Train to Tavistock

[signalspast]

I understand that with the scrapping of the Manchester hs2 portion one of the benefits is that a station is to be built in Tavistock. I guess this will initially be to Gunnislake line but also it was said that there would be money spent on train connections for the south west

What the SW gets from the scrapping of HS2 - Bude And Beyond

It was brave to hold the Party Conference in Manchester and then scrap their flagship ‘levelling up’ project HS2 to the city. But apparently, the money will be distributed elsewhere. It does make you wonder about all that land compulsorily purchased to make way for HS2 which will now be sold...

budeandbeyond.co.uk

 

[Joe Totale]

The Plymouth to Gunny line is very scenic but it's also not a very quick one. I doubt it'll be much quicker than the bus and certainly less frequent. Will there really be much in the way of benefits for the amount of money it will cost?

 

[signalspast]

The Plymouth to Gunny line is very scenic but it's also not a very quick one. I doubt it'll be much quicker than the bus and certainly less frequent. Will there really be much in the way of benefits for the amount of money it will cost?

Agreed I can't see much benefits apart from it gets lines laid should a northern route into plymouth come about. The Dawlish line will eventually have to be replaced, although by the time that Comes about trains will possibly running on magnets not wheels

 

[Quinny]

There would undoubtedly be benefit of reinstating the line between Tavvy and Plymouth: speed wouldn't necessarily be a primary factor. It would most certainly help alleviate traffic on the A386, especially as you come into Plymouth which is just an absolute pain in the proverbial now, and people will use it to come into the city if it also means not having to find - and then pay a small fortune for - parking.

There were raised eyebrows about the reopening of the Okehampton line: that once the initial rush from Dartmoor walkers had lost its appeal then it would be a ghost service. In the couple of years since restarting it, GWR have increased the trains to being hourly (it was every two hours, initially) and theyve decided to open a new station at the bottom of the town closer to the housing estates.

 

[Duncanrice1]

There would undoubtedly be benefit of reinstating the line between Tavvy and Plymouth: speed wouldn't necessarily be a primary factor. It would most certainly help alleviate traffic on the A386, especially as you come into Plymouth which is just an absolute pain in the proverbial now, and people will use it to come into the city if it also means not having to find - and then pay a small fortune for - parking.

There were raised eyebrows about the reopening of the Okehampton line: that once the initial rush from Dartmoor walkers had lost its appeal then it would be a ghost service. In the couple of years since restarting it, GWR have increased the trains to being hourly (it was every two hours, initially) and theyve decided to open a new station at the bottom of the town closer to the housing estates.

Completely agree Quinny, given that the track bed North of Bere Alston is more or less intact and the bus service to Tavi currently labours under the requirement that every bus is routed via Derriford Hospital and the George Park and Ride...(making the bus trip to / from Tavi an hour plus marathon on a good day!) this development is not only achievable but really worthwhile. Didn't know about the new station at Oke, but agree that line certainly seems to be well supported!

 

[Quinny]

Didn't know about the new station at Oke, but agree that line certainly seems to be well supported!

'Ere go!

Devon is getting a new railway station

West Devon Borough Council has been successful in a £13.4 million bid to develop a new railway station and integrated transport hub on the eastern edge of Okehampton.

www.devonlive.com

 

[Duncanrice1]

Cheers! I wonder why W Devon didn't bid for the Tavi line reopening though as priority. My cynical head says not in the Exeter orbit and lack of pressure from Plymouth MPs?.....as long as it happens now......

 

[Andy S]

There are houses built on the trackbed on the Plymouth side of Tavistock. I believe though, that the trackbed to Okehampton is still pretty much intact.

When I saw the headline, I was hoping that it might be the old GWR line via Yelverton and Horrabridge.

Tavvy South station might be a bit of a problem though…and also the Grenofen viaduct - is that wide enough for trains or is it just a walk/cycle way?

 

[AdelaideGreen]

'Ere go!

Devon is getting a new railway station

West Devon Borough Council has been successful in a £13.4 million bid to develop a new railway station and integrated transport hub on the eastern edge of Okehampton.

www.devonlive.com

So Okehampton Argyle exists already and now there will be an Okehampton Parkway. Not original guys!

 

[demportdave]

There are houses built on the trackbed on the Plymouth side of Tavistock. I believe though, that the trackbed to Okehampton is still pretty much intact.

When I saw the headline, I was hoping that it might be the old GWR line via Yelverton and Horrabridge.

Tavvy South station might be a bit of a problem though…and also the Grenofen viaduct - is that wide enough for trains or is it just a walk/cycle way?

There are indeed about 25 houses on the old track-bed between the end of the large viaduct which overlooks the town and Tavistock North Station. At the Okehampton end of the Station site, the West Devon Council offices are on the edge of the old track-bed.

They have been talking about re-opening the Bere Alston to Tavistock line for at least 30 years. I've been to a few presentations over the years.

Inintially, it was hoped to get much of the funding from the EU and then laterly, from the new residential development that has been built on a green-field site next to the A390 on the road towards Gulworthy.

The intention was to also build a new Station on this site, which is well away from the town and would thus require rail passengers to use their cars to get out there, somewhat defeating the aim of the exercise.

I believe that to make it viable and practical, the line would need to come into Tavistock North again, in the middle of the town.

Sadly, its never going to happen, as will be the case with a number of the other transport projects announced by Sunak to great fanfare at the Conservative Party Conference when he cancelled HS2, only to back-track on these "pledges" within days via the internet.