Marsh Barton Railway Station Exeter - Construction and opening.

[Class172]

18th May is the opening date being banded about at work.

Any idea if/when this is likely to be confirmed?

 

[Dan G]

My comment in the new stations thread was quite wrong; Marsh Barton station is indeed finished. It's the works compound and some drainage works towards the canal that are still a building site but the station itself appears finished.

(The old road's surface looks like it needs some attention too.)

 

[geoffk]

In the bar before our user group meeting last night, pre-election purdah was mentioned as another reason for delaying the opening of this and other new stations, including Portway Parkway. As local elections are on 4th May they would not affect an opening date of 18th.

 

[pdeaves]

In the bar before our user group meeting last night, pre-election purdah was mentioned as another reason for delaying the opening of this and other new stations, including Portway Parkway. As local elections are on 4th May they would not affect an opening date of 18th.

but could well affect any announcement informing the public of opening later on. So expect radio silence until after 4 May, regardless of the actual intended opening date.

 

[geoffk]

but could well affect any announcement informing the public of opening later on. So expect radio silence until after 4 May, regardless of the actual intended opening date.

True.

 

[Dan G]

In the bar before our user group meeting last night, pre-election purdah was mentioned as another reason for delaying the opening of this and other new stations, including Portway Parkway. As local elections are on 4th May they would not affect an opening date of 18th.

Purdah is desperately misunderstood by local authorities. All it means is that new policy announcements shouldn't be made – but the functions of government should absolutely continue. That would include notification of a new station opening, or even the opening itself.

However transport is a upper tier local authority compentency and there are no county council elections in Devon this year, so I would be surprised if purdah is delaying anything.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Purdah is desperately misunderstood by local authorities.

I understood Purdah was used in both Hindi and Muslim societies as a means of screening women from either men or strangers.

 

[geoffk]

Purdah is desperately misunderstood by local authorities. All it means is that new policy announcements shouldn't be made – but the functions of government should absolutely continue. That would include notification of a new station opening, or even the opening itself.

However transport is a upper tier local authority competency and there are no county council elections in Devon this year, so I would be surprised if purdah is delaying anything.

Yes it's City Council only here (in Exeter). Another piece of fake news, I think.

 

[Class172]

Went by the station earlier for a nosey and it looks complete in terms of infrastructure works. The tannoy system is working as it announced the ‘stand back’ notice for the approaching fast service.

With that in mind, surely the opening can’t be far away now?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Went by the station earlier for a nosey and it looks complete in terms of infrastructure works. The tannoy system is working as it announced the ‘stand back’ notice for the approaching fast service.

With that I mind, surely the opening can’t be far away now?

The tannoy working is not an assurance of an imminent opening... Emma Hignett was blaring away at Custom House for months on end before its opening.

 

[tom1649]

Some of these new stations look so utilitarian. They could have at least painted the lighting columns to provide a splash of colour to the place.

 

[ExRes]

Some of these new stations look so utilitarian. They could have at least painted the lighting columns to provide a splash of colour to the place.

Utilitarian is exactly what they are though, that said grey is a better colour for painting over the inevitable "Cowley woz here" graffiti

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Some of these new stations look so utilitarian. They could have at least painted the lighting columns to provide a splash of colour to the place.

I don't think a bit of colour on the lighting columns will help much with the 'ambience' when you have that incinerator (sorry, energy recovery facility) in the background.

 

[Class172]

Yes, whilst one side of the station faces onto the green fields of the River Exe flood plain, the view is somewhat dominated by the industrial estate and its incinerator.

 

[fgwrich]

Utilitarian is exactly what they are though, that said grey is a better colour for painting over the inevitable "Cowley woz here" graffiti

To be honest, given that SWR is having a lot of the station columns and posts repainted already (almost SWT style with White and a Blue base surprisingly), I'd rather they just left them as they are for now than having to paint them again in 2 years time!

 

[swt_passenger]

To be honest, given that SWR is having a lot of the station columns and posts repainted already (almost SWT style with White and a Blue base surprisingly), I'd rather they just left them as they are for now than having to paint them again in 2 years time!

Isn’t the idea of using fully galvanised columns, as in this station, that they don’t need painting during their expected life?

 

[Cowley]

Utilitarian is exactly what they are though, that said grey is a better colour for painting over the inevitable "Cowley woz here" graffiti

I haven’t been there yet!

