Tavistock rail reopening moved up priority list

[SJDCornwall]

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/plymouth-tavistock-railway-link-moving-6486855

Work on the business case for the rail line reopening has begun

There has been a long-held ambition for the re-opening the link between Tavistock and Plymouth is to encourage people to use rail services, and the reinstatement of the rail line to Tavistock is identified in the 20-year plan of the Peninsula Rail Task Force.

Before Christmas, Damien Jones, the county’s head of transport coordination, had told West Devon councillors that the restoration of the Tavistock-Bere Alston link had moved up in the list of Department for Transport projects.

Preparatory work has been carried out by Network Rail on signalling at Bere Alston, where the line currently terminates, in advance of the possible return to trains to Tavistock.

Spotted on our local press, hope this happens especially as Okehampton is doing so well. We need this as the A386 road is congested badly at peak periods. Also new homes are currently being built at Tavistock which will generate more car ownership.

 

[30907]

I wonder what work has been carried out at Bere Alston? It seems an odd thing to prioritise when we are at the Outline Business Case stage.
Does it simply mean NR have identified what work will need to be done?

Edit: this was one of the projects announced back in the Autumn.

 

[yorksrob]

Excellent news. Fingers crossed we get spades in the ground !

 

[D821]

Is this in a marginal constituency, out of interest?
Local elections, 5th May, perhaps?

 

[swt_passenger]

This is really a bit of a non-story they’ve probably had sitting in their pending tray for a slow news day. Almost the same story appeared in a Tavistock paper a month ago.

i suspect it’s just a late reaction to the last DfT list of reopening funding.

PLANS to bring trains back to Tavistock have taken a step forward after being put firmly on the Government’s ‘map’ of railway projects, according to a senior Devon transport official

Damien Jones, the county’s head of transport coordination, said the long-awaited restoration of the Tavistock-Bere Alston link had moved up in the list of Department for Transport (DfT) projects.

https://www.tavistock-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=440623&headline=Tavistock railway project moves up the list&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2021

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This is really a bit of a non-story they’ve probably had sitting in their pending tray for a slow news day. Almost the same story appeared in a Tavistock paper a month ago.

i suspect it’s just a late reaction to the last DfT list of reopening funding.

Indeed and its competing with all the other projects some of which have already submitted outline business case and with only £500m available it ain't going to go very far. Remember they still haven't full authorised Ashington and Portishead is dragging on. The next favoured route looks like Fawley having been awarded development money.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The problem with Tavistock is what to do at Bere Alston with the Gunnislake branch. Whichever option chosen will add ££££ onto a scheme.

 

[John Luxton]

The statement of intent for Tavistock has been there for a long time.

I photographed this poster at Gunnislake in May 2014 when it had been hoped Tavistock would have been reopened by the end of 2016. That was when it was going to have been funded by the housing developers. As can be seen Tavistock was clearly shown - though unnamed on the Tamar Valley Route Map.

As someone who visits the area fairly regularly it is obvious some improvement is needed in transport links between Tavistock and Plymouth as at commuter times the roads can be very congested.

The problem with Tavistock is what to do at Bere Alston with the Gunnislake branch. Whichever option chosen will add ££££ onto a scheme.

I think the answer here is not that difficult.

Make the former UP platform the main Tavistock - Plymouth platform with the other side reinstated at the Gunnislake branch platform facilitating cross platform interchange.

The Gunnislake line could be run as a shuttle with a through working at the beginning and end of the day timed to connect with the mainline Tavistock - Plymouth service.

 

[Llandudno]

Is this in a marginal constituency, out of interest?
Local elections, 5th May, perhaps?

After the numerous parties at No 10, I suspect all constituencies are now marginal….!

 

[Ashley Hill]

TBH standing around at Bere Alston waiting for your connection to/from Cornwall will probably put off those commuters travelling over Calstock viaduct. Even just putting in a simple ground frame will need some sort of controls to prevent two in section.

 

[zwk500]

Am I allowed to be cynical and suggest that it's moved from number 1,500 on the DfT list to Number 1,236? Far easier projects are still really, really struggling to get off the ground. Tavistock is not going to get proper weight behind it unless private money becomes involved in making it happen.

I suspect NR have done a desk-based assessment of what would be needed. Tbh if it happens it'll be so far in the future that my bet would be on converting it to ETCS.

 

[30907]

TBH standing around at Bere Alston waiting for your connection to/from Cornwall will probably put off those commuters travelling over Calstock viaduct. Even just putting in a simple ground frame will need some sort of controls to prevent two in section.

AIUI the arrangement will be similar to Bourne End operationally, with the Gunnislake bit a shuttle service apart from the first Up ex Plymouth/last back.
With traditional signalling you'd use an intermediate key token instrument working a ground frame.

 

[fgwrich]

AIUI the arrangement will be similar to Bourne End operationally, with the Gunnislake bit a shuttle service apart from the first Up ex Plymouth/last back.
With traditional signalling you'd use an intermediate key token instrument working a ground frame.

That's good to hear, I was wondering if it would either be a Bourne End style set up or if something similar to a Penryn style loop with a long single platform could be utilised. It does make me think though that a Gunnislake shuttle could be better utilised with a single 153 though.

 

[CptCharlee]

I'm sure the official plans/hopes are for..
An hourly Plymouth to Tavistock service
2 Hourly Plymouth to Gunnislake

Planners/Devon County Council state the current Plymouth to Gunnislake service will remain as it is and be unaffected by any Tavistock reopening.

 

[Annetts key]

To be honest, as ERTMS/ETCS is not likely before 2035, a modern computer interlocking controlling SSI modules, via a datalink over the railways telecommunication infrastructure would be the most flexible.

Train detection could be via axle counters. Signals would be LED type. The point could be a clamp lock.

Yes, higher cost than another key token instrument working a ground frame.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Either way you’d have to prove the Gunnislake unit is locked safely on the branch before the Tavistock staff/key is released at St Budeaux.

 

[30907]

AIUI the arrangement will be similar to Bourne End operationally, with the Gunnislake bit a shuttle service apart from the first Up ex Plymouth/last back.
With traditional signalling you'd use an intermediate key token instrument working a ground frame.

From another forum I understand that a key token installation would not be permitted for new/revised work, so it would have to be something slightly more sophisticated (and expensive) but serving the same purpose.
That would probably permit 3 trains per 2h between Bere A and St Budeaux as a bonus, so I may have been unfair to the local authority upthread.

 

[yorkie]

If there are any further developments, please report this post (including a draft of what you wish to post) and we will unlock the thread to enable progress updates to be posted.

For speculative discussion, please use the following thread:

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...sion-might-operate.95689/page-16#post-5491270