And at grahame's suggestion:
AZW

See what you mean about Corsham - tricky!

[grahame]

AVG - Avon Gorge?
NOW and YEY were my attempt at humorous celebrations that Corsham comes after all these years (Yey! Now!)

for Corsham - I thought THC as "Technology Hub Corsham" but even THC has gone; Corsham is a major Technology an network hub for the internet - also gives NHC or IHC.  Then it's at the east end of Box tunnel so you could go with BXE

[JayMac]

Portishead could be SPW if North Somerset opt for the farthest out location for the station site.

[TonyK]

AVG - ?

Sorry - I had developed the station code variant of snow blindness. Trying to find an unused code for either Ashton Gate or Ashton Vale, I came up with a free anti-virus software company. AHG is as close to Ashton Gate sa I can get.

[34104]

There seems to be some sort of access road being built onto the railway embankment on the Bere Alston side of the broken bridge at Monksmead just outside of Tavistock on the A386 Callington Road,roughly in the area where the 750 new houses are to be built. It does look a bit narrow for a vehicular road, it may well be in relation to the cycle/footpath-possibly it will go to Shillamill viaduct and hopefully beyond to join up with the work that was done between the viaduct and Shillamill tunnel area some time ago.I will keep eyes duly open and report any further developments.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for your update, 34104! 

[signalman]

A letter from WDBC  site

[signalman]

Letter

[trainbuff]

Damn. More delay! Maybe Bovis are holding out to see if a Government will commit to the entire line through Okehampton being opened so that they can reduce their costs?
Or am I just being cynical?

[PhilWakely]

Damn. More delay! Maybe Bovis are holding out to see if a Government will commit to the entire line through Okehampton being opened so that they can reduce their costs?
Or am I just being cynical?

Or maybe just waiting to see if the current lot get back in after May 7 as S106s are likely to be a thing of the past if they do! Or am I also just being cynical 

[34104]

Don't think either of you are being cynical. Hopefully this is a bit of "who blinks first" stuff and something can be sorted out quickly rather than any more underlying or deep rooted problem with the transaction.

Had a look today at the works at the broken bridge over the A386-definitely a cycle/footpath, too narrow to be anything else. Rather oddly, all they've done is to put in a gate at the roadside and tarmac a path up to the trackbed and well...that's it. The undergrowth has been cleared from the trackbed towards Bere Alston, didn't have time to find out how far-maybe some more tarmac will be laid in future but it looks like the work has finished for the moment.

[RichardB]

I was at Bere Ferrers Parish Council last week and was asked about what is happening at Callington Road, Tavistock.

I asked the Devon County Council Officer responsible - he told me "I can confirm that the work at the Callington Road end of the line is to support the development of a new track up onto the old Railway corridor. The scheme received planning permission last January and will serve as a future pedestrian/cycle link from Tavistock to the proposed development site and the proposed Tavistock Station. Ultimately DCC^» (Devon County Council - website) are looking to construct a new foot bridge at the location of the missing bridge on Callington Road ^ this is temporarily on hold while decisions are made about the Okehampton links/Exeter rail links.^

Given cashflow from the development in Tavistock and Network Rail's work commitments (including, of course, Plymouth and Cornwall resignalling by the end of 2018), opening to Tavistock will now be in 2020/21.  Personally I wouldn't expect it to be any later than that.  Hope I'm right!

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

As ever, many thanks for your helpful and informed comments, RichardB. 

[chaulender]

I've just been looking at the Planning Inspectorate Scoping Opinion, dated December 2014.  It's available at www.devon.gov.uk/tavistock-bere-alston-railway-and-trails

This says construction would commence early 2020 and last 2-3 years for the three phases of the construction listed.

Isn't that a further substantial move back in the timetable?

[stuving]

I've just been looking at the Planning Inspectorate Scoping Opinion, dated December 2014.  It's available at www.devon.gov.uk/tavistock-bere-alston-railway-and-trails

This says construction would commence early 2020 and last 2-3 years for the three phases of the construction listed.

Isn't that a further substantial move back in the timetable?

It comes straight from the DCC^» (Devon County Council - website) input document (the Environmental Impact Assessment Screening and Scoping Report):

2.2. Sources of change - railway re-instatement
...
Construction phasing
2.2.2. Construction of the railway is likely to occur in three phases:
  Phase
    1. Pre-construction (site readying, clearance, ecological mitigation) Approx. 1 year
    2. Construction Approx. 1-2 years
    3. Operation Permanent
2.2.3. Pre-construction is anticipated to commence early in 2020.

It looks more like plain realism, frankly.