Dartmoor Railway
Coordinates: 50°43′55″N 3°59′46″W / 50.732°N 3.996°W
| Dartmoor Railway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 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 1⁄2 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 |
| Headquarters | Okehampton |
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The Dartmoor Railway is a 15 1⁄2-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 whilst the Coleford to Crediton section is owned by Network Rail. In the past freight trains served the ballast quarry at Meldon. The line is leased to and maintained by the Dartmoor Railway CIC,[1] who operate some services and facilitate access to the line by other operators.
A public service between Exeter and Okehampton is run on summer Sundays operated by Great Western Railway. Ballast and stone trains were formerly operated by one of the national freight operating companies. In 2011 the quarry was mothballed leading to the suspension of ballast and stone trains. The line is also used occasionally by other operators for training purposes. The railway is also visited from time to time by main line charter services. These can be easily facilitated via the connection to the national network at Crediton.
The route was originally part of the London and South Western Railway West of England Main Line (Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR) 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 The Exeter to Okehampton passenger service was withdrawn by British Rail in 1972.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 were operated to Okehampton and Meldon Quarry during the passenger closure period. The railway reopened to regular passenger services in 1997 with the formation of Dartmoor Railway. A summer Sunday passenger service was introduced from Exeter to Okehampton as part of the Dartmoor Rover network.
British American Railway Services Ltd, a company created by Iowa Pacific Holdings of Chicago, became the new owner of the Dartmoor Railway CIC on 4 September 2008. The company announced its intention to develop freight, passenger and tourist services on the railway.[2]
Volunteer support for the railway is provided by the Dartmoor Railway Supporters Association (DRSA). Volunteers assist the railway operation in many of its activities.[3]
The Dartmoor Railway currently runs at a total of 15 1⁄2 miles (24.9 km) in length making the line the eighth longest preserved Standard Gauge railway in Great Britain.
A proposal was made in 2009 to restore and reopen the disused down platform at Yeoford and extend Dartmoor Railway services to terminate there. At the time it was not 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 towards Yeoford and Crediton.[4] If this proposal were eventually achieved it could allow the extension of Dartmoor Railway passenger services and provide the possibility of interchange with Exeter - Barnstaple "Tarka line" trains.
Passenger Volume
| Station usage | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station Name | 2002–03 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 |
| Crediton | 21,607 | 22,478 | 22,550 | 24,021 | 27,422 | 32,344 | 36,784 | 44,074 | 48,978 | 43,016 | 50,342 |
| Sampford Courtenay | 0 | 76 | 136 | 150 | 146 | ||||||
| Okehampton | 0 | 3,622 | 3,526 | 3,438 | 3,208 | ||||||
| Meldon Quarry | |||||||||||
| The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail Regulation statistics. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve month periods that start in April. Please note that methodology may vary year on year. | |||||||||||
Passenger usage statistics relate only to the limited Summer Sunday only National Rail services operated by Great Western Railway. They do not include the Heritage or Polar Express trains operated on the railway.
Heritage Activities
Heritage services are operated between Meldon Quarry and Okehampton with extension to Sampford Courtenay, 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 includes a Class 205 "Thumper" unit restored to its original livery and number. Services are also operated using restored diesel locomotives in push-pull trains and top and tail mode with a variety of coaching and ex-EMU stock. Steam hauled services have also operated from time to time.
Public Train Services
Devon County Council continue to sponsor the Sunday Rover trains between Exeter and Okehampton. These have run since the 1997 reopening and operated again in 2015 with services running from mid May to early-September.
The service consists of four return trips between St James Park station in Exeter and Okehampton. These trains connect with bus services and heritage railway services at Okehampton, Tarka line rail services at Crediton and other national rail services at Exeter.
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[5] 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 that services could start as early as May 2010. In the event, this date was not realised and the project is currently not being pursued.
