Okehampton and Sampford Courtenay

[LUSOwner]

Just a note to say that Meldon Quarry (station), Okehampton and Sampford Courtenay will NOT be served this year due to the Dartmoor Railway going into administration. When that happened, a stop block was put up blocking NR trains using the line, so GWR cannot serve these stations either.

In essence, the least used station in Devon won't be served this year - what that will do the passenger stats I am unsure. I presume they will remain as zero...

Here's a link to the news story: https://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=438141&headline=Dartmoor Railway goes into administration&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2020

THE future of rail services from Okehampton is hanging in the balance after the company running a heritage service from the station went into administration.

Staff at Dartmoor Railway based at Okehampton Railway Station were told the news on Friday.

One employee said: ‘We were told at 11.15am that we were shutting down.

 

[John R]

Thinking positively that some resolution will be found to this which enables the Sunday services at least to operate in future years (and recognising the wider desire to introduce a regular all day service), if ever there was a year to have a gap, this is the one. It’s unlikely that services would have operated until well into the summer, if at all.

 

[BS56]

In addition to the stop block the train staffs have been withdrawn from Crediton signal box from mid March until 31st December this year thus preventing any train moving along the whole line unless NR have a change of heart.

 

[Nippy]

They will have been removed as additional protection. Won't be NR who need to have a change of heart

 

[pdeaves]

Won't be NR who need to have a change of heart

That's right, the line is not NR property.

 

[BS56]

I think you might find NR are responsible for the line as far as Coleford Junction (183.79 ) ?

 

[LUSOwner]

I think you might find NR are responsible for the line as far as Coleford Junction (183.79 ) ?

I believe that's whereabouts the stop block has been put... please correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[Nippy]

I think you might find NR are responsible for the line as far as Coleford Junction (183.79 ) ?

Yes, what's the point in going to Coleford Junction though?

 

[davetheguard]

Yes, what's the point in going to Coleford Junction though?

Wasn't Coleford Junction the destination of the class 33-hauled special from Waterloo that ran about a month ago? They must have had the staff from Crediton box for that. I agree there's not much point to going there, unless you're a very dedicated track basher - the railway line itself can be done on any service train from Exeter to Barnstaple.

 

[BS56]

None I can think of. But they still have to maintain colour light signals , Track circuits, & Salmon AOCL LC plus three sets of points with point motors even if there are no train services of any kind on this short stretch of track. When I said a change of heart perhaps I should have said a change of plan.

 

[Nippy]

Yes, you will have to forgive me, I can't get to my WON as i am self isolating. I assume the LOM has the Staff somewhere and it could be provided for routine maintenance as required.

 

[pdeaves]

Yes, you will have to forgive me, I can't get to my WON as i am self isolating. I assume the LOM has the Staff somewhere and it could be provided for routine maintenance as required.

Both the Crediton-Okehampton and Okehampton-Meldon train staffs were removed to safe keeping in Exeter box

 

[Nippy]

Wasn't Coleford Junction the destination of the class 33-hauled special from Waterloo that ran about a month ago? They must have had the staff from Crediton box for that. I agree there's not much point to going there, unless you're a very dedicated track basher - the railway line itself can be done on any service train from Exeter to Barnstaple.

They don't have to have the 'staff' for that. They could use a Pilotman and work to/from the point of obstruction.

 

[Gathursty]

It was only the other day that I asked this - Could one of these companies legally physically block a train going through a station that they own? eg: a barrier being put on the line at Southend Airport station? - on the Wariwck Parkway ownership question. How odd.

 

[JonathanH]

It was only the other day that I asked this - Could one of these companies legally physically block a train going through a station that they own? eg: a barrier being put on the line at Southend Airport station? - on the Wariwck Parkway ownership question. How odd.

The owners of Warwick Parkway and Southend Airport don't own the track through the station, only the platform infrastructure.

 

[Gathursty]

Who put the block on the railway line, NR or Dartmoor Railway?

 

[pdeaves]

Who put the block on the railway line, NR or Dartmoor Railway?

Network Rail, I believe, to prevent anything accidentally leaving its network.

 

[Chester1]

Wouldn't the administration be a good time for Network Rail to buy the line if government is serious about reintroducing regular services?

