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Editorial Partnership-funded Tarka Line Station Improvements What’s Hungarian for ‘Dr Beeching’? Committee Meetings (Members Welcome) Table of Contents Or, for that matter, for ‘Ernest Marples’? New Members AGM - Our Speaker News Update Membership Matters David Gosling Readers Write Station Gardens Competition Issue 12, October 2002 Chairman's Report A Reunion with the Master Fortress Barnstaple? ...and Abroad At Home... Editorial
Citation preview
Table of Contents
Editorial
Chairman's Report
AGM - Our Speaker
The King is Dead; Long Live
the King?
What’s Hungarian for ‘Dr
Beeching’?
Or, for that matter, for
‘Ernest Marples’?
Partnership-funded Tarka Line
Station Improvements
One for £100 or a Hundred for
£1?
Fortress Barnstaple?
Station Gardens Competition
Today Swanage; Tomorrow
Barnstaple
The Market and Coastal Town
Initiative
News Update
At Home...
...and Abroad
A Reunion with the Master
It Doesn't Always Have to Be
Expensive
And How Did the Journeys
Go?
Readers Write
Membership Matters
New Members
Committee Meetings
(Members Welcome)
Issue 12, October 2002
EditorialThe refurbished 2-car units have started to return from the shops; this one was recently spotted
at Exeter St David's. The lilac doors are - well, interesting. Many seem to dislike the colours but
approve of the internal changes; not perfect, but a distinct improvement.
Picture: Babs Stutchbury
A sentiment was
expressed, in a letter
recently received, that we
must be careful to guard
against taking on too
much work in order to
prevent an enjoyable
hobby becoming a
burden. I subsequently
thought of all the work
undertaken by many
individuals, without
remuneration, on behalf
of many
community-based
organisations throughout the country - including NDRUG - and wondered whether I was doing all
this because it was a hobby.
Why do we do it? Do we ever get anywhere? Most of the time, it is very difficult to evaluate the
impact we have on the organisations - governmental or corporate - we seek to influence.
Usually, if we infect at all, we infect unseen. But history relates how wholesale changes in
attitude - and often, indeed, in the law - do come about from very small beginnings. The trick is,
I take it, always to maintain pressure; if you do not achieve your aims, then someone else,
taking over the reins, may do it for you, in time. Thus slavery was ended, for example; and the
incipient trade union movement of the nineteenth century, smashed by the force of law from its
infancy, survived to grow, perpetually reminding deaf, unbending authorities, defending interests
of their own, that the poor deserved better. Eventually, not only did physical matters improve,
but attitudes changed. And so with the present day. What is lawful, should not necessarily
remain lawful, if subsequent reflection shows it up to be immoral or just plain stupid - and there
are plenty of examples of that around. Similarly, what is current practice should not necessarily
remain current practice, if other examples point to a better way.
The socially inclusive nature of the rural railway is becoming accepted, but its acceptance is by no means universal. The ludicrous
spectacle of thousands of stationary vehicles cramming to go where there is no room, and destroying a valuable earth in getting
there, is dawning on some of us as being, perhaps, somewhat less than over-rewarding! But universal realisation will be a long time
coming, if ever it does come; some have yet even to renounce slavery, such is the penetration of centuries of custom and a
misguided inculcation that what is right is what I want, and to hell with everyone else. The obsession with the private car is deeply-
rooted and bathed in commercial self-interest, while the vanity of possession, and the insecure need to impress, guarantee sales.
The West has long since swallowed the pill, and the Third World has already been shown the medicine bottle.
It's difficult to get some to understand the transport needs of those unable to drive, to get them even to think of others, to reduce
their selfishness and the effect that selfishness will have on the ultimate quality of our lives. All this sounds very grand, doesn't it? But
it really can't be just a hobby, can it?
