Do you know what the method of working was between there and Dock Junction?  The Sectional Appendix says AB but after a discussion elsewhere it was suggested that this was an error and it was actually TCB^▸ (Track Circuit Block).  The article linked only says block working was retained on the goods lnes but the SA also shows the main lines as AB.

Can that be done without it going to tender first though (as per the Railways Act 1993 which is a reserved matter)?  The amendments made by the Scotland Act 2016 would of course allow a company in public ownership to bid.

EDIT:  Just gone through the relevant legislation and can see section 26(4B) regarding a statement of policy says:


So there does seem to be some scope for a direct award.

Transport is devolved but the overall structure of the railways set by the Railways Act 1993 is a reserved matter.  As part of the Scotland Act 2016 however, section 25 of the 1993 Act was amended so that the prohibition on a public sector operator being a franchisee no longer applies to Scotland.

There were never 5 in use every day but I do remember 4 at some point around 2009 but this only lasted about a year or so before the reduction to the current level.  I seem to remember the reason stated for the reduction was the cost of running the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train).

I have just found a post on another forum from 2009 which quotes the diagrams which were listed on the 125 Group website:

The issue is also the cost of running HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) compared to Voyagers. I believe this is why XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) no longer make full use of the HSTs they do have (I remember back in 2009 there were 4 diagrams on Mondays to Fridays but now there are only 2/3).  The conversion to power operated doors has of course taken one HST at a time out of service recently but XC reduced the Monday-Friday diagrams quite a few years before that started.

Also the main timetable from Taunton to Plymouth/Paignton no longer shows the local service between Exeter and Newton Abbot/Torbay, this now being in a separate timetable D1 (although this is included in booklet D).

Working fine here now.

One issue between Exeter and Yeovil Junction is the M5 bridge which was only built for a single track.

Timetables now online on the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) website.

That won't be easy to do since the land for the second platform was sold and I have heard that the sale included a covenant stating that a Compulsory Purchase Order would never be used to reacquire the land.

That is why I later said "except from within the possession".

I see that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) trains are heading into the Up Loop at Tiverton Junction for a few minutes before continuing to Tiverton Parkway.  Considering the line from there to Tiverton Parkway is effectively a dead end, does this still require full single line working with a pilotman or can authority simply be given for the train to return to Tiverton Junction in the wrong direction since it will be the only train on the line with no possibility of anything entering from the Taunton direction (except from within the possession).  Presumably the stop in the loop is to either pick up the pilotman or to be given authority to return in the wrong direction?

Lostwithiel signal box controls the signals in the station area with levers and also the down Intermediate Block Signal at Treverrin via a switch on the block shelf.  There is also a panel in the box which controls the single line at Largin (Lostwithiel took this over when Largin box closed in 1991) plus some new signals recently installed in the Bodmin Parkway area.  The panel communicates with the interlocking (at Par) which in turn communicates with the points and signals (it's a bit more complicated than that but I don't want to start getting too technical on here).

Isn't it just the interlocking that is located at Par, with control from an NX panel in Lostwithiel or has this now been moved?

I noticed this in the statement from FirstGroup at https://otp.tools.investis.com/generic/regulatory-story.aspx?newsid=1321900&cid=858


I wonder if the two parts I have highlighted in bold will mean the end of the line for the buffet (shop) on this route.