He wants to addres the ridiculous amounts of rain/climate change then, not the railway....

 
From the BBC:

 

None at all really. The only benefit would be for punctuality, giving extra time for late-running trains to be passed.

To increase capacity on the Barnstaple line, you'll need another passing loop between Eggesford and Barnstaple in addition to this one. And that's before we look at the additional congestion this would cause in the Exeter St Davids area.

 
How great an effect on capacity would be achieved by creating a double track section for Okehampton and Barnstaple services between Yeoford and Crediton, and restoring the junction for Okehampton and Barnstaple lines at Coleford? This would of course mean bringing the second platform at Yeoford back into service as well, so wouldn't come cheap.


   

 
The line, and others in the Southwest are a victim of their success. The line is pretty much at capacity, and no ability without mega money to up capacity further.
Additonal passing loops to increase frequency, or platform extensions to accommodate longer trains

 

The word "Traincrew" includes drivers & Train managers/guards.....

 
RTT indicates it ran as 5R88 and also that some trains ran yesterday evening, starting with the 17.15 from Exeter Central
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:BNP/2025-11-18/0200-0159?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

It ran under a "5Z" head code - 3 minutes early off Barnstaple (allowed to be early on non-passenger duty) but was already 51 minutes late by Umbereigh - probably because they stopped to check bridges, etc, on that early stretch.    They were as much as 67 minutes late by Morchard Road, but recovered 4 minutes into Exeter.    Past experience of ECS trains is that GWR staff can use them - for example as a transfer between active duties - but there isn't going to be a train manager on duty.  It would (I suspect) have been sensible for GWR as the train operator to have had a second member of staff along so assist the train operation, though I don't think it likely that (s)he would have been required to check the tickets of the NR staff and sell them full fare singled if they didn't have them 

 
I know it says train crew,but would it require a guard as well,considering it had Network rail staff on board

 
Anon post to the Tarka Line Group

 

It looks like Wednesday now. 150234 and 150239 are still at Barnstaple, where they arrive at 1629 on Wednesday 12 November.

 

Most passengers from Barnstaple have a destination in the Exeter area and would need an onward train connection from Tiverton Parkway into the city.  The flow metrics are very different to those that happen when the sea wall at Dawlish is out.

 
Could express coach/s be supplied at Tiverton Parkway,with a non stop service to Barnstaple?

 

Now until next Monday

 

Not necessarily

Anytime day single Paddington to Copplestone £149.50

Anytime day single Paddington to Exeter St Davids £149.50
Bus fare £3

 
Good for any journey whose ticket has not yet been bought. It will be cheaper.

 

Good for local journeys.   For passengers already in possession of tickets such an advance from Ham Street to Eggesford, or Portsmouth Harbour to Portsmouth Arms, it may be best to use the original ticket.

 

However, the bus fare is a maximum of £3 single so we'd suggest buying your ticket on the bus

 
And now completely closed from Crediton to Barnstaple

 
175114 and 175007 out together today (11/11/2025), and currently on 5Z40 0626 Plymouth - Plymouth (via Newton Abbot and Penzance). https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V54518/2025-11-11/detailed

Maybe practising 5 car working?

 
Noting that two units scheduled for training, but again, only one appears in use (shortage of crew!).

 
175s have been up and about between Newton Abbot and Penzance for weeks now.
175007 is out and about today.

 

That would seem likely ... provided that sufficient crew training has been completed and there is a modicum of fixing skills/experience in place in case one fails with passengers on board.  Top priority has been stated as being to phase out the HSTs ...

 
They have enough 175s for a five car or even six if they can get them out of Wolverton at more than one unit a week.
So far two refurbished 2 car units are at Laira and four unrefurbished.

I suspect as soon as as refurbished 3 car comes down a HST diagram will go before being used for Barnstaple.

