Work on Okehampton Line: progress updates

[fat_boy_pete]

Formal announcement of the transfer of ownership of the line and station to Network Rail

Network Rail commences ownership of Dartmoor Line and Okehampton station

Another ‘key’ milestone in reopening the Dartmoor Line has been reached with the completion of the purchase of the railway and Okehampton station.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

 

[Dave Beeching]

Formal transfer of ownership to Network Rail

Network Rail commences ownership of Dartmoor Line and Okehampton station

Another ‘key’ milestone in reopening the Dartmoor Line has been reached with the completion of the purchase of the railway and Okehampton station.

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Yep, I managed to completely miss this article so thanks for posting!

 

[Ashley Hill]

I see after all these years the key I made for the Okehampton line has been replaced by a proper train staff

 

[REVUpminster]

I was pleased to see the recognition given to the volunteers who have kept that station in better condition than many Network rail stations.

I wonder if platform 3 will be weed free in 5 years.

 

[IanXC]

I see after all these years the key I made for the Okehampton line has been replaced by a proper train staff

Unless they just brought a 'proper' one along for the photos!

 

[Ashley Hill]

Unless they just brought a 'proper' one along for the photos!

The old one I made was the size of an Annets key and was only meant to be temporary (see upthread for photo). For a proper service under NR ownership it's only right to use a correct type staff.

 

[Irascible]

I was pleased to see the recognition given to the volunteers who have kept that station in better condition than many Network rail stations.

I wonder if platform 3 will be weed free in 5 years.

I hope they'll let the volunteers continue to keep it looking neat, at least. Is there any regulatory facility for that?

 

[zwk500]

I hope they'll let the volunteers continue to keep it looking neat, at least. Is there any regulatory facility for that?

There's many, many 'friends of x station' and 'Community Railways' up and down the country. Both frameworks are regularly used by both GWR and other TOCs. I can see no reason either framework could not be adapted to help the volunteers keep doing the excellent job they've done for so long.

 

[DDB]

I think Duffield station has been officially adopted under the station adoption scheme by the heritage railway that shares it (Ecclesbourne Valley Railway). I assume a similar arrangement could be put into place for Okehampton.

 

[geoffk]

Just called in at Okehampton station today to see what was going on. Access to platform 3 is barriered off so I drove under the bridge and parked by the YHA. There were contractors working on the track serving platform 3 but no rolling stock at all could be seen apart from the road/rail vehicle in use.

The Dartmoor Railway Association website has a photograph showing the station open to the public on 29th May, with an open-air cafe on platform 2. I suppose the whole station is now a worksite and will remain so until train services begin.

 

[REVUpminster]

Just called in at Okehampton station today to see what was going on. Access to platform 3 is barriered off so I drove under the bridge and parked by the YHA. There were contractors working on the track serving platform 3 but no rolling stock at all could be seen apart from the road/rail vehicle in use.

The Dartmoor Railway Association website has a photograph showing the station open to the public on 29th May, with an open-air cafe on platform 2. I suppose the whole station is now a worksite and will remain so until train services begin.

I presume all the scrap has gone from the tracks and car park. Picture is from 23 June 2021. When I went (post 498) the Dartmoor Railway Association did not open platform 2 until 11am and you could go on the footbridge but not down to platform 3. One of the volunteers (with HiVi) went over to the signal box where it looks like they keep some stock.

 

[geoffk]

Still some old concrete sleepers onsite. I was there at 13.00 - perhaps the DRA people had already been and gone or maybe not open on a Monday.

 

[davetheguard]

I had a walk between Yeoford and Copplestone stations two days' ago. This is the view looking towards Okehampton from Penstone Crossing just beyond the Coleford divergence (where the Barnstaple & Okehampton lines part company). I should point out I was on a public footpath here, and the safe side of the boundary fence when I took the photo.

Note the new 30 over 75 line speed.

 

[Cowley]

I had a walk between Yeoford and Copplestone stations two days' ago. This is the view looking towards Okehampton from Penstone Crossing just beyond the Coleford divergence (where the Barnstaple & Okehampton lines part company). I should point out I was on a public footpath here, and the safe side of the boundary fence when I took the photo.

Note the new 30 over 75 line speed.

That’s good to see isn’t it?

 

[davetheguard]

That’s good to see isn’t it?

Indeed. The track was looking in fine fettle. I'm looking forward to travelling over it later this year....

 

[alf]

30/75. And they expect rail freight to be competitive with road.
Should be 60/75.

 

[The Planner]

30/75. And they expect rail freight to be competitive with road.
Should be 60/75.

What time sensitive freight would ever use the line?

 

[Cowley]

What time sensitive freight would ever use the line?

Clotted cream.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

30/75. And they expect rail freight to be competitive with road.
Should be 60/75.

What do 30/75 and 60/75 mean?

 

[plugwash]

According to https://sevenandaquarter.org/media/documents/rs521iss3.pdf when you have two speed limits with no specific indication of what they are for, the higher limit on the bottom of the sign applies to passenger trains, parcels and postal trains and light locomotives, while the lower limit on the top of the sign applies to everything else.

 

[Elwyn]

Clotted cream.

Marvellous answer. Well done! Worth keeping the line open for that alone.

 

[Cowley]

Marvellous answer. Well done! Worth keeping the line open for that alone.

Someone needs to show how it’s done properly…

 

[johnnychips]

Clotted cream.

But will the jam be in the top half or the bottom half of the freight container?

 

[Irascible]

Clotted cream.

But is it despatched clotted?

Also I hate you. Just gone midnight & a sudden craving for clotted cream scones.

--

Fantastic to see the line looking cared for again!

 

[Busaholic]

Clotted cream.

The best clotted cream I've ever tasted came from a small dairy shop in the centre of Okehampton, which survived the opening of the by-pass but, I suspect, is long gone. Beats the inferior Rodda's any day.

 

[Cowley]

I’m in so much trouble.

 

[zwk500]

What do 30/75 and 60/75 mean?

Differential speeds, so freight is limited to 30mph with passenger permitted up to 75mph on the first one, and freight up to 60mph with passenger up to 75mph on the 2nd. These differential speeds exists because of the different weight profiles, and therefore wear and braking rates, between heavily loaded loco hauled freight and multiple unit passenger trains.

On this line, the only freight traffic to use it will be the stone trains from the quarry, which won't be up to any speed because of their weight and engineers trains/tampers/etc. So raising the freight speed would be of very limited benefit.

 

[reddragon]

Clotted cream.

Does the Strawberry Jam or clotted cream train get priority?

 

[Cowley]

Does the Strawberry Jam or clotted cream train get priority?

Cream train first.

 

[Peter C]

Cream train first.

Imagine the (tasty) mess if a wagon derailed...
(Anyway - I'll leave you knowledgeable folk to get back to your conversations )

-Peter