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Author Topic: Okehampton-Tavistock. Discussion on reopening and potential use as a diversionary route  (Read 268878 times)
Andy
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« Reply #420 on: February 11, 2014, 17:38:55 »

To me, it seems that the way to proceed should be:
1) repair the wall & strengthen further if possible =>
2) reinstate Okehampton-Tavistock-Bere Alston, not just to provide a diversionary route when needed but also to reconnect Okehampton and Tavistock to the network and provide a railhead for North Cornwall & West Devon. =>
3) Plan for a Dawlish Avoiding Line to ensure that if/when the sea wall gives up the ghost, the South Devon & Torbay route is retained as well. 

All for 500,000 people? Hmmm. Maybe a selection of 2 out of 3. Unless they can access EU» (European Union - about) money for the other

Maybe I need to clarify my reasoning. I'm trying to look at a bigger picture than just the sea wall. 

In the short term, the wall is going to be repaired (point 1), meaning that we're back to where we were before the storms, hopefully with slightly more robust sea defences in place.

We also have a line from Plymouth to Bere Alston which, it seems, is going to be extended to Tavistock in the next few years. The line from Exeter to Okehampton/Meldon also exists, albeit without a regular passenger service, though there has been talk of reinstating one in conjunction with developments in/near Okehampton. 

By joining up these two "ends", you have an orbital line linking Tavistock and Okehampton to Plymouth, South Devon and Exeter as well as a railhead for the swathe of North Cornwall & West Devon that was amputated from the national network in the 1960s. If this were to happen, the Yeoford-Crediton-Exeter stretch of the Barnstaple line would benefit from more trains, thus reducing congestion, one would hope. Oh... and a diversionary route.

However, I don't believe that this line could replace the South Devon route, which serves the population centres and tourist destinations on the English Riviera, on anything other than a diversionary basis, so if the sea wall line must go completely, then it seems imperative to plan (3) for a Dawlish Avoiding line. I'm not suggesting that such a line should be built in parallel with a reinstatement of the Okehampton route but that it should be planned for in anticipation of the time when the sea wall route is on borrowed time.

Thus, while the sea wall holds up, we'd have a main and a diversionary route and if it doesn't, we'd have the Dawlish Avoiding line providing a main route and a secondary (diversionary during engineering works) route. By going directly for the Dawlish Avoiding line, it's true that we'd solve the sea wall problem but we'd still not have a diversionary route.
   

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exeterkiwi
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« Reply #421 on: February 11, 2014, 21:40:28 »

I think what ever route is chosen Journey time needs to be reduce  from Penzance,Plymouth, Exeter to London.

For example
Norwich to London Liverpool Street takes about  1 HR (Human Resources) 55 minutes over 133 miles with a average operating speed of 100 and the line is electrification
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JayMac
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« Reply #422 on: February 12, 2014, 01:29:36 »

Moderator note:

For specific discussion on the merits or otherwise of building a Dawlish Avoiding Line please comment in the following topic: http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=5946.0

Likewise, for the merits or otherwise of reopening the former LSWR (London South Western Railway) route between Okehampton and Tavistock, please keep those comments here.

The two subjects are related and I did consider merging them both into one super topic, but I think there's enough of a difference to keep them separate. If your comment encompasses both routes then you're free to choose where you wish to post.


bignosemac.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2014, 01:49:47 by bignosemac » Logged

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JayMac
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« Reply #423 on: February 12, 2014, 23:01:30 »

The possibility of reopening the line between Okehampton - Tavistock was covered on BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Spotlight this evening.

That programme is available to view on the BBC iPlayer until 1830 tomorrow 13/02/2014:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03tw9q1/Spotlight_12_02_2014/
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Umberleigh
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« Reply #424 on: February 12, 2014, 23:35:05 »

I see Cameron made reference to Plymouth wanting a 3hr journey time to London, and more early trains, and that it was or would be looked at.

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TonyK
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« Reply #425 on: February 13, 2014, 16:16:02 »

The possibility of reopening the line between Okehampton - Tavistock was covered on BBC» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Spotlight this evening.


