Reopened Okehampton line - travel experiences

[Sir Felix Pole]

Footbridge open (minus roof) - visited today. Very encouraging passenger numbers on trains - including long distance with luggage.

 

[Parallel]

Not a great day so far for Okehampton services - mass disruption in the Exeter due to emergency services attending an incident at Exeter St Thomas. Delays to Okehampton this morning plus an early termination/late start from St David’s vice Central.

GWR are a bit cursed with these things - noting the Newquay branch fell apart on the first day of an improved service due to a 175 disgracing itself at Quintrell Downs!

 

[RPI]

Not a great day so far for Okehampton services - mass disruption in the Exeter due to emergency services attending an incident at Exeter St Thomas. Delays to Okehampton this morning plus an early termination/late start from St David’s vice Central. GWR are a bit cursed with these things - noting the Newquay branch fell apart on the first day of an improved service due to a 175 disgracing itself at Quintrell Downs!

Can't really help that someone was in such a low place that they decided to stand in front of a train at St Thomas

 

[BrianW]

Can't really help that someone was in such a low place that they decided to stand in front of a train at St Thomas

That's so sad, including for the driver, family, friends.

Unrelated, just seen this on realtime trains regarding 2K12 1732 dep Exeter Central/ 2E62 ex Okehampton: This service was cancelled due to the planned train being replaced with a slower train (MS). Long wait at both Okehampton stations ...?

 

[dk1]

Not a great day so far for Okehampton services - mass disruption in the Exeter due to emergency services attending an incident at Exeter St Thomas. Delays to Okehampton this morning plus an early termination/late start from St David’s vice Central. GWR are a bit cursed with these things - noting the Newquay branch fell apart on the first day of an improved service due to a 175 disgracing itself at Quintrell Downs!

These things happen unfortunately. No point expecting everything to tick along like clockwork.

 

[REVUpminster]

These things happen unfortunately. No point expecting everything to tick along like clockwork.

If you a passenger with an hourly service you need it to run. Okehampton went two hourly after the 1724hr so probably crew shortage.
Barnstaple after the 1335 departed at 1356 and the next train was 1639. Shoppers to Exeter on a Saturday will think twice before going by train or parents letting their children use the train.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

These things happen unfortunately. No point expecting everything to tick along like clockwork.

Um, no that's exactly what one should be able to expect from a railway day-to-day actually. Not necessarily in unfortunate emergency situations like at Exeter St Thomas. But definitely on a day-to-day basis, which is not currently possible with the 175s and Western fleet.

 

[REVUpminster]

St Thomas had minimal effect on Okehampton and Barnstaple services. Some trains delayed getting through St David's due to platform occupancy.
I do agree about the 175s; GWR have 16 out of 26 trains and since December 2025 have provided one extra train (Newquay). They have provide no extra capacity to existing services; instead reducing it on the HSTs they replaced.

 

[Zomboid]

Um, no that's exactly what one should be able to expect from a railway day-to-day actually. Not necessarily in unfortunate emergency situations like at Exeter St Thomas. But definitely on a day-to-day basis, which is not currently possible with the 175s and Western fleet.

Maybe the phrase is that it's not realistic to expect everything to work perfectly every day.

Would be nice if it did, but that's not the world we live in.