 

Pages 251 - 256

https://sacuksprodnrdigital0001.blob.core.windows.net/sectional-appendix/Sectional%20Appendix%20full%20PDFs%20September%2025/Western%20&%20Wales%20Sectional%20Appendix%20September%202025.pdf

Newton St Cyres 120m
Crediton down 135m, up 155m
Yeoford 136m
Copplestone 87m
Morchard Road 90m
Lapford 81m
Eggesford down 85m, up 92m
Kings Nympton 90m
Portsmouth Arms 74m
Umberleigh 139m
Chapelton 100m
Barnstaple 142m

Class 150 vehicles are 20m long, 158, 165 are 23m long, class 170 are 24m long, class 800,802 are 26m long.  So some can take 6car trains, some can't even take 4cars

 

A standard problem right across the train and bus network is that the seats that are available (when limited) tend to be occupied by those who least need them / are most able to stand.   Sometimes people are polite and thouthful, sometimes they are not ... and sometimes the services are so packed people with limited balance or mobility can't even get to the seats!

Edit to add ...


More like "campaigning" rather that "working"?  To me, this reads rather as is Railfuture has some sort of direct ability to run longer trains.

 
Don't know the lengths of the platforms between Exeter and Barnstaple,
but could a non stop service service be introduced from Exeter to Barntaple?

 
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/mosh-pit-chaos-exeter-barnstaple-10624905

 
HYmmm - Those stop lines are well back from the train running rails.....

 
According to DevonLive - between the ads - the car was slightly proud of the stop line and was clipped by the train.

 
Half term, a week without school work, so drivers have taken holiday themselves maybe?

 

Line north of Crediton eventually (after about SEVEN hours of closure) reopened with the
1714 Exeter Ctl to Barnstaple and 1832 return.

Seems quite extraordinary that no road replacement could be provided ( except for some taxis) despite still some surviving private rural coach operators in Devon, who in years past would helpfully soon scramble coaches and drivers, especially on a Sunday with no school etc work.

No doubt intending rail passengers on the north end of the line (Eggesford northwards) instead railheaded to Tiverton Parkway and south of Eggesford railheaded to Crediton, Exeter and even Okehampton.

 
Tarka line is currently closed due to a collison between 2B73 and a car at Umberleigh level crossing.

No RRB as no availability within 50 miles of Barnstaple or Exeter

 
Good to see your report, Bob ... sadly (but usefully) I got waylaid on the way and wouldn't have made it until very close to closing time. Train performance, especially with multiple connections, was awful over the last few days.

 
Interesting exhibition in the Guildhall with plenty of archive photos and some facts I didn’t know.

One minor niggle - some of posters display boards were below waist level making them a little hard to read if you can’t bend that far.   Space was limited so probably no option.

 
Some more details here

https://swheritage.org.uk/events/rail-fest/

 

Sunday or Monday I would say, Graham, when the Victorian Fair is on.

 
Congratulations and best wishes for the day, RichardB! 

CfN.

 

Very tempted to come by some time during the events - when would you recommend?  I'm going to be on a FOSS ticket and note I can extend that from Tiverton without breaking the bank.

 
Barnstaple Town Council has organised a range of events in the town to mark next Thursday's (1 August) 170th anniversary of the opening of the line to Crediton and Exeter.   A number of organisations have and are helping including the Tarka Rail Association and ourselves, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

The events begin with a ceremony, re-enacting elements of the 1854 original opening, at Barnstaple station at 10 45 on Thursday 1st.

More information here   https://greatscenicrailways.co.uk/2024/07/rail-fest-barnstaple-celebrates-170-years-of-trains-to-crediton-and-exeter/

PS - we all know the Iron Bridge opened later than 1854 but it is a really iconic Barnstaple rail image.  I wish I'd seen it for real, particularly with a Bulleid light Pacific hauling a rake of green coaches crossing.

 

I think this concept has not had an entirely positive reception in relation to historic railways assets. Demolition (or filling with concrete on unused routes) hasn't always found favour in the courts.

