Okehampton

[whole diary]

[Mark A]

Can IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) be used to Okehampton? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere...

[Lee]

Can IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) be used to Okehampton? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere...

I don't know the answer, but I am certainly ready to be entertained by the discussion.

[ChrisB]

I suspect that they’re not guage-checked

[stuving]

Can IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) be used to Okehampton? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere...

I don't know the answer, but I am certainly ready to be entertained by the discussion.

It's not listed as part of the the "Great Western IEP Network" in (deep breath) Appendix A to Part C of Schedule 1 of the Great Western IEP Network Train Availability and Reliability Agreement (TARA^▸ (Train Availability and Reliability Agreement)). That's not really a surprise, given its date (2014) - and in any case only requires that the train is suitable for the route. Gauge clearance is a separate issue; the same list includes Reading-Waterloo via Wokingham, and I'm pretty sure that's never been gauge (or anything else) cleared.

[IndustryInsider]

Can IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) be used to Okehampton? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere...

As Stuving says, no.  But more to do with them not being needed to operate over that route than any fundamental reason (probably).

[TonyK]

I hope that the first train is at least 4-car. I'm thinking of joining it myself, but it looks like I'm already at the back of quite a lengthy queue.

[Timmer]

Timetable now available:
https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/plan-journey/timetables/2021/october/d2-nov.pdf?la=en

[RailCornwall]

Looking at the timetables, even with the two hourly initial Okehampton service, Crediton now receives a very impressive service as a result of the combination of Tarka^▸ (Branch line from Barnstaple to Exeter) and Dartmoor Line Services.

[trainbuff]

I suspect that they’re not guage-checked

Indeed. But HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units))'s are gauge cleared so a 2 + 4 might be a sensible idea if another 4 coach train cannot be confirmed. OkeRAil CIC^» (Community Interest Company - about) hired one to got to Paddington.

[RailCornwall]

Not wishing to put the knockers on it but surely gauge clearance on all stock will need rechecking due to the replacement of track along the entire length. The line to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) is essentially a whole new piece of engineering so the laying down of the new wouldn't necessarily be in the precise same location as the former 'heritage' track.

[4064ReadingAbbey]

Not wishing to put the knockers on it but surely gauge clearance on all stock will need rechecking due to the replacement of track along the entire length. The line to NR^» (Network Rail - home page) is essentially a whole new piece of engineering so the laying down of the new wouldn't necessarily be in the precise same location as the former 'heritage' track.

Hmm! In view of all the modern planning, measuring and control techniques now available, is it likely that Network Rail installed so much new track in the 'wrong' place?

And, if necessary, it shouldn't take long to check the track positioning with relation to any critical points - a laser scanner on the front of a train ought to be able to get up and back within the hour. Add a day for evaluation - and Bob's your Uncle!

[RailCornwall]

Not suggesting it's in the wrong place, just thinking that the former Heritage line was essentially lifted and new track laid from Okehampton to the Tarka^▸ (Branch line from Barnstaple to Exeter) line, there's no reason why this should have followed the precise path of the former line, given it was effectively a guided re-lay that wasn't needed, moreso with former intermediate halts being omitted. Hence my suggestion that re-gauging might be needed for all rolling stock.

[TonyK]

Hmm! In view of all the modern planning, measuring and control techniques now available, is it likely that Network Rail installed so much new track in the 'wrong' place?

Somebody had to spot it. I'm sure it said "Portishead" on the discarded wrappers.

[REVUpminster]

150 and a 158 (yesterday) have been there on the training run.

[johnneyw]

A16 year old has won the competition to design the Dartmoor Line logo.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/local-news/teenager-designs-dartmoor-rail-line-6188382