Thanks, BNM.
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trainbuff
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« Reply #426 on: February 15, 2014, 08:10:10 »

I see that a recent article posted on the Internet within the last 24 hours (15/02/14) by the 'New Civil Engineer' has some interesting points made in it. Half way down an Engineer is quoted as saying the cost to reopen the Okehampton line would be less than ^150million and do-able in 12-18months. I guess that is the build time after all the rest of the usual hunting for the crested newt has taken place! Lol.

However if any Government does decide to do this it would obviously give the whole process more momentum.

The article does also talk of the alternatives. Well worth a read. Link below.

http://www.nce.co.uk/news/transport/dawlish-rail-washout-triggers-call-for-inland-lines/8659005.article?blocktitle=News-In-Depth&contentID=204
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Pb_devon
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« Reply #427 on: February 15, 2014, 08:21:03 »

Thanks trainbuff, but it appears to be a (paid) subscription only access.
Unless I'm missing something.
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Red Squirrel
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« Reply #428 on: February 15, 2014, 10:24:16 »


...the cost to reopen the Okehampton line would be less than ^150million and do-able in 12-18months...


Be interesting to know the scope of that - presumably it involves upgrading Yeoford - Meldon and relaying Meldon - Tavistock, but what about Tavistock - Bere Alston? I presume that any scheme to reopen the LSWR (London South Western Railway) route would put the Kilbride project back to GRIP (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) 0 (as MetroRail did Portishead).

Whether or not the scope includes the full missing 20-mile section from Bere Alston to Meldon, 'less than ^150 million' seems cheap compared to the Borders Railway. Presumably the operational line would be comparable to the Tweedbank project - largely single with dynamic passing loops. If so then the significant differences would be that the Borders line has required new alignments, a new viaduct and the crossing of a dual carriageway; as far as I can tell the Okehampton line would not require any such works.

Twelve to eighteen months though... they do know this is a rail project, don't they? In England?
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trainbuff
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« Reply #429 on: February 15, 2014, 10:35:03 »

Thanks trainbuff, but it appears to be a (paid) subscription only access.
Unless I'm missing something.

It is a paid sub site but I found the article on the internet freely available. I was able to view it earlier. Not quite sure what has happened there. Try this link below. It is a google search but look under the relevant article from New Civil Engineer.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dawlish+sea+wall+alternative+routes&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&safe=active&gws_rd=cr&ei=lUP_UoD-MoujhgeJvYDoDw#q=dawlish+sea+wall+alternative+route&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&safe=active&start=10

Hope that helps!
« Last Edit: February 15, 2014, 10:41:43 by trainbuff » Logged

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SandTEngineer
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« Reply #430 on: February 15, 2014, 11:03:19 »

...well they need to get some of their facts right.  The DAL is new railway not reuse of the existing Heathfield to Alphington (Exeter) route.  The DAL would include new stations at Teignmouth and Dawlish.  The existing Okehampton route is not all new line....etc. etc.. Roll Eyes
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Pb_devon
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« Reply #431 on: February 15, 2014, 11:07:29 »

OK, got it now.
As STE has just said, the article is a bit of wild journalism, and note the estimates are from a retired Highways geotechnical engineer - not the best qualified for this!

BUT, it is all adding positive messages, so good stuff in that respect.
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SandTEngineer
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« Reply #432 on: February 15, 2014, 11:11:52 »

....and I don't buy all those excuses that NR» (Network Rail - home page) have to concentrate on fixing Dawlish first.  The people who carry out the studies are not those that deliver day to day (unless NR is now so short staffed that it can't cope, which I also don't buy either).
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Umberleigh
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« Reply #433 on: February 17, 2014, 09:39:09 »

Reports this morning are that the storms on Friday have delayed the reopening of the sea wall by a further two weeks
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Umberleigh
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« Reply #434 on: February 17, 2014, 09:55:12 »

The answer to the sea wall problems are to widen the A303, according to this article in the WMN» (Warminster - next trains):

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Flooding-crisis-A303-upgrade-fast-tracked/story-20639647-detail/story.html

So we have the money, we just don't want to spend it on the railway. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
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