Wolvercoter
Member
It would appear that work has commenced on building Marsh Barton Railway Station in Exeter. A large area of Grace Road Playing Fields has been taken over and various trees have been cut down.
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Marsh Barton Railway Station Exeter - Construction
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Calderfornian
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Is that at the back of the incinerator on the estate?
Wolvercoter
Member
Indeed. All the activity so far is on the canal side of the tracks.
This is good to see. I believe S&T have done some preliminary work too.
fgwrich
Established Member
Good to see progress on the ground at last, it's certainly been a while in the making. Hopefully this will progress a lot quicker than our local new station, Reading Green Park.
Wolvercoter
Member
davetheguard
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Thanks for the pictures Wolvercoter; any further ones as work progresses would be very welcome.
Wolvercoter
Member
No worries... I live nearby and will be posting regular updates.
greatvoyager
Established Member
So it’s finally started, nice to see.
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Handy for the Double Locks 
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Other than serving the aforementioned public house I fail to see the need for this station. There's no nearby housing and will only serve the industrial estate. Yes the roads around Alphington are gridlocked during morning and afternoon peak but that won't change with the station,internal city traffic will continue to clog up the roads as always. It may slightly cut road traffic from Teignbridge but not by much. I feel it's just a fop promoted by the council to say they're cutting congestion and pollution. It could be an expensive white elephant but I'm hoped to be proved wrong.
I’ve got a feeling that it might be quite successful but only time will tell I suppose.
There are quite a high proportion of people that I know who live in the Dawlish/Teignmouth/Newton Abbot area that work in Marsh Barton and struggle to get to work in the mornings. I’m hopeful that they’ll ditch the car and get the train in, but they’ll probably take a bit of persuading...
Marsh Barton is quite a sprawling estate now though so it’s not going to be convenient for everyone being that it’s going be quite outlying.
REVUpminster
Member
It will serve the Alphington houses and a lot more are being built to the South. How many will use a station so close in to the centre instead of a bus will remain to be seen.
Most of the industrial units do have parking; it's just getting there in the rush hour that can be difficult.
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Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
What you have to consider in this situation is the choice that those who drive to work will face. Their car will leave from their homes and as you say, the journey in the rush hour can be problematical, but they will end that journey at their place of work. For those choosing the train, there will be the distance from their homes to the railway station, then the train journey, then the journey from the railway station to their place of work. Rain, snow, winds are weather related matters that will then have to be faced.
Sandbach station in Cheshire East is an example that I will quote. The railway station is not in the Sandbach central area, but in a satellite area. There is a sizeable industrial estate there, but whilst some units are quite near the railway station, others are quite a distance away from it.
pdeaves
Established Member
I understand that the primary custom is expected to be for the industrial estate. The station will be a destination rather than an origin.
When Marsh Barton was first announced I assumed that it would be built further out towards Matford park and ride, in a sense competing with it for the commuter city centre trade.
For the current site, it is handier for a good part of the industrial estate.
As mentioned I did drive to the double locks many years ago and trying to find the bridge over the line by the incenetator was a challenge.
A very nice stroll down the canal will be nice for many in future.
For the current site, it is handier for a good part of the industrial estate.
As mentioned I did drive to the double locks many years ago and trying to find the bridge over the line by the incenetator was a challenge.
A very nice stroll down the canal will be nice for many in future.
221129
Established Member
How many people use Digby and Sowton for the Sowton Industrial Estate? I genuinely don't know the answer to that but I suspect the answer to that will be similar for Matford.
davetheguard
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Indeed, and one I intend to do as soon as the station is open.
Marsh Barton to Starcross will be a great walk and -rare for Devon- a level one. Good scenery along the canal & River Exe estuary and two decent pubs en route with waterside outside seating: the already mentioned (by Ashley Hill) Double Locks; and the Turf where the canal meets the river. Both can be seen from the train if you know when to look.
Definitely. Turf is a wonderful place on sunny day.
The turf is a very nice place.
I have parked at powderham church and walked up from their.
No doubt the devon community rail partnership and camra Exeter branch can jump on some marketing for using marsh barton station to access the canal and it's hostelries.
It would also be a good stop off point for cycling down the canal tow path
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Digby was a bit of a slow starter when first opened but is now one of the busiest stations on the branch with both inward and outbound traffic. As well as workers, Digby now also benefits from a lot of new housing which Marsh Barton lacks. I hope it will have the success Digby has.
Xenophon PCDGS
Veteran Member
Whilst in the county of Devon, it did not take all that long for Cranbrook to reach an annual six-figure footfall total after it opened.
Wolvercoter
Member
Trees now coming down on the Marsh Barton side of the tracks, alongside Clapperbrook Lane. Devon CC signs up too.
Basically gives me a door-to-door service.I was thinking that!Handy for the Double Locks
Visiting it on the opening day perchance?Basically gives me a door-to-door service.
Wolvercoter
Member
Trees now removed from the Marsh Barton Trading Estate side
Concrete blocks have now appeared in the compound
Picture suggests some sort of minor activity trackside
The Whistle Boards for the now closed Alphin Brook / Grace Fields foot crossing have been removed.
Concrete blocks have now appeared in the compound
Picture suggests some sort of minor activity trackside
The Whistle Boards for the now closed Alphin Brook / Grace Fields foot crossing have been removed.
Trees now removed from the Marsh Barton Trading Estate side
Concrete blocks have now appeared in the compound
Picture suggests some sort of minor activity trackside
The Whistle Boards for the now closed Alphin Brook / Grace Fields foot crossing have been removed.
View attachment 95887
Those trees will take a bit of seasoning (and I should know because quite a lot of them are now in my wood store
).
Jamesrob637
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Can't wait for this. Wish it had been there 15 years earlier during my student days in EXE.
Wolvercoter
Member
Fence alongside Grace Road Playing Field is now being removed.
Various other developments include hardcore surface for access to the trackside on the Trading Estate side. Clapperbrook Lane East (the road which goes over the railway) is now closed until July next year and high metal hoardings constructed along the length of the lane, removing many photo vantage points. Although there is a gap in the hoardings on the bridge itself. Cars diverted via Water Lane and along the canalside (which is now prohibited for pedestrians and cyclists on the section between JL Thomas and the swing bridge).
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