Work on Okehampton Line: progress updates

[Amlag]

To be fair, although Station Road is very long, it's not like the entire length is a cul-de-sac leading only to the station. As far as I can tell on Google maps, Station Road is a perfectly normal road, with housing along it for most of its length, and it also does lead to places besides the station. You are correct to the extent that the station is about a kilometre away from the town centre though.

It is about an 8 Mins or so 'healthy' walk. Some local buses are sure to serve the station which WILL have cycle parking facilities.
Many rail passengers will use their car or get a lift to the station which has parking for well over 120 cars.
Okehampton Stn will be the railhead for the largest ( since the hugely successful reopening of the northern part of the Waverley route) 'Rail Desert' in the UK.
I know people, for example in the growing town of Bude, who can't wait NOT to have to drive a 120 mile round trip to Exeter St D ( where parking is expensive and in normal circumstances often full) to catch or meet a train.

 

[Ashley Hill]

It's rumoured to be 5 trains a day but not stopping at Sampford Courteney. Doesn't seem much for a new service.

 

[Bald Rick]

It's rumoured to be 5 trains a day but not stopping at Sampford Courteney. Doesn't seem much for a new service.

Regular, though.

 

[Class 170101]

It's rumoured to be 5 trains a day but not stopping at Sampford Courteney. Doesn't seem much for a new service.

Regular, though.

Not sure it will convince many people to use it though.

 

[Ashley Hill]

And that's the problem. It needs to be competitivly priced and of a decent frequency at times people will use to attract an all new patronage. You don't want to be in a position where the trains are full and the next ones a two hour wait. Do it properly right from the start.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere but this just occurred to me looking at this thread... If my understanding is correct, national rail services were running on Sundays only until just over a year ago. That seems to imply that the infrastructure is already capable of supporting NR services. So why does work need to be done to make the line ready for national rail services?

 

[Bald Rick]

And that's the problem. It needs to be competitivly priced and of a decent frequency at times people will use to attract an all new patronage. You don't want to be in a position where the trains are full and the next ones a two hour wait. Do it properly right from the start.

Whilst I don’t know the situation there, there is a plausible scenario that you can have a limited service next year for (comparatively ) a few quid, or a more frequent service in about three years with a much bigger upgrade.

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere but this just occurred to me looking at this thread... If my understanding is correct, national rail services were running on Sundays only until just over a year ago. That seems to imply that the infrastructure is already capable of supporting NR services. So why does work need to be done to make the line ready for national rail services?

It will come down to tonnage. Compared to a Sunday only weekly service (was it summer only?) a daily service, even a limited one, will cause much more track damage, and some elements will need to be sorted to reduce the risk of hav8mg to go back in an emergency. Plenty of examples of line Saha have seen a significant increase in traffic that have fallen over within weeksor months - the Settle & Carlisle for example.

 

[infobleep]

It's rumoured to be 5 trains a day but not stopping at Sampford Courteney. Doesn't seem much for a new service.

Is that to rural?

 

[Clarence Yard]

The idea is, if final authorization is given by the DfT. to use the existing infrastructure to the max because if you need to provide any more infrastructure or significantly upgrade it, that would need a lot more money to be authorized. It would also put the scheme in doubt and push it back a fair few years.

The current infrastructure limits you to an effective maximum of 8 trains a day with a journey time of between 42 and 45 minutes each way (assuming the Sampford stop is made), and that journey time variance largely depends on what else is about in the Exeter area.

8 TPD is one diagram and pushing it further than Exeter St Davids is problematic - there is too much else around between Central and St Davids at the projected presentation times and it is better, if the 8 TPD is still to be run, to connect in and out at Exeter St Davids. It also means you can keep it to one diagram, which would be exceeded if you could push the service further. Two units would be too expensive.

If the scheme is a roaring success, then it could attract further investment and enhancement. GWR is rather good at getting funds for improvement works or service enhancements.

 

[pdeaves]

8 TPH is one diagram

8 TPD!

 

[Clarence Yard]

8 TPD!

Thanks - that 8 TPH would be a bit challenging - North Devon metro indeed! I will amend my post!

 

[SouthernOne]

Seen this on Twitter a couple of days ago

 

[infobleep]

Is the line side equipment placed in such a way that a second track could be more easily added? I certainly wouldn't want to rely on trains running to time as disruption away from Waterloo might impact here.

In the days of it being fully double track, this wasn't such a big issue.

 

[Wolvercoter]

I was hoping for a doubling of the Exmouth Junction to Digby section at least. Would be a useful place for extending Okehamption services to terminate... and additional capacity at peak times and on rugby days would be useful. But the recent replacement of Exmouth Junction doesn't appear to cater for this.



Moderator note: This thread is temporarily locked; this thread is to discuss updates regarding what is actually happening. When someone has an update regarding actual infrastructure progress, feel free to report this post, and include your proposed post in your report.

For speculation regarding possible passenger services and potential further infrastructure alterations to facilitate this, please use the following thread:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/could-the-okehampton-line-reopen-to-passengers.210810/

 

[Cowley]

Network Rail ran their first train up the line last night which was top and tailed with Colas locos 70805 and 66850. They dropped new rail along the first two and a half miles or so towards Okehampton I believe.
Good news.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Network Rail ran their first train up the line last night which was top and tailed with Colas locos 70805 and 66850. They dropped new rail along the first two and a half miles or so towards Okehampton I believe.
Good news.

