An alternative route between Plymouth and Exeter, via Okehampton, should be built

[HSTEd]

As anyone who's watched Trainspotting will tell you, Rannoch station is ideally situated for moorland walking

Rannoch gets eight thousand passengers a year

That's about ten departing passengers per day

Given that we have an Okehampton station regardless, I can't see the harm in promoting it!

 

[Grecian 1998]

take off the bulk of the London bound passengers from an Exeter - Waterloo service and you may have to reassess things

Based on many years' observation using the Exeter-Waterloo route, the biggest markets west of Salisbury seem to be:

1. Yeovil and stations eastwards towards Waterloo.
2. Axminster and stations westwards towards Exeter.
3. Through Exeter-London journeys.
4. Exeter (and possibly stations west of it) to Southampton and Portsmouth via Salisbury.
5. Intermediate stations to Bath / Bristol or Southampton / Portsmouth via Salisbury.

However the first and second markets are much bigger than the remainder - the quietest section is generally between Axminster and Yeovil Junction. Whilst it might be faster for some folk in the Blackmore Vale to get to Castle Cary than Sherborne or Gillingham etc., the roads aren't generally that fast and the train frequency is generally 1p2h rather than hourly.

Harder to comment on other lines but a reduction in Exeter - Waterloo journeys specifically probably wouldn't make too much difference to the line's economics.

Given that we have an Okehampton station regardless, I can't see the harm in promoting it!

A key difference between Okehampton and Corrour is that the latter is over 2 hours from the Central Belt and has 3 trains a day. Not particularly conducive to encouraging hikers, particularly if the weather turns.

Okehampton will be 45-50 minutes from Exeter, and not much further from Exmouth or Newton Abbot, and will have a 2 hourly (hopefully becoming) hourly service. Rather more conducive to encouraging walkers to head over for a day out, particularly given that you can walk to the highest points of the moor at High Willhays / Yes Tor in 1-2 hours (I've done it myself using the Sunday rambler services in the past). The line is hardly likely to be overrun with ramblers for 9 months a year, but it should provide some custom to a route which is already due to reopen.

However I'm certainly not suggesting that there are hordes of ramblers at Tavistock and Plymouth just itching to catch a train to Okehampton to visit the north-western edge of Dartmoor or that this will create a compelling financial case for reopening.

 

[Irascible]

Based on many years' observation using the Exeter-Waterloo route, the biggest markets west of Salisbury seem to be:

1. Yeovil and stations eastwards towards Waterloo.
2. Axminster and stations westwards towards Exeter.
3. Through Exeter-London journeys.
4. Exeter (and possibly stations west of it) to Southampton and Portsmouth via Salisbury.
5. Intermediate stations to Bath / Bristol or Southampton / Portsmouth via Salisbury.

However the first and second markets are much bigger than the remainder - the quietest section is generally between Axminster and Yeovil Junction. Whilst it might be faster for some folk in the Blackmore Vale to get to Castle Cary than Sherborne or Gillingham etc., the roads aren't generally that fast and the train frequency is generally 1p2h rather than hourly.

Harder to comment on other lines but a reduction in Exeter - Waterloo journeys specifically probably wouldn't make too much difference to the line's economics.

I'd agree, you'd have to terminate more Exeter eastbounds at Axminster & start more at Yeovil to reduce any fresh air being carted around; maybe someone who likes working out diagrams could say if that'd save anything over just running them through? Exeter's grown considerably since the line was rationalised & even since the 159s turned up, cutting west of Axminster isn't going to work especially with the aspirations to grow Exeter more ( I think the target is 200k pop at the moment ). Given GWR is full up past Newbury that would seem to point to more rather than less on the WoE...

 

[30907]

I'd agree, you'd have to terminate more Exeter eastbounds at Axminster & start more at Yeovil to reduce any fresh air being carted around; maybe someone who likes working out diagrams could say if that'd save anything over just running them through? Exeter's grown considerably since the line was rationalised & even since the 159s turned up, cutting west of Axminster isn't going to work especially with the aspirations to grow Exeter more ( I think the target is 200k pop at the moment ). Given GWR is full up past Newbury that would seem to point to more rather than less on the WoE...

That fits: from memory, Devon CC are hoping for 2tph (Crediton etc-)Exeter-Axminster, allowing SWR to skip the local stations; SWR will want to go back to 2tph as far as Yeovil when numbers recover. All of course depending on infrastructure funding.

 

[Xavi]

Most people don't use the WoE. And those that do is only generally because it's cheaper. If there was no fare differential it'd be a very different story.

No denial that most Exeter - London traffic uses GWR. However, Exeter (and East Devon) population growth is on the eastern side with easy access to Pinhoe and Cranbrook stations. Total journey time to Paddington is only 10-20 minutes quicker than Waterloo, and a return fare booked a week in advance is typically only £15 cheaper to Waterloo. Given that Waterloo (and Clapham Jnc) gives easier access to most popular London destinations there's a rather different story to tell.

 

[The Ham]

There's two questions which result in different answers.

First question, which is better if the existing line is to close permanently, then the DAL is the better answer.

Second question, if we're looking at a second route then the route through Okehampton is certainly the better option (according to the 2015 report).

However that report only looked at it being served by local only services, the question which some would like answered is "would that business case be better if another way of serving the stations was use?" For instance the extending of WofE services to be more attractive to longer distance passengers (although probably with nearly none from Waterloo).

 

[PTR 444]

SWR will want to go back to 2tph as far as Yeovil when numbers recover.

Has Yeovil ever had 2tph? I thought pre-covid it was always 1tph Waterloo - Exeter with every other Salisbury terminator (1tp2h) continuing to Pen Mill.

Mind you if the single track allowed I don’t see why you can’t get 2tph to YVJ at least. I’ve started a thread for discussion on this topic here:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/my-idea-for-2tph-between-salisbury-and-yeovil-junction.222662/

 

[30907]

Has Yeovil ever had 2tph? I thought pre-covid it was always 1tph Waterloo - Exeter with every other Salisbury terminator (1tp2h) continuing to Pen Mill.

Fair point, it was only 3tp2h in the middle of the day pre Covid. The majority of the Pen Mill terminators run via Junction.

 

[Railcar]

Okehampton will be 45-50 minutes from Exeter, and not much further from Exmouth or Newton Abbot, and will have a 2 hourly (hopefully becoming) hourly service. Rather more conducive to encouraging walkers to head over for a day out,

Do GWR have any DMU stock (three-carriage or similar) that does not have a diesel engine under every carriage? During a recent holiday in the Torbay area, I used the trains that run Paignton - Exeter St D - Exmouth on several occasions. That route uses 150s and a couple of similar types. but in all of them it was impossible to escape the roar of a diesel engine by choice of carriage.

OK, I'm spoilt. I live in The Land Of The 3rd Rail where on a 377 travelling at 60 miles an hour, the sound of a crisp packet being opened is annoyingly loud. Neverthess, if the same DMUs that run around Torbay are to be used for the new Okehampton service, it will mean 45-50 minutes of diesel roar which to my mind is a real discouragement. It certainly put me off doing a trip from E St D to Barnstaple and back

 

[6Gman]

Do GWR have any DMU stock (three-carriage or similar) that does not have a diesel engine under every carriage?

I believe the answer is No.

 

[507020]

I believe the answer is No.

What about the 769s?

 

[6Gman]

What about the 769s?

Are they in service yet?
And they are not destined for Torbay.

 

[MatthewRead]

Are they in service yet?
And they are not destined for Torbay.

No sadly