Dartmoor Railway Closes

[devon_metro]

The preserved line from Sampford Courtenay - Meldon Quarry had closed after the owner pulled out of UK rail.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7354165.stm

 

[Dennis]

Had some good days out there, be a shame if it cannot be revitalised under new ownership, it has a lot of potential.

 

[TheSlash]

I believe the closure is a temporary measure whilst a new owner is found and that a number of companies are in discussion with ECT.
I think the railway should be re opened as a volunteer organisation, employing key staff where neccessary
One of the major closurers is the buffet at Okehampton. This would normally be open even on non running days, serving high quality food at reasonable prices.

 

[paul1609]

Presumably this also means the end of Summer Sunday services to Oakhampton?
Its a shame for the volunteers there but doesnt really surprise me, I know that HMRI had expressed some concern as to the way the railway was being run after a number of safety related incidents.
To be honest, as a former director of a Heritage Railway I feel that the industry is inevitably going to contract over the next few years. I think that several smaller sites will close and i reckon at least one major player will go in to receivership in the next 5 years.

 

[Metroland]

The only ace in the pack I can see is Stirling is very low against the Euro atm, which makes European holidays poor value, which may mean more people stop in the UK and visit preserved sites.

 

[TheSlash]

Presumably this also means the end of Summer Sunday services to Oakhampton?
Its a shame for the volunteers there but doesnt really surprise me, I know that HMRI had expressed some concern as to the way the railway was being run after a number of safety related incidents.
To be honest, as a former director of a Heritage Railway I feel that the industry is inevitably going to contract over the next few years. I think that several smaller sites will close and i reckon at least one major player will go in to receivership in the next 5 years.

No summer services. The closure is trading related, Paul, rather than operational reasons. The line will still be used by the stone train

 

[paul1609]

Where are the EMUs being transferred, Coventry?

 

[Galvanize]

Where are the EMUs being transferred, Coventry?

3CEP 1198 "linda" is going to the Eden Valley Railway, not sure about the TC set, or the Thumpers, 4CIG 1399 might be going for scrap.

 

[960012]

Tis a great Shame, i never got the chance to go down there.

 

[support-uk-rail]

I was just about to write in about this...

As it is a few miles drive, I was in Okehampton and went to the model shop last Wednesday. On the thursday I returned, and it was shut "temproarily".

I thought nothing of it, but when I went on Wikipedia to look at the current loco roster, I found it had shut the next day!

Don't worry, you didn't miss much. They only really used the DMU except on galas.

They didn't know how to run a railway; they were leasing two locomotives from Fragonset, but I'd only seen them used at diesel galas. It's an example of how to fritter money if your a heritage railway with debts and little funding.

I beleive the station is still open to the model shop and cáfe?

The website still says nothing about it!

So what's happening with the stock?

Since you guys know all about all with rail, could you tell me how I can find out about their loco movements, as all trains coming out must pass my village, so I'd be grateful to see them

Cheers.

 

[TheSlash]

Where are the EMUs being transferred, Coventry?

I wouldn't know, only what Galvanize has posted. Haven't you got French to be shooting?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Since you guys know all about all with rail, could you tell me how I can find out about their loco movements, as all trains coming out must pass my village, so I'd be grateful to see them

Cheers.

Your best bet would be signing up to a group called South Western Rail Gen {or similar?} It's possible that some items of rolling stock and locomotives may have to leave by road due to not being fit or certified to travel on Network Rail metals

 

[TheSlash]

This Might be interesting to some

 

[support-uk-rail]

That was useful to me

My question is what happens to the stock?

 

[Nick279]

yes sadly the growth of the preservationist must be coming to a peak and I often wonder what things will be like in the next 50 years, possibly the majority of running locos will be static displays, mainline running also has its days numbered now that many of the main lines are being speeded up. I do hope the meldon Quarry line get taken over the last time I was dowmn there we hitched a cab ride back to exeter in a red warship, ahh, those where the days.

 

[Lyd2-08]

From some of the comments on here it’s clear that one of Dartmoor’s biggest failings was its PR. The railway never managed to get itself portrayed as the kind of operation it was.

Dartmoor Railway was far more than a heritage railway; the volunteer aspect of the line was only a small part of the overall operation. To clear up a couple of points in what is a rather more complex situation.
Dartmoor Railway was not only the operating company that ran the tourist trains and commercial outlets. It also provided the onboard ticket staff for the Devon CC funded Sunday only trains from Exeter. Dartmoor Railway effectively hired in these units and crew on behalf of Devon CC. DR also organised all the timetabling and interface with Network Rail to operate these services.
The track from Meldon to Coleford is and will continue to be owned by Aggregate Industries. Management of the operational safety case and all structure inspections and maintenance was being carried out by Dartmoor and RMS staff. To allow the freight trains to continue running the line inspections will need to continue. Again DR staff were responsible for the organising the freight trains up the branch. Quite who is going to do this now I'm not sure as I'm no longer directly connected to it. A director of Dartmoor Railway board I spoke to recently was equally in the dark.
Given the nature of the operations of the railway I can't envisage a supporter’s type society being capable of taking it over.
Incidentally the loco's were not 'hired in' from Frangonset and they were used far more frequently than at gala's.

 

[support-uk-rail]

Incidentally the loco's were not 'hired in' from Frangonset and they were used far more frequently than at gala's.

That's not what I was told.

 

[JT42CWRDriver]

Being new here, and a working volunteer on the Dartmoor Railway, I thought I would update this post.
The Dartmoor Railway resumed passenger services from Okehampton to Meldon on Good Friday using "Thumper" 1132. Services are now running on weekends and Bank Holidays, with the Buffet and Model Shop re-opened. Work continues on the ex-4BIG Buffet car at Meldon which will hopefully be re-opening in a matter of weeks. From the 23rd May every other service on Saturdays runs to Sampford Courtenay. FGW have now restarted the Sunday Rover service from Exeter.

Work is scheduled to start on Yeoford in the autumn, and the new owners have some ambitious plans for the future. There is a pressing need for more volunteers in all departments at the moment, so if you fancy getting stuck in, you would be most welcome. I would like to stress that the line is now being run by experienced Railway People who have a strong determination not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

 

[TrainBrain185]

Being new here, and a working volunteer on the Dartmoor Railway, I thought I would update this post.
The Dartmoor Railway resumed passenger services from Okehampton to Meldon on Good Friday using "Thumper" 1132. Services are now running on weekends and Bank Holidays, with the Buffet and Model Shop re-opened. Work continues on the ex-4BIG Buffet car at Meldon which will hopefully be re-opening in a matter of weeks. From the 23rd May every other service on Saturdays runs to Sampford Courtenay. FGW have now restarted the Sunday Rover service from Exeter.

Work is scheduled to start on Yeoford in the autumn, and the new owners have some ambitious plans for the future. There is a pressing need for more volunteers in all departments at the moment, so if you fancy getting stuck in, you would be most welcome. I would like to stress that the line is now being run by experienced Railway People who have a strong determination not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

I was informed this railway has been taken over by the same people who are operating the Weardale Railway? Though I would need confirmation of that.