David Gosling
Chairman's Report
AGM - Our Speaker
The Association of Community–Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) acts as a conference arranging, information disseminating, rail partnership
co-ordinating, advisory, and rail-based promotional organisation. Earlier this year, I reported on the workings of the organisation (see
issue 9, January 2002) and spoke to Neil Buxton, ACoRP’s Development Officer who offered, subject to availability, to have ACoRP
address the Group. As a result, ACoRP's General Manager, Dr Paul Salveson, has kindly agreed to speak at this year's AGM. It is
through the rail partnerships - like our own Devon and Cornwall - that much funding may be drawn to our part of the world. The
impact of their work can be significant (see Richard Burningham's article elsewhere in this issue) and a lot may be learned from Dr
Salveson as to what we might be able to do to forward the fortunes of the North Devon line. Do come along if you possibly can; there
is much to learn and much that individuals and local communities are able to do.
The King is Dead; Long Live the King?
At the time of writing, 3rd October, no news had reached me regarding the picture to be painted by the new franchise arrangements.
There are three main possibilities - and, you will not be surprised to learn, three rumours to match! Other news did reach me on that
day, of course. Railtrack was declared dead; killed off largely by its own inadequacy and the need to pay shareholders' premiums.
Network Rail was born; a new, not-for-profit company. Not all Railtrack's failure was due to the siphoning of money into private
hands; the way in which it was run also had something to do with it. And note: the management is yet the same; the policies have yet
to be changed. Will the internal structure of the company be reorganised in a productive way? Let us hope that, in the ensuing
months, a more reliable, stable railway infrastructure is developed, able to drag this discredited child of politics from the hole into
which it fell; an inevitable result of political dogma and ineptness. Whatever changes were needed at the end of the last century, they
certainly weren't the ones with which our national railway has since been inflicted. I hope that this latest policy proves to be a move in
the right direction.
David Gosling
What’s Hungarian for ‘Dr Beeching’?
Or, for that matter, for ‘Ernest Marples’?
The following passage appears in the English-language version of a recently published official history of the railways of Hungary (with
slight amendments to make it more English-like!):
To implement the national transport policy [agreed in 1968], about 30% of lightly used lines and stations were closed and their traffic
transferred to roads. These measures did much to harm domestic transport. The proportion of secondary lines shut was higher than
elsewhere in Europe where similar strategies were adopted. Roads were not developed as extensively as had been intended. The
mechanism of freight handling equipment and other development projects were left incomplete. In consequence, the success of the
whole concept was undermined. The Transport Ministry wanted to fund the project from the profits expected from the transfer of
traffic to the roads, but it turned out that no such profits ensued. Deprived of its secondary lines, the railway could not become the
driving force in transport development. Its capacity decreased. In some areas, the publicly supported road network took over the role
of transporting freight, even though it was not economical. Closing the goods yards led to a reduction in traffic, since freight, once put
on lorries, was transported in most cases all the way to its destination by road, even though the distances involved made this more
expensive overall.
The History of the Hungarian Railways, 1846-2000.
Published by Hungarian State Railways Co Ltd., Budapest: p. 145.
We sometimes think that line and station closures and the withdrawal of rail freight facilities in the 1960s were uniquely British
phenomena. We associate the names of Beeching and Marples with them, and vilify them accordingly. As the above passage shows,
however, closures were happening elsewhere in Europe, and, in this case at least, in a country run on political principles quite
different from our own. Hungary had its Marples and its Beeching, too, and without doubt other places did as well.
What is refreshing about the passage, however, is the Hungarians’ acknowledgement that they may have got some things wrong. The
measures, they see, did much harm, not least because some of the things they intended to do to develop transport as an integrated
system — the mechanised loading facilities, for example — were not done. The passage focuses mainly on freight, but the rest of the
text suggests that passengers lost out too. And perhaps one or two who read this piece may be asking themselves what happened
to all those replacement bus services that were promised when lines closed over here.
It would be naïve to believe that railways can do everything that roads can do, or that every branch line, every station, every freight
facility should be kept forever open. It is far better that we should look at each mode of transport and consider what it can do well.
But we should not do this through economic lenses alone. Rather should we consider what effects each has on our landscape and the
air we breathe, how well each contributes to meeting the transport needs of the young, the elderly and the disabled, or of those who
may never have the capital to purchase their own, private means of transport, or of all who want or need to travel quickly in the
safest possible way.