 
From Google Earth, that particular bridge is in use by the farmer. (Also, on old OS maps, it is named "Black Bridge") It doesn't look to be a location that would subject it to extraordinary loads, mind.

Mark

 

I believe that for all accommodation bridges, underpasses, level crossings, it is the railway's responsibility to maintain the infrastructure.  The duty will usually extend back to the original Act of Parliament under which the line was built.

It would be a good idea for NR to buy-out the rights of landowners who no longer use bridges such as this, and demolish the structures, so that they no longer need maintenance. 

 

This accommodation bridge has allegedly been out of use for sometime, but in any case would still be expected to be subject to regular inspection and maintenance by in this case Network Rail and/or its appointed Contractor.

 
Reopened this evening with speed limit, along with overnight working to restore damage.

 

It’s a bridge connecting farm land either side of the track. Private use by the farmer. He’s clearly allowed it to overgrow from the roots. I’d say demolish and tough luck farmer you should have looked after it

 
To judge from the vegetation growing from many a masonry railway structure, this incident is one that is going to be repeated elsewhere

 
Don't know the area very well,but is it the small bridge over the railway line?

If so,put in a speed limit and could a watch person not just observe the bridge when a train is getting near.

The stone work is only going to fall on the roof of the train>

 


Looks very like lots of roots hanging down, from likely vegetation/bushes / buddleia etc being allowed to grow in the bridge structure that eventually fell off through likely water ingress/ frost / wind action etc bringing rubble and stone out with it.

 

 
A 2m section of this bridge has come away from the structure, which itself is bulging.

 
Seen the pictures of the damage, looks pretty dramatic!

 
Damage has been reported to an overbridge on the Barnstaple line at Copplestone.   The line is set to be shut until at least Tuesday (23rd Jan).

Services to Crediton from Exeter being maintained by Okehampton services, although they are terminating there this evening as there are several weather related problems beyond there to Okehampton.

Edit to add:  Okehampton services now suspended too, so no service to Crediton.

 
till Sunday 14th January for engineering work.

Bus replacement in operation,just wish a non stop service from Tiverton Parkway to Barnstaple was in operation

 
BBC Spotlight local news for the South West had an item on this story on the 17:50pm local news on Saturday afternoon(23rd December)

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-67727984

 
It's very brave of mark to have a photo of a class 769 as the background picture for his LinkedIn profile!

 
I hope this link works here. It's Mark Hopwood CBE on LinkedIn, talking about the service to Barnstaple - and beyond!

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mark-hopwood-cbe-b1887022_so-after-a-gap-in-videos-you-find-two-come-activity-7006985604668219392-jS06?utm_source=li_share&utm_content=public_post&utm_medium=g_dt_web&utm_campaign=copy

(And if anyone knows how to do the link properly, please do!)

 
Maybe so, but don’t blame the operator as their overlords want the cash raising

 
From https://www.facebook.com/groups/476779799019876/permalink/4207194649311687/


Are these big changes? What effect if any will this have on passenger numbers?   Is the same thing happening at other stations?

 
Took a trip on the Barnstaple line today, my first journey to North Devon for a while.

Not just the luxury of a three car 158 as opposed to the 143 I had last time but also large sections of the line now have continuous welded rail rather than jointed track.

I certainly noticed the difference!

 

This topic powered off toward Exmouth and Paignton ... I have split it with the new topic at http://www.passenger.chat/24131

 

A 166 Turbo has operated one diagram on the Barney on each of the last three weekends, and I understand this weekend diagram is set to continue.

The unit operating on 03 and 04/10/20 was unrefurbished (as seen in the link below). I guess the 1st Class would have been declassified.
Class 166 Turbo 166207 passes Newton St Cyres on 04/10/20

 
Just read a 166211 operated the Barnstaple service on Sunday 27 September all day  after coming down to Exeter the day before on a Cardiff- Penzance service.

Is this a train refurbished with 2+2 seating and additional Guards panels? Did it still have first class?

