Ashburton Station

[WishIHadAName]

 

Please can I direct people to the followinf Facebook group

 

https://touch.facebook.com/groups/1441110242787862?ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_comment_reply

 

The group are asking to be shared and for people to oppose the following development of the site

http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/planning/pl-forwardplanning/masterplans-and-development-briefs/ashburton-masterplan

Objections can be emailed to here

forwardplanning@dartmoor.gov.uk

[meil]

And the basis of objection being what exactly?

[TomJ]

From what I understand from the FB page the objection is that this would prevent the SDR from ever returning to Ashburton. But realistically is that actually likely to happen? The obstacles would seem huge.

I suppose the question is whether it is realistic to expect the authorities to keep the site as it is just in case the SDR does expand?

[rovex]

I thought the track bed had had a road built over it which was why the line was curtailed in the first place?

[Kev_Lewis]

The statement below from the SDR, taken from the Facebook page, explains very thoroughly the situation and the SDR's position.

 

I am impressed with the support and enthusiasm this campaign has generated and would like to clarify the SDR’s historic and current position.

In the mid 1990’s the SDR looked at the possibility of returning the railway to the original station at Ashburton. The route was surveyed and would have required a tunnel under the A38 followed by a completely new formation up the Ashburn Valley as far as Pear Tree Cross where the old formation (now Bulliver’s Way) would be regained. Work was undertaken to establish land ownership as the new formation would require significant land purchase and all landowners were contacted, approximately two thirds were supportive or non-committal, the remainder failed to respond. Exeter University undertook a feasibility study and the construction costs in 1997 were estimated at £5m to which would have to be added the cost of land acquisition. With inflation the current construction cost alone is probably around £20m. All the original files are retained in our archives.

In those days the SDR operated the Buckfastleigh – Totnes line under a 25 year lease from the DVR. We were then offered the opportunity to negotiate the purchase of the freehold and the board judged this should be our immediate priority in order to secure our long term future. It was also felt that raising the £1.15m cost of the freehold was more achievable than the £5m+ cost of going back to Ashburton and, significantly at that time, there was no major threat to the continued survival of the old buildings. We therefore stated that we would only pursue the extension project if someone could raise the required funds and prove its commercial viability (to avoid an adverse impact on the existing railway).

The freehold was finally secured in 2001 and since then we have maintained the above position, that is the extension would have our support if funds could be found. Now that there is a direct threat to some of the old infrastructure the board will be asked at their next meeting later this month to support the moves by the campaign group to secure the future of the railway heritage in Ashburton, I anticipate this will be forthcoming and we will therefore respond to the consultation process accordingly. I am also hopeful that at least one of our directors will be attending the public meeting. Unfortunately we would be unable to provide any financial support at this stage as we need all our resources to maintain what we already have.

Alan Taylor
Chairman
South Devon Railway Trust

 

[Chris Chewter]

And the basis of objection being what exactly?

 

As posted above, the extension is not unfeasible, but the proposed development would make it impossible!  

 

That aside, take a look at the draft Masterplan documents on the website. Ashburton is a historic town. The building styles being proposed are the usual modern tat that is unfitting of this town and are unsuitable for the existing built environment.

 

However I'm aware that design is subjective, and therefore not everyone will be as offended to the architecture as I.

[roythebus]

I think we all have to take the view that we cannot keep all the old railway sites and structures for ever. There's enough projects to be done throughout the country competing for funds and volunteers to build and operate them.

[Andy Kirkham]

What would the scenery on the Ashburton extension be like? Might the experience be blighted by proximity to the A38?

[great central]

The statement below from the SDR, taken from the Facebook page, explains very thoroughly the situation and the SDR's position.

 

 

The last sentence of that statement says a lot in my opinion. 'They need all their current resources to maintain what they already have'. Given that some railways are struggling for volunteers, would it make sense to spend £20m+ on something that perhaps there would be insufficient members to maintain?

[JonKing]

The last sentence of that statement says a lot in my opinion. 'They need all their current resources to maintain what they already have'. Given that some railways are struggling for volunteers, would it make sense to spend £20m+ on something that perhaps there would be insufficient members to maintain?

That is the crux of the matter, it is evident from the SDR statement that there is no clear business case for the initial capital spend (which would no doubt be significantly more now than the £5m calculated in 2001), once complete the additional OPEX spend would need to be budgeted for and would need to take into account the maintenance costs of additional civils assets, utilities, rates etc even if there were sufficient volunteer labour. The fact that 1/3 of affected landowners failed to respond would make this project very difficult anyway with no CPO powers!

 

The SDR is an ideal length already would be best served by focussing on improving the facilities at Buckfastleigh (I thought there was a grand scheme some time ago to install a new roundhouse using the turntable currently rusting to the rear of the workshop?) and Totnes, where a more robust business case could probably be made for extending across the dart and relocating Littlehempston station to the old dairy crest site (whilst still an unrealistic proposition probably more realistic than reopening to Ashburton).

[298]

The problem with Buckfastleigh Station is it looks like a nicely preserved GWR example in parts, but otherwise as a typial preservation site. Adding an overall roof isn't going to change the atmosphere, and there is another in use at another "Preserved" railway nearby.

[Bernard Lamb]

Not sure what this topic is doing in the preservation area of the forum.

It's gone as a railway.....end off.

I would call it a brown field site and as such it has to be high on the list for development.

The quality of that development is a matter to be sorted out between the developer and the local authority.

Bernard