Okehampton Interchange

[SwindonManor]

Okehampton Interchange

Okehampton Interchange will be a new purpose-built station as an exciting next step for the Dartmoor Line.

dartmoorline.com

Interesting - Okehampton Interchange set to open February 2026. I've always wondered about when this station would be made. Looks like it's coming. I wonder what the design of the platforms will be? Funnily Enough of the £15m funding - only £25k is Network Rail! Can you believe it?

 

[The exile]

Interesting - Okehampton Interchange set to open February 2026. I've always wondered about when this station would be made. Looks like it's coming. I wonder what the design of the platforms will be? Funnily Enough of the £15m funding - only £25k is Network Rail! Can you believe it?

Why not? There’s also a large sum from central government which amounts to much the same thing. After all, I doubt the station is there at Network Rail’s request.

 

[DarloRich]

Does Okehampton really need 2 stations?

 

[The exile]

Does Okehampton really need 2 stations?

The Interchange is really “North West Devon and North East Cornwall Parkway” - much more accessible from the A30 than the town station is.

 

[DarloRich]

The Interchange is really “North West Devon and North East Cornwall Parkway” - much more accessible from the A30 than the town station is.

thank you! I didn't think of that.

 

[The exile]

thank you! I didn't think of that.

I’m glad they didn’t choose that as its name, though!

 

[Brush 4]

Okehampton Parkway would have done nicely, in line with the other Parkways.

 

[PLY2AYS]

Okehampton Parkway would have done nicely, in line with the other Parkways.

I’ve been told recently (unsure of how accurate) that when a station is called ‘Parkway’ it means that the TOC serving it most keeps 100% of the revenue of tickets to/from it.

I’m no revenue specialist, so happy to be corrected on this as it may very well be speculation/rumour.

 

[waverley47]

I’ve been told recently (unsure of how accurate) that when a station is called ‘Parkway’ it means that the TOC serving it most keeps 100% of the revenue of tickets to/from it.

I’m no revenue specialist, so happy to be corrected on this as it may very well be speculation/rumour.

Given that both XC and GWR serve Worcestershire Parkway, and that the station was built with public funds instead of TOC private funding, that would seem unlikely.

 

[MarkyT]

Okehampton Parkway would have done nicely, in line with the other Parkways.

I really dislike the parkway suffix in a station name. It came about by accident at the first such station in Bristol because it was near the motorway spur into the city, known locally as the parkway, probably following US use of the term for certain types of highways. Functionally, most stations today have car parks, many of which are fairly large. The stations known as parkways are no longer uniquely well furnished in this respect. I much prefer the term interchange as used here, as that's what it primarily is. It's near some peripheral housing and industry and is also a bus terminus for a local town route that threads through various housing estates en route to the town centre. Improvements to walking and cycling routes are also being implemented. While it has car park clearly, that's just one aspect of its connectivity.

 

[sh24]

I thought Interchange as it's also going to provide better public transport links into Okehampton and surrounding itself? A la Bradford Interchange.

 

[150219]

I’ve been told recently (unsure of how accurate) that when a station is called ‘Parkway’ it means that the TOC serving it most keeps 100% of the revenue of tickets to/from it.

I’m no revenue specialist, so happy to be corrected on this as it may very well be speculation/rumour.

No, that's not correct.

 

[DelW]

I much prefer the term interchange as used here, as that's what it primarily is. It's near some peripheral housing and industry and is also a bus terminus for a local town route that threads through various housing estates en route to the town centre. Improvements to walking and cycling routes are also being implemented. While it has car park clearly, that's just one aspect of its connectivity.

I thought Interchange as it's also going to provide better public transport links into Okehampton and surrounding itself? A la Bradford Interchange.

AIUI the buses to/from Launceston, Bude and Tavistock will be moved to serve Interchange rather than Town station. The roads up to Town aren't well suited to buses (narrowish and lots of parked vehicles) so although it's further to Interchange, it shouldn't take much longer. Both the new station and the revised buses will better serve the industry and new housing on the eastern side of town.

So yes, not just a car-parking station.

 

[Gloster]

I wonder if before long many trains will terminate at Parkway with only some, possibly only a token one or two, going through to the Town? Except for those living in the Station Road and Castle Road area of the town it will be much easier to access the new station than the Town. (I presume that there won’t be the same difficulty as they had when they closed the old Falmouth station.)

 

[MarkyT]

AIUI the buses to/from Launceston, Bude and Tavistock will be moved to serve Interchange rather than Town station. The roads up to Town aren't well suited to buses (narrowish and lots of parked vehicles) so although it's further to Interchange, it shouldn't take much longer. Both the new station and the revised buses will better serve the industry and new housing on the eastern side of town.

Bearing in mind the legacy station is poorly sited, unless you happen to live up that particular hill, the development of another transportation hub for the town is good planning IMO, with rail built in from the start. The interchange could also encourage denser development surrounding it, allowing the town to grow around a secondary nexus.

 

[trainmania100]

Does Okehampton really need 2 stations?

Obviously it's there to serve the surrounding areas without commuters having to park in Okehampton town.

East side of Okehampton easier to get rail links as well.

Don't know why they didn't keep sampford Courtnay as a request stop. Anyone from that area needs to drive to Okehampton now, likely running the risk of ruining their car running short distances at low temperature. A lot worse stations / few facilities platforms in the UK, would SC really cost that much to re open?

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

I wonder if before long many trains will terminate at Parkway with only some, possibly only a token one or two, going through to the Town? Except for those living in the Station Road and Castle Road area of the town it will be much easier to access the new station than the Town. (I presume that there won’t be the same difficulty as they had when they closed the old Falmouth station.)