143s still supposed to go at the end of year.

 
143's are still there but they are only run attached to a 150 with universal toilet on the Exmouth-Paignton line.  No good if you are in the 143 unit. We do get the odd 158 at Paignton.

Spoke to Kevin Foster MP for Torbay (really Torquay and central Paignton) at Newton Abbot on the Monday he was returning to parliament and he knows his trains. Like me he has learnt to park at Newton Abbot and not wait for a connection to Paignton.

 
Going back to the review, it seems he is comparing the refurbished 150 against the now hopefully withdrawn forever 143s. Whilst an improvement on the dreadful 142s, the 143s were tatty, noisy, draughty and gave a rough ride over jointed track. (I also travelled the line in a 158 last summer and there were further improvement over the 150s in terms of ride, noise, and of course air conditioning). So yes, a massive improvement and as someone who grew up along this line I’m delighted and can’t wait to revisit over Easter.

 

This is alledgedly due to a defective continuously welded rail south of Eggesford (the third or so in the last couple of months) possibly following a report of rough riding by a driver or if between Salmon Pool LC  and Cowley possibly highlighted by a track circuit failure.

 
Oh dear......what was that about a smooth ride?

Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple
Due to a safety inspection of the track between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

 

It’ll be 15000* he travelled on then, which has been a regular on the line since the change. It’s been two 158 and a 150/0 nearly every day.

 

Perhaps the Reporter has been taking lessons from Michael Portillo who boards a class of unit at one end and disembarks at the other end from another type.

 

Sorry, you're not getting them back!  Great to see the review on Devon Live but, as you'll have noticed, the reporter travelled on a refurbished 150.  Pleased he liked that - and especially pleased he noticed the result of NR's track works - I wonder if he'll do an update when he has travelled on a 158.  Seriously though, excellent that Devon Live (website of the main local papers) has done this. 

 
I very much hope the good people who use the Barnstaple line are happy with their ‘new’ trains in the form of 158s. If not these great DMUs will always be welcome back on the Cardiff-Portsmouth line.

 
Whilst a favourable report, they’ve illustrated it with an IET image! 

 
Devon Live - review of new trains on the Barnstaple line -

 
I believe it was just route clearance to allow the use of turbos in the future.

It is however still planned to have 3 car 158s running the Barny line from the 15th December unless anything has changed that I am unaware of...

 
Indeed - so I now habitually glance up when I get on to see if I've struck lucky!

I think II that at least one of the 166s has been refitted with the system now being installed on the 165s, as I have been on one working the North Downs line that seemed to have the same type of ventilators on the ceiling, and a better supply of cool air, too.

One thing though still has not been addressed is reliability. Just as with 166s, air-cooled 165s seem often to run with air cooling not running in one of the coaches

 

I had the pleasure of a 165 recently with working (and finally effective) air-con. It looks like vents have been fitted either side of the saloon lighting and the cooling unit fitted above the seats by the doors.

 
Most of the 165s have now had air cooling fitted. It works almost all of the time the windows are kept shut.  166s still have air-con from 5-10 years ago.  It works about 50% of the time when windows are shut.

 

...and if you get a 165 with retro-fitted air cooling it works well - when it works. It does seem though entirely random whether air-cooling is fitted when the partial refitting (it's too little to justify "refurbishment" as a label) occurs

 
Sorry to disappoint but the air con on the 158’s isn’t anything to get excited about.

 
No turbos on the Barney please. We’ve been promised air-conditioning and that’s what we expect.

 
They would be rather less unsuitable for Exeter-Barnstaple than for Cardiff-Portsmouth in my view. Whether they would actually be suitable for Barnstaple services versus, say, class 150/2s might depend on passenger loading versus train length. In other words, is a 3-car class 166 (ideally with all 2+3 seating removed and replaced with 2+2) sufficient for passenger numbers or do you need to run units in mutiple in which case something with unit-end gangways would be better.

