CPRE Call For Reopening Of The Teign Valley Railway

[relex109]

may be of interest to people living in devonshire http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/devon/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8370000/8370729.stm

[chris from nailsea]

Thanks for that, relex109: fair brought a tear to my eye, that did, with all those lovely little station names!

I was born in Devon - in 1959 - after it was all closed. 

[relex109]

some on the line which is still inplace runs behind the industrial estate at heathfield, i think the only use this route could ever have is as a diversionary route or to increase capacity as it runs threw nothing basically

[caliwag]

Ha...interesting the diesel crank waving his arm around in the first few seconds

[devon_metro]

Good find relex, the line currently ends very near to the Trago Mills site under the A38. There is a real blast from the past in the form of a gated level crossing on the lane from Kingsteignton to the road towards Trago, not sure on what condition it's in however, not been down there for many many years. Would be interested to know the last train down the branch, as the freight service no longer runs afaik.

[Bob_Blakey]

According to BBC Devon the Campaign To Protect Rural England (CPRE) have started a feasibility study to examine the possibility of reopening the Teign Valley line between Exeter & Newton Abbot.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/devon/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8370000/8370729.stm

Not surprisingly the main justification appears to be concerns over the long term health of the main line via Dawlish. I couldn't find anything on the official CPRE site.

Given the level of post-closure development at the Exeter end of the route I suspect this proposal would turn out to be prohibitively expensive.

[chris from nailsea]

Thanks very much for your post, Bob_Blakey!

As it followed very neatly on from a discussion in our 'frequent posters' area, I've taken the liberty of merging these topics here, under your heading.

In 'frequent posters', we were just discussing the BBC video itself - but I do think the whole subject can be widened here, in 'campaigns for new and improved services'?

[signalandtelegraph]

Given the level of post-closure development at the Exeter end of the route I suspect this proposal would turn out to be prohibitively expensive.

And at the Chudleigh end too, the A38 is built on the old trackbed.

Heathfield Park & Ride for Newton Abbot could be feasible though, as DM says, the infrastructure is still in place.

[FlyingDutchman]

I tryed to get a campaign to open this route earlier in the year.

Several others as well

[The Grecian]

It's worth remembering that it was built as a winding single track branch line and was never intended to be a main line. There are also two single bore tunnels, Culver (261 yards) and Perridge (829 yards), either side of Longdown. Perridge suffered a roof collapse in 1986 and is locked up, although I think Culver is still open if you want to walk through.

This site has a fair bit of info:
http://www.teignrail.co.uk/

Frankly though I think there's more chance of a high-speed line through the Haldons and Dartmoor from Exeter to Pl*mouth being built than this line reopening. 

[34104]

It's worth remembering that it was built as a winding single track branch line and was never intended to be a main line. There are also two single bore tunnels, Culver (261 yards) and Perridge (829 yards), either side of Longdown. Perridge suffered a roof collapse in 1986 and is locked up, although I think Culver is still open if you want to walk through.

This site has a fair bit of info:
http://www.teignrail.co.uk/

Frankly though I think there's more chance of a high-speed line through the Haldons and Dartmoor from Exeter to Pl*mouth being built than this line reopening. 

Gawd,i didn't think this was Exeweb! Was there a report in the local press recently about some chap in the area who is fighting a proposal to block up one of the tunnels on this line with a million tons of concrete,or was that somewhere else? About 2 months ago,i think.If a different line is required to the Dawlish section,surely the old Southern line must be the best bet,as the infrastructure is basically there and it covers two fair sized centres of population [Tavistock,which is now bigger than Totnes,and Okehampton],which are to expand greatly over the next few years? Makes sense to me,especially as it looks like Tavvy could soon be back on the railway map anyway.

COYG

[devon_metro]

Personally I think having a back up route via the Teign Valley would be best. The Dawlish line very rarely has problems and the route from Exeter to Plymouth via Newton Abbot and torbay covers far larger population centres. Cutting the area off from mainline trains would destroy the area.

[FlyingDutchman]

Someone, who use to work on the railway mention that in WW2  they were thing of dual the line

[gaf71]

some on the line which is still inplace runs behind the industrial estate at heathfield, i think the only use this route could ever have is as a diversionary route or to increase capacity as it runs threw nothing basically

it runs through my mates' back garden, where alphington halt used to be!

[FlyingDutchman]

I guess that would be no good