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Any news on proposals to build an alternative route between Exeter & Plymouth?

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ExRes

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First, well second post for me. Dusting off this thread as it seems the locals have the pitchforks out at the threat of losing their beach. I spotted it on Facebook and they have a URL as well: https://www.savethebeach.co.uk/

It's not just losing the beach though, if you lose the beach then you lose the tourists who don't spend money to keep local businesses open to employ local people, but then it is only the South West I suppose
 
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MarkyT

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First, well second post for me. Dusting off this thread as it seems the locals have the pitchforks out at the threat of losing their beach. I spotted it on Facebook and they have a URL as well: https://www.savethebeach.co.uk/
They have an alternative outline scheme, proposed by a retired local civil engineer, D Sharland, who worked for Devon County Council for over 40years. This involves building a prefabricated load-bearing structure over the existing rail alignment and regrading the cliff slope above it.
https://614cc5df-5a72-40b7-bad8-baf...d/6cbdc7_ab8902d16d7b45289c21bf68ed78c6f4.pdf
I suspect NR has already looked at similar alternatives.
 

MarkyT

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It's not just losing the beach though, if you lose the beach then you lose the tourists who don't spend money to keep local businesses open to employ local people, but then it is only the South West I suppose
It's not the main Teignmouth beach in front of the promenade either side of the town pier that would be built over although a small part at the east end would be affected. Holcombe beach is a walk along part of the current sea wall from the town. Campaigners claim the changes to sea currents arising from the scheme could also change and even threaten the continued existence of the main beach in its entirety however.
 

83A

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I should probably add, I grew up local to this area. Devon is packed with stunning beaches. This is not one of them, the best thing about visiting as a child was the trains. Plus as said above it’s not even the main beach for Teignmouth.
 

Ashley Hill

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The cynical side of me says Bere Alston-Tavistock will never reopen because it would open the case for filling the gap to Okehampton and the government would not want this. If this were Wales or Scotland the SR line would be open now and we'll used. The Exe Valley route could never be an option as the line is too far breached.
 

DynamicSpirit

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The cynical side of me says Bere Alston-Tavistock will never reopen because it would open the case for filling the gap to Okehampton and the government would not want this.

That's very cynical, and I don't see any reason to think that the Government thinks in that way regarding rail re-openings. A more plausible reason why there has been so little progress on Bere Alston-Tavistock would perhaps be the tens of millions it typically costs to open that length of railway - in this case to serve a population of just 11 000.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see it re-opened, but so much money for such a small population is a hard sell.
 

yorksrob

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That's very cynical, and I don't see any reason to think that the Government thinks in that way regarding rail re-openings. A more plausible reason why there has been so little progress on Bere Alston-Tavistock would perhaps be the tens of millions it typically costs to open that length of railway - in this case to serve a population of just 11 000.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see it re-opened, but so much money for such a small population is a hard sell.

Well, lets see the Government get a few reopenings under its belt, then we can make a judgement :)
 

class26

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The cynical side of me says Bere Alston-Tavistock will never reopen because it would open the case for filling the gap to Okehampton and the government would not want this. If this were Wales or Scotland the SR line would be open now and we'll used. The Exe Valley route could never be an option as the line is too far breached.

I think governments of all colours are already very skilled in preventing re openings by dithering and endless red tape that going to this length wouldn`t be necessary
 

edwin_m

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I think governments of all colours are already very skilled in preventing re openings by dithering and endless red tape that going to this length wouldn`t be necessary
The current government is also very skilled in getting people excited about such projects around election times, but it remains to be seen if any are actually delivered.
 

Chris125

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They have an alternative outline scheme, proposed by a retired local civil engineer, D Sharland, who worked for Devon County Council for over 40years. This involves building a prefabricated load-bearing structure over the existing rail alignment and regrading the cliff slope above it.
https://614cc5df-5a72-40b7-bad8-baf...d/6cbdc7_ab8902d16d7b45289c21bf68ed78c6f4.pdf
I suspect NR has already looked at similar alternatives.

Constructing that without an unacceptable amount of disruption would appear 'challenging', to put it mildly...
 

class26

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Didn't they build a similar structure over one of the scenic lines in Scotland ?

Yes, it`s on the Kyle of Lochalsh line a few miles out of Kyle but it`s not that long and is to prevent rockfall. It also protects the road at that point
 

Ashley Hill

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The trouble with Tavistock is that it's been talked about for decades. Everybody wants it public,councillors etc but nobody wants to pay for it. A housing developer was told to stump up a sum of money towards reopening a few years back as part of a planning application. It appeared on the news and I believe some surveying and vegetation clearance occurred ,we even talked about which depots would work it,but it's all gone quiet again and the roads get busier than ever.
 
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