 
I don't think I've seen anything labelled as "First Class" on any of the turbo trains working out from St Phillips' Marsh and suspect that any being transferred with those facilities are being degraded.  Timetables don't (to my knowledge) show any SPM based turn workings with first class either, though there are a lot of announcements telling you which zone to wait in for first class just before they pull in.  (Zone 5 for standard class and zone 6 for first class)

I would be very surprised to see anything in Devon run with a 165/166 and offering first class beyond the left-over extra bit of space from Thames Valley days.  I would certainly not expect to see turbos on Devon services offering in first class what you'll routinely find out of Euston and Kings Cross with tickets including (as I understand it) full food service at seat at certain times of day.

 

Could be for diagraming flexablity, ie GWR would be able to deploy their fleet more effectively

 
First class avaiiability seems to depend on whim!

If experience on the North Downs is anything to go by, units with 1st class will be used on all standard class services, so the savvy regular traveler will go to any part of the train with first class seats, ignore any antimacassars (there's no consistency between when they are installed and when first class is actually offered) and have a better wider seat at no extra cost. Some 2 car 165s no longer have ex-1st class seats (and I believe all have been officially downgraded to standard only, even if they do), and 166s have first class seats at both cab ends, one of which is now standard.

Hope that helps!

 
Do these have 1st class which would not be needed. Paignton-Exmouth need the 4 coach 2x150/2 unless they are to replace the pacers.

 
166208 visited Barnstaple around one O'clock this morning - said to be on gauge clearance run and first visit of a turbo to Barnstaple.  When I last heard, plan was to run 3 car 158s on the Barnstaple line - has that changed for some  / all workings, or is this just a precautionary clearance?

How do members feel about 166 (and presumably 165) Turbos on the Barnstaple services?  What about Exmouth and Paignton?

 

Grahame makes some good and fair points. Our rolling stock cascade is about trying to deliver as much improvement as we could but I recognise some people will have their issues.

Cardiff to Portsmouth is a hard route to develop a strategy for because it carries so many different passengers with different needs. I think the Class 166 is being treated slightly unfairly - until recently they were carrying passengers on journeys from Paddington to Hereford. Customers travelling long distance may choose to sit in one of the 2+2 seated areas but the benefits of a five car turbo vice a three car 158 are enormous.

In due course we may get a chance to develop the route further.

 

There wouldn't be any testing unless there was a definite requirement to operate along the route

 
Will there be an IET test run to Barnstaple? When the 125s were introduced there were at least two test runs, one of which was witnessed by school friends passing through Eggesford in - I believe -1978 (also photos out there on the internet)

 
Seemed to notice that last night some test runs of a turbo were due to run to Barnstaple and Exmouth however this never happened... I suppose this will be re-scheduled for another time?

If this is in the wrong place then I am happy to remove it...

 

Nail hit firmly on head. A train starting at Barnstaple at peak times will largely fill en route with many more passengers getting on at intermediate stations than getting off, before emptying in Exeter. A train starting in Cardiff at peak time will lose quite a few pax at Newport, while gaining quite a few, pick up a few at Severn Tunnel Junction and Patchway, disgorge many at Filton Abbey Wood and many more at Temple Meads, before taking a whole pile of new folks to Bath. Further mixtures of old and new passengers will occur thereafter. Few will ride the train from Cardiff all the way to Portsmouth, but many will do so between Barnstaple and Exeter Central.

 
Thank you everyone for the replies.

Somewhat ironic given the comments on here re 158s and Cardiff that the station staff and guard had to explain to passengers on nboard and on the platform that my train was NOT they late running Cardiff train...

 
Let me put a couple more points which may help address why the Tarka line trains are going to be 158s.

GWR has 43 carriages of class 158 in the franchise and the Cardiff - Portsmouth service of hourly trains has an 8 hour cycle.  At 3 cars per train, that was 24 carriages spoken for ... and two more for the Brightons and you've spoken for 30 carriages ... couple of other trains running with 158s (remember there are 13 x 3 car and 2 x 2 car) and by the time you take a couple of sets out at a time (overhaul etc)  you've used the full fleet.

