Campaigns to re-open Barnstaple to Bideford line (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[Umberleigh]

Really informative page on the RailFuture website about the Bideford line in the late 70s and early 80s. There were a series of charter trains from London, positive feasibility studies and even a Parliamentary Bill from MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) Tony Speller all in support of getting passenger trains back on the line.

Eventually BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) closed the line “due to the state of the track”. I remember from my childhood that there had been a freight train derailment that had damaged a length of track, but I also remover BR stating that they had failed to obtain EU^» (European Union - about) funding to upgrade the China clay wagons for air braked trains


https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Devon+and+Cornwall+Reopenings

[Southernman]

Really informative page on the RailFuture website about the Bideford line in the late 70s and early 80s. There were a series of charter trains from London, positive feasibility studies and even a Parliamentary Bill from MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) Tony Speller all in support of getting passenger trains back on the line.

Eventually BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) closed the line “due to the state of the track”. I remember from my childhood that there had been a freight train derailment that had damaged a length of track, but I also remover BR stating that they had failed to obtain EU^» (European Union - about) funding to upgrade the China clay wagons for air braked trains


https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Devon+and+Cornwall+Reopenings

Very interesting, thank you. I was on the last train (13 coaches and top and tailed by Class 31 diesels) to Torrington and have a soft spot for that line which should have remained open to Bideford, if not Torrington. 

The loss of the China Clay traffic was due to the tight curvature of the railway beyond Torrington towards Meeth being unsuitable for the new high capacity wagons that were to replace the Clay Hoods. I believe that a trial run was held.

One downside is that the railway runs on the opposite of the river to the main part of Bideford although that is not a show stopper.

The Tarka^▸ (Branch line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Valley Railway have made a start on rebuilding the line back towards Bideford from Torrington.

http://www.tarkavalleyrailway.co.uk/about_us.html

and should be supported. Also the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre who have a site at that station and additionally care for Instow Signal Box

https://www.bidefordrailway.co.uk/

so lots of work going on already!

[Celestial]

Having cycled the line around 10 years ago (the Tarka^▸ (Branch line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail is an excellent cycle ride), my interest was caught by the Tarka Valley Railway, and I've checked back in to its website every couple of years to see what progress it has made.

Unfortunately its progress since then appears glacial, and the website doesn't do much to enthuse casual observers and move them to a more engaged position, being somewhat lacking in any up to date information (which just reinforces the view that the project isn't going anywhere).

It's a shame, but I think in the future, even before COVID-19, the challenge in the preservation sector is to keep the existing railways we have afloat, with enough volunteers to operate them and paying passengers to cover costs and renewals.

 

[grahame]

The shear enormity of projects such as Barnstaple to Bideford ... and also returning rails and a National Rail service to Portishead and Tavistock too ... are frightening.   Indeed, looking specifically at England, are there any examples of rails being relayed to new / re-opened National Rail stations in England  - that step further than re-opening a line that's still been there for freight or diversionary purposes?

I can come up with example of new or re-laid lines (Todmorden curve), and even a station on a new line (Ebbsfleet), and the nearest station to my home (Melksham) and Chandler's Ford are on lines that were freight only. Others in that class too ... Corby, Aylesbury Vale Parkway ...

P.S. I may have missed the blinding obvious - was the track in situ from Ludgate Hill to Farringdon via City Thameslink?

[Celestial]

A short section (a couple of miles) of the Robin Hood line involved complete relaying when it was reopened.  You could also include the Todmorden curve which was relaid a couple of years ago.

[Celestial]

A short section (a couple of miles) of the Robin Hood line involved complete relaying when it was reopened.  You could also include the Todmorden curve which was relaid a couple of years ago.

Sorry, just seen you mentioned the latter.

[ray951]

Examples of rails being relayed to new / re-opened National Rail stations in England
Oxford Parkway/Bicester Village and the new chord to London.
East-West Rail western section (Bicester to Bletchley and Bedford) is being completed relaid, although of course this is much talked about but hasn't yet been completed.

[grahame]

Examples of rails being relayed to new / re-opened National Rail stations in England
Oxford Parkway/Bicester Village and the new chord to London.
East-West Rail western section (Bicester to Bletchley and Bedford) is being completed relaid, although of course this is much talked about but hasn't yet been completed.

Thanks Ray ... I was thinking of lines that were totally closed; my understanding is that freight traffic continued from Oxford to Calvert (still does) and that puts Oxford Parkway, Islip and Bicester Town / Village into the same category as Melksham and Chandlers Ford.

The new chord has no stations - other examples include the Ordsall Curve in Manchester, and the section of the East Coast main line that bypasses Selby.

