I believe that the required re-lining work was always to be carried out in two stages - although the current work was due to be done a few years ago!

Good to see the arguments continue! What the Dawlish Avoiding line entails is a much higher cost (and no sea views as inland), continued responsibility to maintain the seawall and no gain in fare take - only an ongoing maintenance cost. Do you propose closing the existing line?

The Okehampton route brings the railway much nearer to a large area (OK not highly populated). Can be built (in railway terms) quickly as a mainly single track high speed route along an existing formation which would be useful when engineering works/emergencies occur anywhere between Plymouth and Exeter - not just around Dawlish.

Regrettably I rather doubt if either plan will be built (unless there is another major issue along the seawall) as there is no money!

If that is the case I suspect that the change of trains will deter some folk from travelling. Better to run the 158s up to Central and reverse at Exmouth Jct. I seem to recall that, (eventually), the Barnstaple trains would extend to Honiton/Axminster whilst the Paignton trains would continue to Exmouth?

Although the first run didn't reach Exeter St Davids, a further test from Laira to Axminster (and return) operated on 9 January. The next day - 10 January 2019  the West of England line saw its first diverted IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) in public service. An HST^▸ (High Speed Train) had hit a deer near Tiverton causing a brake problem. 802006 and 802019 were on 1A88 12.04 Penzance to Paddington.

There are (I understand) some restrictions on where the units can pass etc however.

Third attempt - looking good so far!

One extra consideration is that Dawlish & Teignmouth still require a protection from the sea so the seawall will have to be maintained, whether there is a railway there or not.

Guess the Government would rather that expense continue to fall on the railway (funded from passengers) rather than the taxpayers and avoiding the hassles involved when repairs and flooding occurs.

The Peninsular Rail Task Force commissioned a report and the findings of January 2016 are here:-

https://peninsularailtaskforce.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/work-stream-summary-consultation-draft-v1-5-5-16-clean-copy.pdf

Pages 23 -26. e' cost of Okehampton to Tavistock £450m for a modest scheme. There are other costs, including upgrading Crediton to Okehampton for regular use which will have to be found if that proposed reinstatement of regular services actually happens. And also the bit between Bere Alston and Tavistock which seems to grind forwards ever so slowly!

17 - take a stab at Honiton.

During closure of the main line the good people of Torbay etc have no rail service anyway! I am of the firm opinion that the 'northern' route should be re-opened as a local, single tracked railway (with passing loops as previously suggested) which can be used as an alternative by the people of Plymouth and Cornwall, also benefitting residents of Devon & Cornwall who are vast distances from any railway. Don't forget its not just high tides that cause closures - also engineering works and emergencies.

The old GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) scheme (all land sold off I believe) by-passed Dawlish & Teignmouth.

The Borders Railways has shown what can be done - and this is for locals only (until the full route is re-opened).

It is only a matter of time before another long-term closure of the Dawlish route happens, however hard Network Rail try. Building out into the sea I hear is now not the preferred option, just one of them.

You cannot have one train allowed to do 40mph on a heritage railway whilst the others are limited to 25mph! Its 40mph or 25mph. If the former then a vast expense on upgrading the track, signalling, staff training, maintenance and certification of the heritage set up will be required.

And really, what market (viability) actually exists outside summer Saturdays? And how do you find pathways for all these extra trains on a single line railway. As already mentioned the local traffic will continue to go by bus.

There has to be a simpler, cost effective solution! What is wrong with the extension of some Taunton terminators into Bishops Lydeard? Winners all round I would say and something that could be introduced relatively quickly.

Almost made it  - just this:-

18:55 Newquay to London Paddington due 00:02 

18:55 Newquay to London Paddington due 00:02 will be terminated at Taunton.
It will no longer call at Reading and London Paddington.
This is due to a fault on this train.

Last Updated:13/08/2018 21:48

Local services to Bristol Temple Meads and then what? Or wait for the sleeper!

Grahame said:-

Yesterday, I visited Weymouth on what was originally planned to be the young carer's day out, but which we aborted.  I noted:
10:43 arrival into Weymouth didn't get there until 11:44
11:45 arrival into Weymouth arrived 12:01
11:00 departure from Weymouth left at 12:04 and terminated short of destination

I believe that the 10.43 arrival met a tree on the line which caused the delay. And of course there is often a short turnaround time at Weymouth so late in means late out! I can only agree that the performance (availability of trains and crew) are very poor.

The cancellation (and unusually a bus replacement arranged) of the first departure from Weymouth was due to the unit on the last down on Sunday being terminated at Westbury due to crewing issues!

Hopefully the IETS will be cleared from Yeovil to Exeter prior to the blockade 16/02/2019 to 08/03/2019 at Whiteball Tunnel?

Or are the passed already?

How about 'Great South West Line'.

Actually defines the line more precisely as West Country can also include Bristol and Gloucestershire (but not always!). Might still be confusion with the terms South Western Railway and South Western Main Line, hence inclusion of Great.

If anyone wishes to lose SWR^» (South Western Railway - about)'s 'West of England Line' as a designation should propose an acceptable alternative otherwise that would be a backwards step I consider!

Class 159005 was named at Yeovil Railway Centre's Platform 3 on 23 June 2012 as  'West of England Line' so it must be true, and continuing the usage of the name by the 'Southern'.

Although it cannot claim (unfortunately) to be the primary route to the West Country at present, it is still regarded very much by its users as a main line with improving fortunes. Any other classification will be soundly ignored!