At Christmas 2012 the railway ran the "Polar Express" based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg and Warner Brothers film of the same name. Further Polar Express events have run in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Rolling Stock
Diesel Locomotives
| Number and name | Origin | Wheel arrangement |
Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08937 | BR | 0-6-0 | Class 08 | - | - |
Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU)
| Number and name | Origin | Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR | 59520 DTCL | British Rail Class 117 | Awaiting Restoration | - |
Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU)
| Number and name | Origin | Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR | Unit 60146, 60673 and 60827 Set No 205028 (1128) | British Rail Class 205 | Awaiting Restoration | - |
| BR | Unit 60150, 60677 and 60831 Set No 205031 (1132) | British Rail Class 205 | Awaiting Restoration | - |
Electric Multiple Unit (EMU)
| Number and name | Origin | Class | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR | Unit 61742 and 61743 Set No 1198 | British Rail Class 411 4-Cep | Awaiting Restoration, Only DMBS present, | - |
| BR | Unit 70273 Set No 1392 | British Rail Class 411 4-Cep | Stored, Only Trailer Second, | - |
| BR | Unit 76747, 62385, 70508 and 76818 Set No 1399 | British Rail Class 421 4-Cig | Under Restoration, 76818 at Eastleigh | - |
| BR | Unit 69332 Set No 2203 | British Rail Class 421 4-Bep | Used as catering facility | - |
| BR | Unit 69310 Set No 7040 | British Rail Class 421 4-Bep | Used as catering facility | - |
| BR | Unit 76397, 70904 and 76398 Set No 3905 | British Rail Class 423 4-Vop | Under Restoration | - |
| BR | Unit 76277 Set No 8005 | British Rail Class 438 4-Tc | Operational | - |
Carriages
| Origin | Number | Type | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Railways | 34249 | MK.I Brake Corridor Second | Operational, | |
| British Railways | 35327 | MK.I Brake Corridor Second | Operational, | |
| British Railways | 13436 | MK.II Corridor First | Operational, | |
| British Railways | 3411 | MK.II Open First | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 3419 | MK.II Open First | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 9501 | MK.II Brake Open Second | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 6181 | MK.II Open Second | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 5920 | MK.II Tourist Second Open | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 3387 | MK.II Open First | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 3353 | MK.II Open First | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 6002 | MK.II Tourist Second Open | Stored, | |
| British Railways | 10595 | MK.III Convertible Sleeper | Used as overnight sleeper | |
| British Railways | 10611 | MK.III Convertible Sleeper | Used as overnight sleeper | |
| British Railways | 10518 | MK.III Convertible Sleeper | Used as overnight sleeper |
Wagons and other rolling stock
| Origin | Number | Type | Notes | Photograph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Railways | 924848 | 4 wheel steel flatbed | Operational | |
| British Railways | 726277 | 4 wheel steel open Dace | Operational | |
| British Railways | 290133 | 4 wheel steel open Zander | Operational | |
| PO | 999045 | 4 wheel Class B Fuel Tank | Stored | |
| British Railways | 994xxx | Bogie 3-plank Open Sturgeon A | Operational | |
| British Railways | 992929 | Dogfish 4w Steel Hopper | Operational | |
| British Railways | 9983187 | Dogfish 4w Steel Hopper | Operational | |
| British Railways | 889022 | Ferry Van | Operational | |
| Southern Railway | 55625 | Pillbox 4w Brake Van | Operational | |
| London, Midland and Scottish Railway | 731411 | 4w Brake Van | Operational | |
| British Railways | 96212 | Mk 1 GUV | Operational | |
| British Railways | 87554 | Blue Spot Four wheel Fish Van | Body only | |
| British Railways | 94691 | Four-wheel CCT | Operational |
External links
- Dartmoor Railway Supporters Association website. - for information on Heritage and Dartmoor Sunday Rover Services and other detailed information about the railway and its heritage.
- Dartmoor Railway website. - for details of Polar Express.
References
- 1 2 "About the railway". Friends of Dartmoor Railway. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ↑ Heritage Railway, Pub. Heritage Railway Magazine. Issue 116, 2 October 2008 - 29 October 2008. P. 18.
- ↑ "Volunteers". Dartmoor Railway Supporters Association. Retrieved 25 March 2013. Dartmoor Railway Supporters Association website Volunteers page
- ↑ "News". Dartmoor Railway. Retrieved 2 October 2009. Dartmoor Railway website Newspage
- ↑ "Dartmoor Railway Applies to Run to Exeter" - Broadbent, S; RAIL Magazine news article, Issue 641, 7–20 April 2010, p.18