That is indeed very positive news @Cowley, Thanks for advising!

 

[21C101]

View attachment 85741Seen this on Twitter a couple of days ago

Is there any source for this as I can't find any reference to it on Twitter or 'internet?


[Edit typo]

 

[SouthernOne]

APPG on south western railway
@appgonswr

source of Okehampton image

 

[21C101]

APPG on south western railway
@appgonswr

source of Okehampton imag

Ah, Thank you Southernone. It would appear that this has originated from an official source rather than a crayonista who has learnt how to use power point. Game On.

Wonder what the Tarka line group will make of this. Theyv'e been trying to get through Barnstaple to Waterloo services for years!

 

[Irascible]

I guess it's a good alternative to stabling a unit at Exeter for a bit, if that's still done. There were Barnstaple-London services within reasonable memory I'm sure? presumably the late 80s at the latest... can't remember when though, someone surely can.

 

[21C101]

I guess it's a good alternative to stabling a unit at Exeter for a bit, if that's still done. There were Barnstaple-London services within reasonable memory I'm sure? presumably the late 80s at the latest... can't remember when though, someone surely can.

I think the problem with Barnstaple is that to fit in an hourly service trains have to arrive and leave within five minutes which is not compatible with running to Waterloo as not enough recovery margin. No such problem at Okehampton with one every two hours or so so can have a long layover which means if it arrives half an hour late it can still leave on time.

 

[Gloster]

How much servicing do the Waterloo’s get at Exeter? Is it just a quick walk through with removal of any obvious rubbish from tables, or do they replenish the water tanks, toilet roll holders, etc? Will this be done at Okehampton, or will there be lay-overs in one or both directions at Exeter for this?

 

[21C101]

APPG on south western railway
@appgonswr

source of Okehampton image

That appears to be the twitter feed of the All Party Parliamentary Group on South Western Railway

 

[pompeyfan]

Punctuality on west of England services aren’t great due to all the single line sections. The 40 minute turn around seems to mean most up services go on time. Extending to Oakhampton would cause further issues. I believe crew have PNB at Exeter too, which needs to be factored in.

 

[fgwrich]

I believe crew have PNB at Exeter too, which needs to be factored in.

Could it not be crewed by GWR Staff between Exeter and Okehampton & return similar to how the last of the Waterloo Plymouth / Penzance services were operated a few years ago?

 

[pompeyfan]

It could be but as far as I can see the whole thing very much feels like an answer looking for a question. I’m all for through journeys to slightly smaller places but not at the expense of everyone else’s punctuality.

 

[21C101]

It could be but as far as I can see the whole thing very much feels like an answer looking for a question. I’m all for through journeys to slightly smaller places but not at the expense of everyone else’s punctuality.

Trains extended to Okehampton would lay over for a similar time (which is practicable with one every two or three hours).

Barnstaple hasn't got through trains to Waterloo because the hourly service means the train has to be in and out within 5 minutes and punctual working is maintained by a long layover at Exmouth Junction.

SWR/GWR joint working solves the crew problem as GWR crews take over at Exeter (and stops it turning into an Orcats raid)

It is most certainly not an answer looking for a question though. A huge problem is peak hour paths between Exeter St Davids and Exmouth Junction. A shuttle from Okehampton to St Davids would be poorly used with pax facing a mile long walk up the hill to the city centre or changing (with risk of missed connection to Oke on way home). Through running to Exeter Central is essential if the service is to succeed.

Extending the Waterloo trains to Okehampton solves this and gives the additional benefit of through Okehampton to London trains, which to be honest is needed if Okehampton is to develop as a viable railhead/parkway in the longer term. Not much point driving to Okehampton if you have to stand on a cold platform at St Davids waiting for a late running London train or miss your train to Okehampton due to late running from Padd and have to spend a fortune on a taxi. Might as well stay on the A30 to Exeter or Tiverton Parkway. Through London train changes that.

Prior to WR taking over the line, the SR "Beeching" plan was to retain as far as Okehampton and Barnstaple; with all stations west of Basingstoke shutting except Andover, Salisbury, Gillingham, Sherborne, Yeovil Jct, Crewkerne , Axminster, Honiton, Both Exeters, Crediton, Eggesford, Barnstaple and Okehampton. Full width "Hastings" DEMUs were to run intercity services to Okehampton and Barnstaple, which would serve as parkways and bus interchanges for onward travel (with a St Leonards type diesel depot at Exmouth Jct to house them and another thumper build for any east Devon services that survived Beeching).

That is why those stations were retained in the Beeching report.

 

[Hadders]

Although the prospect of a through Okehampton to Waterloo service sounds attractive it would be much faster if travelling from Okehampton to London to change at St Davids for a GWR train to Paddington.

 

[Railwaysceptic]

It is most certainly not an answer looking for a question though. A huge problem is peak hour paths between Exeter St Davids and Exmouth Junction.

Why is it a huge problem? How many trains per hour run between these two points in the peak period?

 

[21C101]

Although the prospect of a through Okehampton to Waterloo service sounds attractive it would be much faster if travelling from Okehampton to London to change at St Davids for a GWR train to Paddington.

Undoubtably some will do that, but it is a lot more expensive to Paddington, much of the saved time is lost on getting across London on the tube and returning from Paddington you risk missing your connection if the train is late.

You would be surprised how many pax from Exeter already choose Waterloo.