 

[MotorcycleAlan]

I think they have more important matters on their minds

Wouldn't the administration be a good time for Network Rail to buy the line if government is serious about reintroducing regular services?

 

[Taunton]

Am I not correct that the Okehampton line is actually owned by Aggregate Industries, part of the worldwide Lafarge Group, the owners of the old Meldon Quarry, and was only leased by them to Dartmoor Railway. The former must have bought it from BR at some earlier time. If the latter have gone under and are not paying the lease then it reverts to Aggregate Industries. Does anyone know what the debts of Dartmoor Railway are, it could be that lease payments are the principal thing they have got behind with.

 

[Chester1]

Am I not correct that the Okehampton line is actually owned by Aggregate Industries, part of the worldwide Lafarge Group, the owners of the old Meldon Quarry, and was only leased by them to Dartmoor Railway. The former must have bought it from BR at some earlier time. If the latter have gone under and are not paying the lease then it reverts to Aggregate Industries. Does anyone know what the debts of Dartmoor Railway are, it could be that lease payments are the principal thing they have got behind with.

Yes but without Dartmoor Railway's lease payments or quarry traffic, what income do Aggregate Industries get from the line? Good time for NR to make them an offer.

 

[pdeaves]

In an age of government-owned functions trying to off-load as much as possible, it would take a very good case for Network Rail to buy the line. I think a preferred option would be anything that involves 'someone else' owning the line with interfaces, as now, with NR. Now, I am not saying that this would be the best idea or whatever, I merely think it would be DfT strategy at least in the shorter term.

 

[Ashley Hill]

IT would be a very good idea for NR to buy the line outright and not bother with leasing it with all legal binds it may involve. Aggregate Industries have no use for it and appear to have no interest in reopening the quarry. It would also show government commitment in the reopening old railway lines.

 

[Chester1]

IT would be a very good idea for NR to buy the line outright and not bother with leasing it with all legal binds it may involve. Aggregate Industries have no use for it and appear to have no interest in reopening the quarry. It would also show government commitment in the reopening old railway lines.

The ideal would be that + an at cost lease to a heritage group for Okehampton to Meldon.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The ideal would be that + an at cost lease to a heritage group for Okehampton to Meldon.

Indeed,that railway could operate independently from the down platform as it has.
Re-opening is really a no-brainer. It's a quick win! Everything is there track,signals and stations. Yes the trackwork may need upgrading in places especially if raising the line speed,and the GSMR issues will need sorting out. Find some extra DMUs to cover the service,add car parking at Okehampton and away you go. If it's regular,reliable and competitivly priced people will use it.

 

[pompeyfan]

Can anyone recommend a website with photographs of the stations and infrastructure? Google wasn’t being particularly helpful. Thanks

 

[Iskra]

Can anyone recommend a website with photographs of the stations and infrastructure? Google wasn’t being particularly helpful. Thanks

Not the best, as phone camera's have advanced significantly since my visit in 2016, but here is Okehampton;

 

[davetheguard]

Can anyone recommend a website with photographs of the stations and infrastructure? Google wasn’t being particularly helpful. Thanks

Here are a few: the first is the Network Rail/Dartmoor boundary near the site of Coleford Junction, with left being the Okehampton direction, right being the Crediton & Exeter direction. Then there's some at Okehampton station (owned by Devon County Council) and at Meldon.

 

[davetheguard]

Not sure why pics aren't attached - try again.

 

[RichA]

I was part of a Network Rail track walkout from Coleford junction to Okehampton over three days March 3rd - 5th. The purpose of this exercise was to look at infrastructure condition and see what will be needed to reopen the line for regular passenger use and with a view to the line being transferred into NR ownership. There were representatives from Pway, S&T, Level crossings, telecoms, drainage, earthworks, structures and special projects. The infrastructure is in generally good condition, but as you would expect some areas are in need of remedial works. One of the issues is line speed, not just where track/drainage quality is poor but the numerous user worked crossings which are not equipped with any form of warning or telephones, these restrictions have the ability to make journey times uncompetitive. Overall though it was informally agreed that a basic service could be introduced relatively easily. Not sure when the temporary stop block was put in at the boundary? But it wasn’t there in early March. Not sure subsequently where any negotiations are in respect of ownership transfer but expect things will now be delayed with the current virus situation.