With the newly reformed Sharpness "Vale of Berkeley Railway" just started, this branch could be a candidate for a new Devon initiative. So many similarities, workable track bed and a possible tourist location, plus future rail diversion for the future. Dreaming? Yes, but a nice dream.
Heathfield is a "difficult" dream, I fear. Ideas sought? I was on the
ACoRP▸ special on 2nd October that visited the branch, including the bay at Newton Abbott. An interesting run alongside sections of the older derelict canal, and it's a crying shame to see a line mothballed. It runs up into an industrial / china clay area, close to the main A38, and I don't see any spectacular views even if opened out. As a passenger / parkway station the line perhaps doesn't point in the right direction. As part of a diversionary route (it used to run on to Mortenhampstead, and to Exeter), I understand that the route is tight, includes a long (collapsed??) tunnel and twisted and the trackbed's not all in place. I wonder if there are already too many heritage railways very close by and a third might not be viable - indeed might dilute customers from the others.
But I did say
"ideas sought" and I am aware of at least one other line that was not taken on (by a
CRP▸ ) on the basis that this extra line would be a potential albatross around its neck which has now become a line with a CRP in its own right and is doing OK. And looking on the preservation side, whilst there's a lack of sheds / stabling, there remains a single bay at Newton Abbott with the trackbed / space to install a second platform face and loop / centre siding. And there's already a loop and a (scruffy) platform face at Heathfield. So perhaps something could be done for this asset? Commercial care needed - "what can we do with this line?" is a bit like the tail wagging the dog and a risky way to start something ...
