The Evil Bus Driver Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 (edited) On 20/03/2021 at 12:03, The Stationmaster said: The money mentioned (£40Million) equates to more than £2million per mile to bring an existing railway up to the right standard for passenger train operation although the total no doubt includes the cost of the new station at Okehampton East. The figure doesn't surprise me in view of the amount of work needed on the stretch being taken over by NR. But that sort of cost per mile will shrink into insignificance compared with the cost per mile of reopening c.6 miles to Tavistock from Bere Alston at the western end of the route let alone the c.18 miles between Okehampton and Tavistock. As I've remarked previously around 30 years ago I was looking at signalling plans and estimates for the work involved for reopening Bere Alston - Tavistock and even then the idea of that reopening was far from new. Thus far it has taken well over 30 years to get nowhere with the Tavistock reopening and no doubt simply preparing the necessary plans and estimates will now have to be done from scratch and the cost of that work will run well into the hundreds of thousands of £s with bridgeworks involved and the reacquistuion of land which has passed into agricultural use plus finding a suitable site for a station at the Tavistock end. So like Ian I seriously wonder if I will see it in my lifetime and I really doubt that I will ever again be able to travel by train between Plymouth and Tavistock. Doubt I'll see it in my lifetime either to be honest. Lets see if the case gets strengthened by the Okehampton thing. As an aside my dad spend his summer holidays working on a farm near Bere Ferrers (Or is it Beer Ferris?) and I am told there's a small museum with a few items of rolling stock at the station there. Might have to venture down that way at some point and see him. Edited March 23, 2021 by The Evil Bus Driver 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted March 23, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2021 30 minutes ago, The Evil Bus Driver said: As an aside my dad spend his summer holidays working on a farm near Bere Ferrers (Or is it Beer Ferris?) and I am told there's a small museum with a few items of rolling stock at the station there. Might have to venture down that way at some point and see him. Yes, Bere Ferrers station marketed as the Tamar Belle http://www.tamarbelle.co.uk/index.php No idea what their current situation is though. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innerhome Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Bicester (Oxford) - Bletchley is - I think - just over 20 miles for £760m - OK it's double track - but not electrified - so getting to Okehampton for £40m seems an absolute bargain. Does anyone know the possible costs for Okehampton - Bere Alston ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 1 hour ago, Innerhome said: Bicester (Oxford) - Bletchley is - I think - just over 20 miles for £760m - OK it's double track - but not electrified - so getting to Okehampton for £40m seems an absolute bargain. Does anyone know the possible costs for Okehampton - Bere Alston ? As I posted in the other thread the latest figure I could find for the Bere Alston - Tavistock section is £93m from around 18 months ago - so it will be higher now, and likely would go higher once detailed surveys are done. Tavisock - Okehampton would be very expensive - a replacement for Meldon Viaduct being a key expense. The key point to take from Okehampton is that it is easier and cheaper to fix/upgrade an existing line than to restore an abandoned line. I believe some of the experts on here have indicated among the increased costs is that a restored line needs to be built to modern standards - which often would mean substantial work. And it's not just the cost of rebuilding the line - someone then also needs to fund the running of the trains (as it is unlikely they would make a profit) which means an ongoing cost to someone every year. (it's a long thread, but the Dawlish Washout thread I seem to recall has NR estimates for the various alternatives propose - and it was expensive back then). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted March 23, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 23, 2021 1 hour ago, mdvle said: And it's not just the cost of rebuilding the line - someone then also needs to fund the running of the trains (as it is unlikely they would make a profit) which means an ongoing cost to someone every year. I can't see any hope of them making a profit unless they are quicker between Plymouth and Exeter than the existing service. The number of people wanting to travel between Okehampton and Plymouth will be small as will the number wanting to go from Tavistock to Exeter and as such the number of passengers between Okehampton and Tavistock will also be low. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Bus Driver Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 On 23/03/2021 at 10:44, Ramblin Rich said: Yes, Bere Ferrers station marketed as the Tamar Belle http://www.tamarbelle.co.uk/index.php No idea what their current situation is though. That looks quite interesting. A lot more there than I thought. Google Street View has work going on to lay (a bit) more track, like 5 yards or so. Might be worth a visit then. As will Pecorama obviously. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 Just spotted on Twitter! 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, KeithMacdonald said: Just spotted on Twitter! Must be an ex-Suvvern driver in charge of the controls ! Edited June 19, 2021 by bgman 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tartaruga Posted June 26, 2021 Share Posted June 26, 2021 ITV article https://www.itv.com/news/2021-06-19/dartmoor-railway-line-set-to-reopen-after-almost-50-years 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted July 31, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 31, 2021 (edited) We were in Okehampton station earlier today as our daughter was cycling along the Granite Way with Scouts. A few pics of the current state of play. Relayed track on the Up side (further track), looking towards Meldon. The station building and forecourt are cordoned off, presumably while other work is carried out. The Dartmoor Railway association still have a snack bar and fundraising shop in the waiting room on the Down side (nearest) This rather eye-catching poster is on the fencing facing the cycle hire place, behind the goods shed (which is now the YHA). It's by Becky Bettesworth, a local artist. Edited December 17, 2022 by Ramblin Rich replaced images 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted July 31, 2021 Share Posted July 31, 2021 On 24/03/2021 at 19:12, The Evil Bus Driver said: Google Street View has work going on to lay (a bit) more track, like 5 yards or so. Is this it? https://www.google.com/maps/@50.4512707,-4.1811862,3a,43.9y,195.75h,82.06t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sh6G7GtSUfDKEXnxJmXixEA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3Dh6G7GtSUfDKEXnxJmXixEA%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D89.238235%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656 Can't tell whether they are making an inspection pit, or moving a wagon turntable. Or something else? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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