It is well over half as far again on foot along a not particularly pleasant road from the Fore Street to the new station. The original station is also more convenient for the tourist 'highlights' - Dartmoor, the castle, Granite Way, YHA etc. One downside of Interchange and the buses running there is there will be little shelter and I will not be be able to take advantage of the buffet and a PNB after a long joggly bus ride from Tavistock! The big upside of Interchange will be the large car-park - the original station car-park very quickly fills up.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I can only hope that the new station takes nothing away from the old. The buffet is really good and the bookshop excellent. I’d hate to see them lose trade as a result and close.

 

[fgwrich]

I really dislike the parkway suffix in a station name. It came about by accident at the first such station in Bristol because it was near the motorway spur into the city, known locally as the parkway, probably following US use of the term for certain types of highways. Functionally, most stations today have car parks, many of which are fairly large. The stations known as parkways are no longer uniquely well furnished in this respect. I much prefer the term interchange as used here, as that's what it primarily is. It's near some peripheral housing and industry and is also a bus terminus for a local town route that threads through various housing estates en route to the town centre. Improvements to walking and cycling routes are also being implemented. While it has car park clearly, that's just one aspect of its connectivity.

Slightly off topic but Likewise regarding Didcot.

 

[trainmania100]

Once again the Okehampton line is shut. Wondering now whether a new station is actually worth the whole, or should money be spent on better reinforcing the lineside on the route as it is.

Remember in winter there were major disruptions with trees and snow on the Okehampton line in particular, now it's shut due to a landslip.

Obviously these things happen to any line but if I were a local commuter would I risk parking at interchange , knowing the already infrequent service could be terminated the rest of the day due to a tree or bit of snow (which I don't recall was even cleared by snow ploughs last year... It was just left?) , or just drive to Exeter instead . I wouldn't want to risk it

 

[brad465]

Once again the Okehampton line is shut. Wondering now whether a new station is actually worth the whole, or should money be spent on better reinforcing the lineside on the route as it is.

Remember in winter there were major disruptions with trees and snow on the Okehampton line in particular, now it's shut due to a landslip.

Obviously these things happen to any line but if I were a local commuter would I risk parking at interchange , knowing the already infrequent service could be terminated the rest of the day due to a tree or bit of snow (which I don't recall was even cleared by snow ploughs last year... It was just left?) , or just drive to Exeter instead . I wouldn't want to risk it

I went along the line yesterday as it happens (thankfully before any disruption), and one other observation was the amount of leaf litter making it into the train through the open windows while brushing alongside the line's foliage. Leaf fall season on this line could be particularly interesting for sure.

I can see the interchange being very successful though, to the point that I hope the arrival of 175s leads to longer formations on the line, as a 2-car service won't cope if there's an increase on current patronage to the line as a whole.

 

[Zomboid]

If the new station is successful (and I don't see why it wouldn't be), that will go some way to making a case for reinforcement and resilience works.

 

[brad465]

If the new station is successful (and I don't see why it wouldn't be), that will go some way to making a case for reinforcement and resilience works.

Hopefully also towards reinstating Coleford Jct, upping the line speed between there and Crediton on the Dartmoor line plus removing the token/one train working operation on the line, which would be the low hanging fruit improvements.

 

[devon_belle]

There could be an extra case for improving resilience with the quarry having reopened?

 

[geoffk]

I can only hope that the new station takes nothing away from the old. The buffet is really good and the bookshop excellent. I’d hate to see them lose trade as a result and close.

Indeed, and folks visit Okehampton by train and won't want to be dumped on the outskirts. I hope the town station won't be left without any buses as it's a stiff walk up there from the town centre.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

The Okehampton track from Crediton to Coleford Jcn. also needs relaying - it wasn't done for the reopening and is a slow trundle at the moment.

The vegetation got completely out of hand during the Aggregate Industries era, with some quite large trees embedded in the embankments and cuttings. It is 'tree tunnel' virtually the whole way from Okehampton to Coleford Jcn. - hopefully NR will do something about it.

Any 'proper' redoubling between Crediton and Coleford Jcn. will probably have to wait until Exeter resignalling, and there is the issue of reviving the down platform at Yeoford and providing access to it.

 

[brad465]

Any 'proper' redoubling between Crediton and Coleford Jcn. will probably have to wait until Exeter resignalling, and there is the issue of reviving the down platform at Yeoford and providing access to it.

Are there any plans to re-signal the Exeter area anytime soon?

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Are there any plans to re-signal the Exeter area anytime soon?

The wiring in Exeter PSB is apparently in poor shape - unlike the much older Plymouth - so it is going to have to be tackled sooner or later.

 

[Zomboid]

Any 'proper' redoubling between Crediton and Coleford Jcn. will probably have to wait until Exeter resignalling, and there is the issue of reviving the down platform at Yeoford and providing access to it.

Or put the junction south of the platform

 

[Xavi]

Any 'proper' redoubling between Crediton and Coleford Jcn. will probably have to wait until Exeter resignalling, and there is the issue of reviving the down platform at Yeoford and providing access to it.

Crediton is not part of Exeter panel, there is a separate panel in Crediton SB. Design by NR for the relocation of the Crediton crossovers to Coleford, SSI signalling including Eggesford / Barnstaple, a second platform at Barnstaple, and a loop between Eggesford and Barnstaple was progressed a year or so ago to allow 2tph. Moving the crossovers south of Yeoford would not give the required capacity. All stakeholders support the proposals, but NR has no ‘enhancement’ funding pot at present, only specific schemes approved by DfT (or rather Treasury).