Increase the 8 trains in the cycle to 5 carriages, and immediately you've used 40 out of 43.  Even if you send something else to Brighton and on rigorously remove the extra diagrams, you ain't got enough.  So how about bringing some more into the franchise?    You know how much we like the 158s - well, tough, so does everyone else and the cries of "you ain't having mine" ring out from Thurso to Norwich and Fishguard ...

What else, then?   There are 46 carriages of class 150 in the franchise - 20 x 2 car plus 2 x 3 car. I suppose all the Cardiff - Portsmouths could be 158 + 150, but the 150 units are top speed 75 mph not 90 mph, so you'll effect performance, and the 150 carriages will probably be less popular - and they're also mighty useful on stop / start lines where lots of people are getting in and out every few minutes - Devon Metro except for Barnstaple, Falmouth, St. Ives spring to mind, as well as Bristol suburbs / Bristol Metro.

You can't couple up a 2 car 165 to a 3 car 158 ... so there's another possibility gone.

Castle and Classics cannot run via Hamble, so they's out

Courgettes probably aren't cleared via Hamble either, and running new 125 mph trains on a service that's not pointing towards London would be infra dig anywhere south of the Watford Gap.

So, though there are questions on their suitability, the Cardiff to Portsmouth run's got the trains cascades from London to Reading electrification - the hand-me-downs, the rescues.  We do love our rescue dog, so perhaps we will learn to love them.   Even though better suited to shorter runs and, to be fair, lots of journeys on Cardiff - Portsmouth ARE shorter ones.  Wide mid-carriage doors help the people who pile in and out at intermediate stations  - Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Westbury, Salisbury, Southampton.

So - where do the 158s go?   They're ideal for Cardiff - Taunton - Beyond.   They're ideal for the Cornish main line, and the regional extensions of that.  They're also ideal for the Barnstaple line, as the majority of its traffic is end to end - you don't have major flows of people on and off at Morchard Road, or crowds at Copplestone so although some services stop a lot, there's no need for provision for heavy intermediate loading and unloading.

The point about gauging of the 165 / 166 has also been made ... and there is sense in keeping trains that can be coupled to each other on the same set of lines, keeping maintenance of particular types in particular depots.

I can see why there are 9 carriages of 158 (out of 43) on the Barny and, yes, I would love to see them routinely on the Weymouth run - which DOES have the metrics for which they are very suitable and 3+2 is not (long, long journeys by many people to / from Weymouth).

Long post ... some application of guesswork and logic therein, but as you shake out the figures you start to see "why". Please don't shoot the messenger - the Cardiff / Portsmouth should be running with a fleet of 12 x 4 car 172s - but that order was cancelled in favour of GWR electrification, which has brought us the turbos.

 

Just because the DFT know better than railwaymen/women.

 

Might have something to do with clearances, a Turbo being slightly wider than a Cl. 158. 

 
Thanks Timmer, but why did Barnstaple of all places get our trains? It is only a local line after all.

I know it isn't their fault, and I would probably think it was great to get trains way above what I need, but why should we suffer as a result? It just gets to me, all this isn't it wonderful for Barnstaple while we sit cramped up in trains that are a load of rubbish!

 
A very good question Cava with the answer you will get from GWR/Dft is increased capacity. I believe the original plan was to refurb the 165/166 fleet from 2+3 to 2+2 but that has been overruled by the Dft.

 
Why have Barnstaple got these trains instead of Portsmouth to Cardiff, who have now got less comfortable trains more suited to shorter distances? Shouldn't it be the other way round?

 

Yes, should be 3x 3 car 158s in the foreseeable future on the Tarka Line and yes 158957 was on that same diagram the day before, both Tuesday and Wednesday 158956/957 look to have been filling in for 2x 150/2s but was back to normal today...