Okehampton - Exeter open a year- success?

[Bald Rick]

You have to remember that reinstating passenger service to Okehampton was every bit as political as the Borders Railway.

Indeed it was. And the incremental political capital to be won with a second reopening in the area is proportionally much smaller.

 

[Craig1122]

"An express bus service would have done as well but , at present, railways are politically correct, roads are not"

Having crawled into Exeter by car from that direction this seems unlikely. Buses are inevitably cheaper to run but just aren't as attractive.

On that occasion I looked at Park & Ride from Crediton but ruled it out due to the 1tph service. A decision that would probably have been different with the current service.

 

[Xavi]

Indeed it was. And the incremental political capital to be won with a second reopening in the area is proportionally much smaller.

Yes, a positive from the decision was demonstrating what the principles of Project SPEED can deliver. We need more decisions (within Network Rail as well as DfT) that enable this type of delivery (not necessarily for re-openings) and I’m pleased to say it’s happening right now, though I can’t disclose details.

 

[Brush 4]

I was wondering what had happened to Project Speed, as there has been little mention of it recently. Looking forward to the good news you seem to have for a future date, whether of opening or reopening. They are both to be supported.

 

[yorksrob]

Project speed is indeed a great success and should be used more often.

So what if there is a political element to reopening a railway. There is a political motivation for every public works project, including the road by-pass around "Little Piddling on the Wold".

 

[Oxfordblues]

I believe it to be erroneous to judge the success of a transport project by its "profitability". Huge sums of public money were spent building first the Exeter Bypass and then the M5 without any attempt to recoup the investment through tolls. In terms of a financial return both road schemes were complete disasters!

 

[nw1]

Define, please, 'success'.

Is it 'successful' financially? That is, does the additional fare income cover the additional movement costs? Does the additional fare income make any contribution to the infrastructure operational and maintenance costs or even help recover the capital investment?

If none of these things are true then it has been 'successful' in making the tax payer cough up...

Success equals "well used", as @Ashley Hill and @geoffk have observed.

Particularly impressed to see a continental-style planned bus-train integration. Now we just need to have through fares, but it looks like we might be getting that from another post.

As a taxpayer I am quite happy to see my income tax used for schemes such as Okehampton, even though it isn't in my local area and I rarely go down that way. We shouldn't have to "bean count" every scheme; the social and environmental benefit of re-opening schemes also needs to be considered, not just "does this line make a profit".

If I lived in Exeter I would be praising its reopening daily, as I enjoy walking and would welcome the increased access to North Dartmoor that it brings. But obviously it isn't just about that, it's about improving access to Exeter and beyond from residents of that area of Devon, as others have observed.

 

[Bletchleyite]

More recently bus connections at Okehampton station have been improved. In addition to buses from Tavistock, those from Bude and Launceston are also going up to the station and connect into and out of trains every two hours. A colleague reported that a morning train from Exeter arrived with 4 passengers but departed with 60+, thanks to the crowd from Bude and Holsworthy. This would be normal practice in mainland Europe (with through fares!) and it's good to see it happening with local authority tendered bus services. A pity that North Tawton is such a long way from the former station.

Is that quite recent? I went that way in the summer and the Bude bus just *misconnected* meaning two hours in Spoons (not the worst thing in the world when on holiday, but not ideal either).

 

[Hagbard Celine]

“Fewer cars on the road” sounds an interesting definition but I’m pretty certain that after years of operation the half hourly trains from the Borders and Midlothian into Edinburgh have only removed fifty cars a day from the notoriously busy Sherrifhall roundabout, which isn’t a *terrible* thing but probably not worth hundreds of millions of pounds, we could have just offered each motorist a million pounds and saved the taxpayer a few quid!

Was it expected to remove cars from Sherrifhall? Borderers have always known how to avoid Sherrifhall, ie stay on the 'real' A7 (now A772) if going to Edinburgh or to the west bound city bypass, or use the A68 for Leith or the east bound bypass.

I regularly take the train from Gala to Perth to visit my mother. I was reminded of how busy the A7 used to be when I had to make the trip by car on one of the recent strike days.

(Sorry for the off-topic diversion).

