Dartmoor Line to Okehampton re-opening 20 Nov | PASOTI
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Dartmoor Line to Okehampton re-opening 20 Nov

Jul 23, 2021
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How do we turn this to the best advantage of Plymouth / PAFC? .......Current plan is regular services to Exeter St David's and some on to Exeter Central. Obviously after 50 years this re-opening is great for West Devon but to go on to Plymouth you will need to change at Exeter St Davids. This may not seem much, but believe me direct services without changing are the holy grail for passengers! PCC need to be all over this one!
 

Quinny

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Jul 15, 2006
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Kenton, Devon
How do we turn this to the best advantage of Plymouth / PAFC? .......Current plan is regular services to Exeter St David's and some on to Exeter Central. Obviously after 50 years this re-opening is great for West Devon but to go on to Plymouth you will need to change at Exeter St Davids. This may not seem much, but believe me direct services without changing are the holy grail for passengers! PCC need to be all over this one!

Trains will only be every two hours at first as GWR judge how popular the route is, and even then the only trains running will be their small "sprinters". It would be quicker to change at St David's as those sprinters would probably have to stand aside at least once to let the inter-cities through on the run down to Plymouth: looking at the timetable it'll take 30-40 minutes to get from Okehampton to Exeter.
 

Pogleswoody

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Jul 3, 2006
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If you want a loop train then you need to reopen from Okehampton to Downtown BA (Poglesville).
What a loop tourist attraction that could be! Dine and drink whilst crossing Dartmoor and skirting the coast at Dawlish & Teignmouth.
Drop on and off tickets along the way?
Good day out there. Go to the beach, picnic with ponies, shop in a big city or a smaller market town?
You could have a weekly ticket and take your family to myriad, diverse places without driving at all!!
Boat trips? Bike rides? Pony trek (or llamas?), just plain walking? Or just a day at the beach.
 

Andy S

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If you want a loop train then you need to reopen from Okehampton to Downtown BA (Poglesville).
What a loop tourist attraction that could be! Dine and drink whilst crossing Dartmoor and skirting the coast at Dawlish & Teignmouth.
Drop on and off tickets along the way?
Good day out there. Go to the beach, picnic with ponies, shop in a big city or a smaller market town?
You could have a weekly ticket and take your family to myriad, diverse places without driving at all!!
Boat trips? Bike rides? Pony trek (or llamas?), just plain walking? Or just a day at the beach.
Isn't that the problem though Pogles? Dawlish!

Pretty sure that I read that the "re-opening" of the West Devon line was to alleviate the problems cause by storms at Dawlish and right along the sea front.

The problem with a full re-opening would be from Tavistock to Plymouth...too many houses built on the old trackbed.

Does the line still run from Plymouth to Gunnislake?
 
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Jul 23, 2021
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Train line to Gunnislake is open and normal business. It's the link from Bere Alston to Tavistock that is key. The track bed to Tavistock from BA is virtually intact, it just needs commitment and obviously cash to make it so! ....sadly Tavistock slumbers
 

Pogleswoody

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Jul 3, 2006
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Isn't that the problem though Pogles? Dawlish!

Pretty sure that I read that the "re-opening" of the West Devon line was to alleviate the problems cause by storms at Dawlish and right along the sea front.

The problem with a full re-opening would be from Tavistock to Plymouth...too many houses built on the old trackbed.

Does the line still run from Plymouth to Gunnislake?
We are now approaching Dawlish Waterpark: Wellies, Sou'westers and Lifejackets are stored beneath your seat. If washed out to sea, please do not eat the ticket collector in the first week. Thangew.

Who the flip gave permission for houses to be built on the railtrack?? I know it is nice and flat but ... realllyy!!?? :unsure:
 

memory man

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Nov 28, 2011
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I think part of the Ambrosia factory straddles the line at Lifton and then at Brentor there is a family living in the station buildings and the trackbed is their garden. I remember many years ago a Noel Edmunds programme where they played tricks on people. Candid Camera style programme. They re-laid the track on a disused line where a guy had bought the station 20 years earlier and turned it into his home. They told the guy that trains would be running within weeks - the bleeps were plentiful.
 
Aug 5, 2015
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I’m sure I saw on TV when that chap was walking lost railway lines that part of the line either between Tavi and Okehamptn or Tavi to Bere Alston was part of a pedestrian/cyclist way.