Campaign for Tavistock reopening

[whole diary]

[RichardB]

Hi all.  Very interesting board.

Here's the latest on Tavistock.

Looking again at reopening Bere Alston - Tavistock is a key part of the Community Rail pilot project on the Tamar Valley Line.

Devon County Council commissioned consultants to do a study looking at potential passenger demand two years ago.   

In April 2007, Kilbride Community Rail came on the scene.  They are looking to fund rail reopenings through property development.  They have experience doing similar things to provide new freight sidings, but not passenger facilities to date. 

Kilbride Community Rail are very keen on Tavistock and have joined forces with ECT Group (owners of the Dartmoor Railway) to try and progress things.  In the meantime, the Tamar Valley AONB^▸ (Areas Of Natural Beauty) Partnership has obtained finances through their Devon Great Consols programme to create a cycleway along most of the trackbed.

Kilbride are regularly meeting Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council to discuss next steps.  As mentioned above, Devon County Council is in discussions to buy the remaining trackbed in railway ownership - this includes both Shillamill Tunnel and Viaduct.

As another poster has pointed out, the formation is doubletrack so there should be no problem having the cycleway and reopened railway next to each other.  The AONB completely supports the return of the railway.  Personally, I also think it is essential to get the cycleway into Bere Alston station to encourage tourism visits into the Tamar Valley similar to the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail out of Barnstaple.

The latest stage of the process is the public consultation on the West Devon development framework announced this week.  I don't know what the detail is (ie how many houses and where) but the public reaction will be key.

As you can see, Tavistock reopening is looking positive.  I think there will be significant developments this year.


Richard Burningham,
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.


PS - On Tamar Valley matters, we are celebrating the centenary of Bere Alston - Gunnislake this Spring.  More details at www.carfreedaysout.com

[andrewr]

Hi all.  Very interesting board.

Here's the latest on Tavistock.

Looking again at reopening Bere Alston - Tavistock is a key part of the Community Rail pilot project on the Tamar Valley Line.

Devon County Council commissioned consultants to do a study looking at potential passenger demand two years ago.   

In April 2007, Kilbride Community Rail came on the scene.  They are looking to fund rail reopenings through property development.  They have experience doing similar things to provide new freight sidings, but not passenger facilities to date. 

Kilbride Community Rail are very keen on Tavistock and have joined forces with ECT Group (owners of the Dartmoor Railway) to try and progress things.  In the meantime, the Tamar Valley AONB^▸ (Areas Of Natural Beauty) Partnership has obtained finances through their Devon Great Consols programme to create a cycleway along most of the trackbed.

Kilbride are regularly meeting Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council to discuss next steps.  As mentioned above, Devon County Council is in discussions to buy the remaining trackbed in railway ownership - this includes both Shillamill Tunnel and Viaduct.

As another poster has pointed out, the formation is doubletrack so there should be no problem having the cycleway and reopened railway next to each other.  The AONB completely supports the return of the railway.  Personally, I also think it is essential to get the cycleway into Bere Alston station to encourage tourism visits into the Tamar Valley similar to the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail out of Barnstaple.

The latest stage of the process is the public consultation on the West Devon development framework announced this week.  I don't know what the detail is (ie how many houses and where) but the public reaction will be key.

As you can see, Tavistock reopening is looking positive.  I think there will be significant developments this year.


Richard Burningham,
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.


PS - On Tamar Valley matters, we are celebrating the centenary of Bere Alston - Gunnislake this Spring.  More details at www.carfreedaysout.com

Hi Richard,

Thanks ever so much for the update - very much appreciated. Obviously, we don't want to tread on anyone's toes as far as Tavistock is concerned - what can people do to help generate some support for reopening the line?

Andy

[Lee]

Hi all.  Very interesting board.

Here's the latest on Tavistock.

Looking again at reopening Bere Alston - Tavistock is a key part of the Community Rail pilot project on the Tamar Valley Line.

Devon County Council commissioned consultants to do a study looking at potential passenger demand two years ago.   