 

[Goldfish62]

For those who question the purpose of ‘business cases’ - pretty much every physical item you use in life has been the subject of a ‘business case‘ at some point, it is often just called something else.

Quite. Investment in absolutely everything would grind to a halt without them. That includes all individual purchasing decisions - we all weigh up costs and benefits in our heads when making a decision whether to buy.

 

[paul1609]

I think its too early, you look at whether a line is a success after 3 to 5 years not 1.

 

[Xavi]

A good summary here.

Restored railway line and unique flood alleviation scheme receive industry awards - News

A £40.5million scheme to reconnect communities by restoring regular trains services to a mothballed railway has celebrated double success at the ICE South

www.devon.gov.uk

A £40.5million scheme to reconnect communities by restoring regular trains services to a mothballed railway has celebrated double success at the ICE South West Civil Engineering Awards 2022.

The Dartmoor Line, between Okehampton and Exeter in Devon, won the prestigious Showcase Award at a gala ceremony in Bristol last night (22 November).

The project, which was a partnership between Network Rail, Great Western Railway (GWR) and Devon County Council also won the Community Award in recognition of outstanding community engagement and the benefits it brings to rural communities on Dartmoor.

Moderator note: Some posts have been moved to the following threads:

Reopened Okehampton line - travel experiences

GWR have tweeted today about this service operating as well. Max fare £8 https://twitter.com/gwrhelp/status/1447838251432165380?s=21 The Dartmoor Line – arriving Saturday 20 November 2021. We’re pleased to reveal that services will start on the #DartmoorLine in just 39 days’ time Tickets on...

www.railforums.co.uk

How could Okehampton patronage be increased (including bus links/through fares)?

The irony of that, as ever, is that cartels are generally beneficial for public transport users. The car and the taxi prevent them abusing their position by overcharging. Never a truer word….

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[30907]

The latest ORR figures for Okehampton are interesting.

In its first 19 weeks there were 55k passengers (plus a definite uplift at Crediton), which equates to 150k/year.

Meanwhile
https://okerail.org.uk/first-year-anniversary-of-the-dartmoor-line/
has just claimed a figure of 258k for the full year.

This is significantly not beyond the bounds of possibility:
1. Service frequency doubled from May
2. There will have been a seasonal uplift.
3. Apparently, scholars' travel has been switched from bus to rail from September.

Even the lower figure is well above forecast.

 

[uglymonkey]

Excellent!

 

[D Williams]

Extract from Monday's press release;

"Just over a year after the Dartmoor Line reopened to regular passenger trains, total journey numbers on the Devon railway line passed 250,000 in the week that Rail Minister Huw Merriman officially opened the renovated station building at Okehampton. The line reopened on November 20, 2021, restoring a regular, year-round service for the first time in almost 50 years, following more than £40 million of Government investment.

The previously-mothballed rail line, which runs between Okehampton and Exeter, was restored in just nine months and was delivered £10 million under budget, becoming the first former line to reopen under the Government’s £500 million Restoring Your Railway programme.

In the same week as it celebrated its one-year anniversary, the Dartmoor Line also saw its 250,000th journey, showing an incredible patronage on the line – more than double the demand originally forecast. Since Great Western Railway (GWR) increased services to hourly in May this year, passenger use has continued to rise, with more than 500 journeys starting at Okehampton every day."

 

[Grecian 1998]

Is that quite recent? I went that way in the summer and the Bude bus just *misconnected* meaning two hours in Spoons (not the worst thing in the world when on holiday, but not ideal either).

There was a significant change to the timetables in October. I travelled Bristol - Bude in June and got the bus both ways as using the train would have resulted in a long wait at both Exeter and Okehampton in both directions.

 

[adrock1976]

See the thread I started for a future Barnstaple/Okehampton - Axminster as part of a wider Devon Metro concept at https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...axminster-local-taktplan.240081/#post-5957208

 

[Xavi]

The 1025 Okehampton-Exeter was full and standing on arrival in Exeter today. The first-year novelty can’t have worn off yet!

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Okehampton Parkway station approved.

