Dartmoor Railway
Coordinates: 50°43′55″N 3°59′46″W / 50.732°N 3.996°W
| Dartmoor Railway | |
|---|---|
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| Okehampton railway station, on the Dartmoor Railway | |
| Locale | Devon, England |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | British Rail |
| Built by | London and South Western Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | Aggregate Industries Ltd |
| Operated by | Dartmoor Railway CIC [1] |
| Length | 15.5 miles (24.9 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 1865/1879 |
| Closed | 1968 (West of Meldon to all traffic) 1972 (to regular passenger services from Okehampton to Exeter) |
| Preservation history | |
| 1997 | Regular passenger services restarted by Dartmoor Railway |
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The Dartmoor Railway is a 15.5-mile (24.9 km) long railway line in Devon, England. From Crediton the line parallels the Tarka Line to the site of the former Coleford Junction. Heading west it then serves Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton and Meldon Quarry. The route is owned from Coleford to Meldon by Aggregate Industries. Freight trains served the ballast quarry at Meldon. The line is leased to and maintained by the Dartmoor Railway CIC,[1] who operate heritage railway services. A public service between Exeter and Okehampton is run on summer Sundays operated by First Great Western. Ballast trains were operated by one of the national freight operating companies. In 2011 the quarry was mothballed leading to the suspension of ballast trains for the time being.
The route was originally part of the London and South Western Railway West of England Main Line from Exeter to Plymouth, which opened between 1865 and 1879. In 1968, British Rail closed the line beyond Meldon as part of the Beeching cuts. The Exeter to Okehampton passenger service was withdrawn by British Rail in 1972. Between 1972 and 1997 the line was used for railway ballast traffic from Meldon Quarry and occasional freight traffic to the remaining goods yard at Okehampton before its closure. Occasional Charter and Special trains operated to Okehampton and Meldon Quarry during the passenger closure period. The railway reopened to regular passenger services in 1997 with the creation of Dartmoor Railway.
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[edit] Public train services
Devon County Council sponsor the Sunday Rover trains between Exeter and Okehampton. These have run since the 1997 reopening and operated again in 2011 with services running from late May to mid September.
The service consisted of five return trips between St James Park station in Exeter and Okehampton. These trains connected with bus services and heritage railway services at Okehampton, and Tarka line rail services at Crediton.
Devon & Cornwall Railways Ltd (a subsidiary of British American Railway Services Ltd) announced its intention to operate through services from Okehampton to Exeter in 2010, having made a track access application to Network Rail on 18 March 2010[2] to operate four return services each weekday between Okehampton and St James Park and a further two (plus one on Sundays) as far as Exeter St Davids. This service would run under an "open access" licence. It was initially hoped services could start in May 2010. In the event this date was not realised and the application continues to await approval by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).
[edit] Heritage activities
Heritage services generally operate between Meldon Quarry and Sampford Courtenay with extension to Bow or the DR/Network Railway boundary on special event days. The former stations at North Tawton and Bow remain closed to passengers. Both stations are in private ownership and have no public access. The heritage services use a variety of rolling stock which include a Class 205 "Thumper" unit restored to its original livery and number. Services also operate using restored diesel locomotives in push-pull trains and top and tail mode with a variety of coaching and ex EMU stock. Steam services also operate occasionally. Volunteer support for the railway is provided by Dartmoor Railway Supporters Association (DRSA). Volunteers assist the railway operation in many of its activities.[3]
British American Railway Services Ltd, a new company created by Iowa Pacific Holdings of Chicago, became the new owner of the Dartmoor Railway CIC on 4 September 2008. The company intends to develop freight, passenger and tourist services on the railway.[4]
A proposal has been made to restore and reopen the disused down platform at Yeoford. So far it has not been possible to agree arrangements with Network Rail who own Yeoford Station and the section of line from near the site of the former Coleford Junction.[5] If eventually achieved it could allow the extension of Dartmoor Railway passenger services and provide the possibility of interchange with the Exeter - Barnstaple "Tarka line".
[edit] Locomotives
- Diesel Locomotives
- Diesel Multiple Units
- BR Class 205 units 205028 (1128) and 205032 (1132). Unit 1132 (205032) Under Repair. Unit 1128 (205028) Awaiting Restoration.
- Electrical Multiple Units
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b "About the railway". Friends of Dartmoor Railway. http://www.friendsofdartmoorrailway.org/railway.php. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ^ "Dartmoor Railway Applies to Run to Exeter" - Broadbent, S; RAIL Magazine news article, Issue 641, 7–20 April 2010, p.18
- ^ "Volunteers". Dartmoor Railway. http://www.dartmoor-railway.co.uk/volunteers.html. Retrieved 3 October 2009. Dartmoor Railway website Volunteers page
- ^ Heritage Railway, Pub. Heritage Railway Magazine. Issue 116, 2 October 2008 - 29 October 2008. P. 18.
- ^ "News". Dartmoor Railway. http://www.dartmoor-railway.co.uk/news.html. Retrieved 2 October 2009. Dartmoor Railway website Newspage