East-West, Calvert to Bletchley, is pretty close to being up there with Tavistock, Portishead and Bideford - I think much of the track has been ripped up.    Are there any planned intermediate stations?   It also has the business case advantage of being part of a future through route rather that all its traffic being generated to / from new stations - the same should be said of Tavistock (my view).

[grahame]

A short section (a couple of miles) of the Robin Hood line involved complete relaying when it was reopened.

Ah - thanks.  Hadn't thought of that one.   Research following on from your trigger suggests that the section from Newstead to Kirby in Ashfield was indeed reinstated from a trackless state - indeed a tunnel that had been filled was unfilled.  Had the intermediate station at Anneseley re-opened, it would (I'm pretty sure) have been a station on a reinstated (from total absence of track) line onto the National Rail network. However ... sources suggest that the station was so close to Newstead that the station wasn't re-instated.

I'm pretty sure that the freight line though Kirby in Ashfield was never lost, so that station does not meet my criteria.  Newstead itself might - I don't know its status at the (?) end of a freight spur, perhaps derelict, prior to the Robin Hood line being brought (back) to life.  So you may have an example of what I was looking for / wondering if it existed / there.

[paul7575]

The shear enormity of projects such as Barnstaple to Bideford ... and also returning rails and a National Rail service to Portishead and Tavistock too ... are frightening.   Indeed, looking specifically at England, are there any examples of rails being relayed to new / re-opened National Rail stations in England  - that step further than re-opening a line that's still been there for freight or diversionary purposes?

I can come up with example of new or re-laid lines (Todmorden curve), and even a station on a new line (Ebbsfleet), and the nearest station to my home (Melksham) and Chandler's Ford are on lines that were freight only. Others in that class too ... Corby, Aylesbury Vale Parkway ...

P.S. I may have missed the blinding obvious - was the track in situ from Ludgate Hill to Farringdon via City Thameslink?

IIRC^▸ ('if I recall/remember/read correctly') the track from Ludgate Hill to Farringdon had been lifted well before the creation of the original 1980s version of Thameslink.  The disused stations website has it documented with photos showing no tracks in place, certainly through the Snow Hill tunnel section.
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/s/snow_hill/index1.shtml

Paul

[Umberleigh]

Having cycled the line around 10 years ago (the Tarka^▸ (Branch line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail is an excellent cycle ride), my interest was caught by the Tarka Valley Railway, and I've checked back in to its website every couple of years to see what progress it has made.

Unfortunately its progress since then appears glacial, and the website doesn't do much to enthuse casual observers and move them to a more engaged position, being somewhat lacking in any up to date information (which just reinforces the view that the project isn't going anywhere).

It's a shame, but I think in the future, even before COVID-19, the challenge in the preservation sector is to keep the existing railways we have afloat, with enough volunteers to operate them and paying passengers to cover costs and renewals.

 

I agree

In fact, and I may get shot down for this, but could not the Bideford folks and the Torrington folks combine their efforts and focus on one site? That way, they might be able to get a mile of permanent way laid and a cash-generating operation underway.

[Hal]

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/ambitious-plans-restore-bidefords-rail-6558931

[paul7575]

They refer to a “restoring your railways” application, but the tone of the last DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) announcement in October suggests to me that process is complete?   

There were four applications over the three phases that failed to make the cut that involved Barnstaple, but Bideford wasn’t ever a part of any of the named “ideas” as far as I can see.

Paul

[Noggin]

I do wish people wouldn't give their campaigns such odd names, makes the proposers seem like complete cranks.

I also wonder of the wisdom of suggesting it be built on top of a sea wall, surely that's a recipe for getting it kicked into the long grass?

Does anyone know how easy it would be operationally to extend Barnstaple services?

Finally, based on the Portishead proposals, I reckon one of the main obstacles could be the level crossing at Instow. Network Rail were really not keen on the idea of one in Portishead

[Bob_Blakey]

Not absolutely impossible at the Barnstaple end because the newish A361 / A3125 junction is raised above the level of the original railway so I think a bit of cut & cover would do the job. This has already been done with the Tarka^▸ (Branch line from Barnstaple to Exeter) Trail but east of the original railway alignment. Fremington inlet would probably need an additional cycle/pedestrian bridge because I don't think the old railway bridge is wide enough to take multiple traffic types.
Instow level crossing would definitely be an issue. If it cannot be retained maybe a height restricted road bridge would work (as long as the Marine Parade buses are not double-deckers).
The remainder of the original railway alignment all the way to East-the-Water doesn't appear to have any obvious obstacles.

But...as much as I am in favour of railway reopening I would question whether such a scheme would have the passenger volumes to make it at all viable.