Oke Parkway

West Devon Borough Council announced last night that its bid for funding for the proposed Okehampton Parkway Station was successful.
The borough council has been granted over £13 million from the Government's Levelling Up Fund to build the new railway station which is planned for the east side of Okehampton.

 

[Xavi]

Okehampton Parkway station approved.

Oke Parkway

Excellent news, this will attract a lot of users off the A30 and surrounding areas.

Newquay line enhancements and ‘metro’ to Falmouth also funded.

 

[daodao]

Okehampton Parkway station approved.

Oke Parkway

Is the plan to close the existing Okehampton station when the Okehampton Parkway station opens?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Is the plan to close the existing Okehampton station when the Okehampton Parkway station opens?

No

 

[nw1]

No

And I'm surprised the question was even asked!

 

[daodao]

And I'm surprised the question was even asked!

When re-opening of the line from Yeoford Junction to Okehampton for regular passenger rail services was evaluated in 2018, I was under the impression that one of the options was to build a new station at Okehampton Parkway as a terminus both for these new services and for the heritage Dartmoor Railway services from Meldon via the existing Okehampton station. I presume that this option was shelved with the collapse of the Dartmoor Railway into administration.

 

[trainmania100]

Sorry if its said before but in the future will there any plans to upgrade to a 2 running line? The 50 excursion few years ago said it would be the last chance due to the high volumne of trains using the line. But with the ocassional mention of ballast resuming from Meldon, is it not viable to increase the TPH with two lines?

The low number of services is the reason why I wouldn't use the train. If I ended up getting lost on the moor and missed the last train, i've got a cold night. I got to Meldon around 3am when the train services resumed a few years ago, and had nothing to do in Oke. Was tempted to get a coffee in the youth hostel bside the station lol

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Sorry if its said before but in the future will there any plans to upgrade to a 2 running line? The 50 excursion few years ago said it would be the last chance due to the high volumne of trains using the line. But with the ocassional mention of ballast resuming from Meldon, is it not viable to increase the TPH with two lines?

The low number of services is the reason why I wouldn't use the train. If I ended up getting lost on the moor and missed the last train, i've got a cold night. I got to Meldon around 3am when the train services resumed a few years ago, and had nothing to do in Oke. Was tempted to get a coffee in the youth hostel bside the station lol

I’m not sure you can really class an hourly service as a low number of services.

Public transport outside of big cities is rarely 24 hours either so not sure what you’d expect at 03.00

 

[Bletchleyite]

Sorry if its said before but in the future will there any plans to upgrade to a 2 running line? The 50 excursion few years ago said it would be the last chance due to the high volumne of trains using the line. But with the ocassional mention of ballast resuming from Meldon, is it not viable to increase the TPH with two lines?

The low number of services is the reason why I wouldn't use the train. If I ended up getting lost on the moor and missed the last train, i've got a cold night. I got to Meldon around 3am when the train services resumed a few years ago, and had nothing to do in Oke. Was tempted to get a coffee in the youth hostel bside the station lol

Getting lost on the moor is potentially deleterious to your health. I'd suggest a map reading course or GPS.

 

[lachlan]

I’m not sure you can really class an hourly service as a low number of services.

Public transport outside of big cities is rarely 24 hours either so not sure what you’d expect at 03.00

An hourly frequency is more than enough for hiking. I've planned trips around the 4 trains per day on the far north/Kyle lines. You just need to do a lot of planning and not attempt anything too ambitious timings wise as you really don't want to miss a train. Am confused by the 3am comment! I don't think any rural locations in the UK have 24 hour service!

 

[trainmania100]

Getting lost on the moor is potentially deleterious to your health. I'd suggest a map reading course or GPS.

Sorry chaps I probably went a bit over the top there then. I'd just be worried i'd miss the last train home, that was always my concern with the original sunday service.

I am confident on walking on Dartmoor, I will be taking to cranmere pool by myself in May so that figure of speach was just a joke

 

[lachlan]

Sorry chaps I probably went a bit over the top there then. I'd just be worried i'd miss the last train home, that was always my concern with the original sunday service.

I am confident on walking on Dartmoor, I will be taking to cranmere pool by myself in May so that figure of speach was just a joke

At least with an hourly service you can aim for the second last train and if you miss it , you have the last one as a backup