 

[tom1649]

I don't like the look of galvanised columns. They just look unfinished and detract from the street scene in my opinion. Fortunately, our council still uses green paint but I've noticed an increasing number of others go for galvanised now.

 

[ExRes]

I haven’t been there yet!

It's just a matter of time .......

 

[Class172]

It's just a matter of time .......

No doubt for a trip to Double Locks as soon as the station opens… I would.

 

[Cowley]

It's just a matter of time .......

 

[RPI]

Station opening put back to June now!

 

[Wolvercoter]

Went by the station earlier for a nosey and it looks complete in terms of infrastructure works. The tannoy system is working as it announced the ‘stand back’ notice for the approaching fast service.

Can hear the bing-bong from my house over by Topsham Road.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Can hear the bing-bong from my house over by Topsham Road.

That'd drive me mad as someone who sleeps in late.

 

[davetheguard]

No doubt for a trip to Double Locks as soon as the station opens… I would.

I will!

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Station opening put back to June now!

Form an orderly queue please. All stations officially announced to open in 'Early 2023' please wait in line until called forward to the counter. Portway Park & Ride, Reading Green Park, Marsh Barton, Thanet Parkway, Headbolt Lane and Brent Cross West, I'm looking at you all. Dear Brent Cross West, you are station number 6 in the opening list, your opening is important to us, please stay on the line until one of our agents is available.

 

[pdeaves]

Station opening put back to June now!

Do you have a source, please? Not disbelieving you, there may be further information of interest.

 

[REVUpminster]

Station opening put back to June now!

At a Torbay Civic Society meeting that GWR has cold feet about building Edginswell hence the lack of plans coming forward. Still no start on the lifts at Torquay Station. Bridge at Holicombe still not finished. No sign of platform 2 extension at St David's. GWR seem in a shambles.

 

[RPI]

At a Torbay Civic Society meeting that GWR has cold feet about building Edginswell hence the lack of plans coming forward. Still no start on the lifts at Torquay Station. Bridge at Holicombe still not finished. No sign of platform 2 extension at St David's. GWR seem in a shambles.

Someone has pulled the funding for Edgingswell, pointless station anyway. Platform 2 extension has been worked on for weeks now and all contractors on site, a quick look to the site and thats obvious. None of what you quote is actually in the hands of GWR?

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 May 2023 ==

Do you have a source, please? Not disbelieving you, there may be further information of interest.

Just what I was told by a manager in conversation.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

From the East Devon News, 24 April 2023.

Building work finishes at new train station

Building work finishes at new train station for Exeter, bringing an end to years of delays​

By Local Democracy Reporter 24th April 2023

Years of delays in building a new Exeter railway station have come to an end as work has finished – and the ‘hope’ is it will open this spring.

Work has finished at Marsh Barton’s new railway station, but an opening date is still to be announced, writes local democracy reporter Ollie Heptinstall.

The £16 million station should originally have been up and running in December 2016, but delays, spiralling costs and protracted discussions with the rail industry led to considerable delays.

It was then hoped the ‘halt’, alongside Exeter’s energy from waste plant, would open before the end of 2022, but Devon County Council said in January the project had faced “challenges” with building supplies and bad weather.

At a meeting of Exeter’s highways and traffic orders committee on Friday (April 21), senior county council transport officer Jamie Hulland revealed work on the station is complete.

However, he said it was now in the process of getting industry approval for all the technical elements, adding the council is “still hopeful” of it opening this spring.

“I still can’t give a date because I’m in the hands of the regulatory bodies who will not give us anything,” he told councillors.

A core element of the Devon Metro rail strategy for Exeter, Marsh Barton will also serve communities living near the rail line in Teignbridge, Torbay and East Devon.

It is seen as central to supporting economic growth to the south west of Exeter and to the industrial estate’s employment area itself.

It features a new pedestrian and cycle bridge, improving connections between Alphington, Marsh Barton and along the Exe Estuary trails.

Once complete, Marsh Barton station is due to be served by hourly Great Western Railway (GWR) services between Paignton and Exmouth, with additional trains at peak times.

It is being funded by the Department for Transport’s New Stations Fund, Devon County Council, Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Exeter City Council, Teignbridge District Council, Network Rail and GWR.