In April 2007, Kilbride Community Rail came on the scene.  They are looking to fund rail reopenings through property development.  They have experience doing similar things to provide new freight sidings, but not passenger facilities to date. 

Kilbride Community Rail are very keen on Tavistock and have joined forces with ECT Group (owners of the Dartmoor Railway) to try and progress things.  In the meantime, the Tamar Valley AONB^▸ (Areas Of Natural Beauty) Partnership has obtained finances through their Devon Great Consols programme to create a cycleway along most of the trackbed.

Kilbride are regularly meeting Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council to discuss next steps.  As mentioned above, Devon County Council is in discussions to buy the remaining trackbed in railway ownership - this includes both Shillamill Tunnel and Viaduct.

As another poster has pointed out, the formation is doubletrack so there should be no problem having the cycleway and reopened railway next to each other.  The AONB completely supports the return of the railway.  Personally, I also think it is essential to get the cycleway into Bere Alston station to encourage tourism visits into the Tamar Valley similar to the Tarka^▸ (Line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail out of Barnstaple.

The latest stage of the process is the public consultation on the West Devon development framework announced this week.  I don't know what the detail is (ie how many houses and where) but the public reaction will be key.

As you can see, Tavistock reopening is looking positive.  I think there will be significant developments this year.


Richard Burningham,
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.


PS - On Tamar Valley matters, we are celebrating the centenary of Bere Alston - Gunnislake this Spring.  More details at www.carfreedaysout.com

Excellent to have you on board, Richard. Do keep us updated on the Partnership view of things.

[Btline]

Forget single track and cycle-way, bring back a double line!

[vacman]

Forget single track and cycle-way, bring back a double line!

Whats the point? double the costs for not much more real gain, an hourly service from Tavvy to Plymouth would be fine.

[smokey]

Forget single track and cycle-way, bring back a double line!

Whats the point? double the costs for not much more real gain, an hourly service from Tavvy to Plymouth would be fine.

Actually with the labour cost of track laying the greater part is Labour and if it cost ^10Million to relay a single line it would only cost ^11-12 million to relay double track, it's not so much a cost thing as an operational problem to relay double track you would need points and signals and that will push up cost.

[Btline]

What I was getting at was:

If double track was restored, then the case for a link to Oxhampton would be increased (capacity would not be a problem).

[smokey]

TOTALLY AGREE, but let's not wake up the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) that relaying to Tavistock is about 40% of the missing link!

If they get wise it just won't happen.

[vacman]

If we campaign for too much (reinstatement of Bere Alston to Okehampton) which could cost upwards of ^50m then it wont be taken seriously!!! if we campaign for a branch to Tavvy at ^10m then it may well happen, THEN you start campaigning for the next bit which will then only cost about ^40m. Lets not run before we can walk!

[smokey]

Vacman totally agree.

[RichardB]

If we campaign for too much (reinstatement of Bere Alston to Okehampton) which could cost upwards of ^50m then it wont be taken seriously!!! if we campaign for a branch to Tavvy at ^10m then it may well happen, THEN you start campaigning for the next bit which will then only cost about ^40m. Lets not run before we can walk!

Thanks Andy and Lee.

Vacman - you have hit the nail on the head.

Andy - I don't there is anything useful that can be done just yet.  We need to see how West Devon residents react to the housing proposals and then, if that all goes OK, what Kilbride does in terms of putting together a scheme that they will either largely or wholly fund.

[vacman]

Phase three of the total reopening could be a branch to Launceston! another large town that was criminally axed from the network in the late '60's!

[RichardB]

Phase three of the total reopening could be a branch to Launceston! another large town that was criminally axed from the network in the late '60's!

One for our great grandchildren, I think, Vacman!

[vacman]

Phase three of the total reopening could be a branch to Launceston! another large town that was criminally axed from the network in the late '60's!

One for our great grandchildren, I think, Vacman!

Oh yes, but always on the back burner 

[Btline]

Definitely agree.

I can see (in the very distant future):

1tph Launceston to Plymouth via Tav, local

0.5tph Exeter to Plymouth, express

153 shuttle Bare to Guinislake

That would give North Devon (part of) the railway it deserves/needs.