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Heathfield branch developments


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Hi Brian,

 

This photo is looking North West (towards Moretonhampstead) and was taken from the cycle path at the side of the Exeter bound A38 looking down at what's left of Heathfield station. Shame to see it so overgrown but great to see a train on the tracks.

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As I've peered over that bridge many times years ago, it is difficult to believe that this is actually the site of Heathfield. No station, no siding to the pottery factory, no factory! I assume this is a runaround track for the branch which now looks as if in the middle of a forest! Thanks for the ID.

 

Brian.

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As I've peered over that bridge many times years ago, it is difficult to believe that this is actually the site of Heathfield. No station, no siding to the pottery factory, no factory! I assume this is a runaround track for the branch which now looks as if in the middle of a forest! Thanks for the ID.

 

Brian.

Interestingly, there are quite a lot of industrial buildings immediately next to the railway, either side of the trees, but I agree, you wouldn't know just looking at that.

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Well what a fantastic experience it was on Saturday 10th October riding the green GWR livery HST down to Heathfield from Buckfastleigh.

 

It was great to see so many people there to enjoy the occasion with seemingly every over bridge, gateway and vantage point along the route occupied by at least a handful of people.

 

Thanks to those that made the day possible. Unfortunately I didn't take a single photo on the day but lots of others did which can be seen on Facebook, Flickr, Twiter and there are a few videos on YouTube.

 

Here's hoping that there will be another exscursion down the line soon!

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In view of the shortage of branch lines nowadays, where else could a HST travel in the south west or have they been everywhere already?

 

Brian.

It depends on Route Availability, Brian. Certainly they've been to Falmouth, the regularly run to Newquay. Not sure re St Ives. Doubt that we would be allowed to get one round the connecting line at Liskeard, to gain access to the Looe branch (and only ECS, due to the sharpness of the curve). Probably OK as far as Bere Alston, but definitely not beyond towards Gunnislake. Access to the Bodmin & Wenford will depend on the length of the Reception Siding, which I suspect is too short for a full length set.

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  • 3 months later...

All quiet at the moment, I'm afraid. There was some flood damage a few weeks ago, but the timber traffic is now well established in Exeter Riverside Yard.

Thanks for the info. Hope they manage to sort the flood damage.

 

I've heard of two different schemes that want to see the Heathfield branch back in to life.

 

One was using a tram system to operate as an hourly shuttle between Heathfield and Newton Abbot. The other was to open the line as a heritage/commuter line; this was mentioned by a local councillor in a local magazine.

 

Here's hoping at least one of these proposals will come to fruition.

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Remains of west country branches are dear to my heart from the small PVR to the more ambitious B & W and SDR.  There are not a lot left that are still in NRs jurisdiction, Cattewater and this one; all the rest are taken. There are the builders; Helston, PVR and those direct from the railway; SDR, B & W and the Torbay line.  A lot would have to be done with the Heathfield line in clean up particularly around Heathfield station which would need some rehab should it become the terminus.  Unlike the others, its not a really scenic line which is almost mandatory.  Don't \know what the track is like but it did have an HST visit recently.  Whether NR would like the use of the branch platform at Newton is an unknown but at least there's a main line connection still.

 

It would be nice to see this one go somewhere so  hopefully the aforementioned enthusiastic councillor has connections.!

 

Brian.

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Remains of west country branches are dear to my heart from the small PVR to the more ambitious B & W and SDR.  There are not a lot left that are still in NRs jurisdiction, Cattewater and this one; all the rest are taken. 

Parkandillack and Fowey are both NR infrastructure.

 

Par Harbour (from St Blazey Yard) is DB Schenker.

 

Devonport Dockyard (from Keyham) is MoD.

 

Okehampton/Meldon belongs to Aggregate Industries Ltd, but is leased to Dartmoor Railway, which is effectively a subsidiary of Iowa Pacific.

 

There are no other freight-only branches left in the West Country.

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Parkandillack and Fowey are both NR infrastructure.

 

Par Harbour (from St Blazey Yard) is DB Schenker.

 

Devonport Dockyard (from Keyham) is MoD.

 

Okehampton/Meldon belongs to Aggregate Industries Ltd, but is leased to Dartmoor Railway, which is effectively a subsidiary of Iowa Pacific.

 

There are no other freight-only branches left in the West Country.

Is Okehampton - Meldon still up for sale?

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Remains of west country branches are dear to my heart from the small PVR to the more ambitious B & W and SDR.  There are not a lot left that are still in NRs jurisdiction, Cattewater and this one; all the rest are taken. There are the builders; Helston, PVR and those direct from the railway; SDR, B & W and the Torbay line.  A lot would have to be done with the Heathfield line in clean up particularly around Heathfield station which would need some rehab should it become the terminus.  Unlike the others, its not a really scenic line which is almost mandatory.  Don't \know what the track is like but it did have an HST visit recently.  Whether NR would like the use of the branch platform at Newton is an unknown but at least there's a main line connection still.

 

It would be nice to see this one go somewhere so  hopefully the aforementioned enthusiastic councillor has connections.!

 

Brian.

Well, I did email the councillor (he was looking for feedback from the community) and got a response that unfortunately didn't elaborate further on any of the potential proposals; how far along it was, what the likelihood of the proposal progressing was etc. I'll keep you informed if I hear any more news, although I'm sure Captain Kernow will be well ahead of anything I am likely to read in Cottage Magazine!

 

It's an interesting point with the current Heathfield station as it appears to be quite restricted from an access point of view as a result of the British Ceramic Tile (BCT) building on one side and the Dainton Storage depot on the other side. If money was no object and there was a real push to reopen the line etc., etc., I would see that the best solution would be to build a new station (platforms and all) a touch further up the line on a vacant parcel of land that sits directly to the North West of the BCT depot. I have seen on the Teignbridge website that there were plans to build ~60 homes on this land a few years ago but the planning got nowhere. You could envisage a Park & Ride car park with a new station building for commuters to use, plus, a siding and loading bay for freight traffic that could serve the thriving Heathfield Industrial estate (BCT, Heltor & IMERYS to name a few) as an option to load traffic on to the trains and off the road.

 

Anyway (back to reality), it's just nice to know that the branch line is still there after all these years and hopefully as time moves on, the line moves closer to the next chapter in it's colourful life.

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  • 3 months later...
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Sources within NR, still loyal to the Captain, have informed me that the Heathfield branch has now been officially mothballed until at least the autumn of 2018. This is to save on maintenance inspections etc. I knew this was coming before I retired, and there was little I could do to oppose it, given the current lack of freight interest on the branch.

 

There will almost certainly be a 'minimum notice period', which any FOC can make use of, to require the branch to be brought back into use again.

 

Even more unfortunate was the discovery that the curve at the Newton Abbot end was now too sharp (following a revision of Standards), to allow passenger operation over it, without a check rail being fitted, hence this has effectively ruled out any further charter operations to Heathfield for the forseeable future, a great pity.

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