Just read back abit - most of this was also discussed last summer on the Gunnislake Line thread, but as its pretty much relevant to what where discussing here, ill pretty much repeat my comment from last June
http://railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33950
What needs to be done for the railways of Devon, is pretty much on the lines of this:
The former Southern region mainline into Plymouth Needs to see some sort of eventual reinstatement but ideally carried out like this.
Exeter to Plymouth via Crediton, Okehampton, and Tavistock should be reinstated as double track and upgraded stations to a point just after Okehampton – (Potentially Meldon, but this has been hindered by the construction of the fairly newish bridge carrying the A30 over the route was unfortunately built to accommodate a single track route only!) with the section from Okehampton west / Meldon to East of Tavistock gaining 90/100 mph continuous welded rail on steel sleepers with Bi Directional Signalling and at least 1 or 2 Dynamic Passing Loops (dependt on passing loop lengths) with a station halt – on one of the loops at Lydford.
Then, arriving into Tavistock, around the Wilminstone Viaduct are, the line would then go back to double track for the rest of the route until the junction at St Budeaux Victoria Road.
The only problem I can see in the Tavistock areas are of course the station site – which im afraid award winning B&B or no B&B, a compulsory purchase order would have to be required for the site – as would the requirement of the West Devon Borough Council to relocate as their offices are located just on the edge of the curve just to the east of the station site – Apart from that and a couple of extended gardens to the west of Tavistock, the trackbed from Meldon to Bere Alston fortunately, remains pretty clear.
Next stage– Tavistock to Plymouth. Double track from Tavistock all the way down to St Budeaux Victoria Road, with reinstated second platforms at each station – the main potential source of expense on this section could be the refurbishment of the former Southern region viaducts en route – Tavy viaduct and the Tamerton Foliot viaduct (first one from St Bedeaux
Now, turning to the services bit, this is how id like / expect to see the services operated like this:
South West Trains would then operate an hourly service from Waterloo to Plymouth via Okehampton – with services calling at:
Exeter St Davids,
Crediton,
Sampford Courtenay,
Okehampton,
Tavistock
Bere Alston,
St Budeaux Victoria Road – Potential interchange for Cornish bound services and west of Plymouth bus services
Plymouth
With First Great Western operating the all stations services and newly formed Gunnislake shuttles:
Devonport
Dockyard
Keyham
St Budeaux Victoria Road
Bere Ferris
Bere Alston - Change for Gunnislake Shuttles} Tavistock to Gunnislake shuttle– 153 Operated
Tavistock - Change for Gunnislake Shuttles} Tavistock to Gunnislake shuttle– 153 Operated
Tamar Valley line services would now operate Plymouth (North Road) to Tavistock, or if the other plan I produced last year has / had the potential to come to fruition:
Friary,
Laira
Plymouth,
Devonport
Dockyard
Keyham
St Budeaux Victoria Road
Bere Ferris
Bere Alston - Change for Gunnislake Shuttles} TSK to GSL shuttle– 153 Operated
Tavistock - Change for Gunnislake Shuttles} Tavistock to Gunnislake shuttle– 153 Operated
And the Exeter to Exeter circular service could call at:
Exeter St Davids
Marsh Barton (Future Planned Station)
Exminster (Future Planned Station)
Dawlish
Teignmouth
Newton Abbot
Totnes
Ivybridge
Plympton?
Plymouth
Devonport
Dockyard
Keyham
St Budeaux Victoria Road
Bere Ferris
Bere Alston
Tavistock
Lydford (Would be on the Dynamic Loop)
Meldon - Railhead for the Dartmoor area
Okehampton (Change for bus services to Bude, unless D&C Railways start on reinstatement of the Bude branch towards Holdsworthy)
Sampford Courtney
Bow (Fairly close to Copplestone so station could, or could not be included in reopening)
Yeoford (Interchange for Barnstaple / Bideford services)
Crediton (Interchange for Barnstaple / Bideford services)
Newton St Cyres (Depending on Passenger loadings on the Barnstaple services)
Exeter St Davids
This plan at least providing a diversionary route for FGWs ‘Intercity’ services & Cross Country services when there’s problems along the sea wall and engineering works, and local services and a competitive express service from Plymouth to Exeter / London
As for the Kilbride Group proposal, its good and I for one would certainly like to finally come into fruition – only problem is, this proposal has been around for a good few years, and at the last stage I heard that its was more development funded than government funded – ala development of 250 (I believe) houses, and the line gets built – Which as all very well, but they of course require planning permission, and if that’s turned down, then no houses = blow for the chances of having the line reinstated…
The other slight problem I have is with the consultants plans – firstly the use of 153s on the route displacing 150s, and the timetable provided.
153s are good units, don’t get me wrong, but unless they are operated as a 2 car service, then overcrowding could pretty easily result, especially as Tavistock would also act as a railhead for west Devon / north Cornwall / Kernow – With improved bus services, Launceston, Bude? Etc…
Also, the Timetable – I have to admit I find rather strange…Ok, so whilst the route in its current form is somewhat limited in not having any passing loops, but surely it would be possible to install a Penryn style passing loop somewhere en route? And the other thing I find rather odd about the timetable, is whilst Tavistock gets its service and Gunnislake gets its reduced, the Tavistock services are listed as fast – Tavistock, Bere Alston, Plymouth – Which then completely misses out Bere Ferris, St Budeaux Victoria Road, Keyham, Dockyard & Devonport stations…
What id rather see in this case, is potentially the Gunnislake service becoming a shuttle from Tavistock – operated by a single 153 shuttle, whilst the new Tavistock service then takes over the current Gunnislake service calling pattern on an hourly basis – Potentially Half hourly with a Penryn style passing loop at Bere Ferris.
So that’s pretty much by take on it – sorry for the long post!