Rail, of course, will come well out of such an assessment. But it will do better still when we attend properly to all those points where
it links with other ways of getting about, be they cars, buses, bikes or even good old walking. I’m not sure that Mr Marples ever
understood this, although I suspect that Dr Beeching did. Perhaps we could take a leaf out of the Hungarians’ book and humbly admit
that we may have got some things wrong in the past. We could begin to put some of them right. Right here on the North Devon line,
for instance, what about having more bus services coming to the railway station, rather than keeping their distance over at Belle
Meadow?
John Gulliver
Partnership-funded Tarka Line Station Improvements
The recent very welcome Railtrack investment in Tarka Line stations has led to a further spin-off. The Devon and Cornwall Rail
Partnership has been able to use this money as match-funding to obtain cash for additional work on the line's stations, to take place
over the next few months. Devon County Council is contributing £10,000 to add to £34,000 being provided from the Strategic Rail
Authority's Rail Passenger Partnership fund, £1,000 from the Tarka Line Working Party and a further £5,000 from Wessex trains.
This cash, totalling £50,300, will see work at all ten rural Tarka Line stations; re-signing the line; refurbishing benches, fencing and
light columns; providing new posterboards where needed; and generally finishing off the work done to date.
At Barnstaple, work will be very much 'Phase One' of what is aimed for. The clock will be repaired and refurbished and, if possible, a
self-winding mechanism installed. New trolleys will be provided and signing and posterboards will be renewed and gaps filled.
Additional signs will be put up to direct passengers to buses and the walking route to the town centre. In addition, new 'Bus
Connections' semi-blank posters will be provided - the staff at Barnstaple have improvised over recent years and this is intended to
help them. A new leaflet will be produced publicising rail/bus connections and through ticketing via Barnstaple. Funds are also
included for door-to-door distribution throughout North Devon.
There is still an opportunity to add minor items to the work programme, particularly in terms of signing, and I shall be discussing this
with the NDRUG Committee, so please feed your ideas in.
As for 'Phase Two', the plan here is for a much bigger scheme to refurbish Barnstaple Station, provide toilet facilities for the Tarka
Trail as well as rail passengers and, hopefully, a tea room, or similar. The County Council is leading the plan, which is still at an early
stage. Once options have been drawn up, a working party of local authorities and other relevant bodies will be convened, in
conjunction with the Tarka Line Working Party, to take it forward. NDRUG will certainly be invited to join this working party. The aim
is to take the scheme forward over the winter months. The current project is the second investment in the line by the Strategic Rail
Authority under their Rail Passenger Partnership fund - the first being the two additional weekday services that began running in June.
We are hopeful that it will not be the last.
Richard Burningham
One for £100 or a Hundred for £1?
One passenger for a £100 fare or a hundred for £1 each: which would offer a better measure of the North Devon line’s success? It’s
unlikely that our friends at Wessex Trains will ever have to consider so stark a choice. For the moment, though, I want to run with this
harmless fantasy to raise some issues about fares on our line.
Let’s begin with our solitary passenger forking out £100 for a journey from Barnstaple to Exeter. Commercially, this might be
regarded as a good thing, better, even, than the one hundred at £1 each. There’d be less wear on the cushions. The soap and towel
supply in the toilets would last almost for ever. Sue, of our splendid station staff at Barnstaple, would have time to offer our traveller
a freshly filtered coffee before his — or her — departure. Rodney would have a free newspaper (The Daily Telegraph, if First Great
Western has it right). Wessex would pocket its £100. And, once word got around, there might be a second person willing to pay for
such cosseting.
But would this evident commercial success justify the £100 fare? In trying to answer this, we need to take a further little matter into
account. Wessex Trains is a heavily subsidised organisation. About £52 million went into it from the public purse in 2001-2002 [See
the Rail Passenger Council’s Starting from here, Annex B]. This was not granted to enable it to maximise its revenue, but rather to
enable it to do things not in the strictest commercial terms viable. I want to look at two especially.
The first is environmental. Suppose that those one hundred people who might take the train, but not at the £100 fare, must,
nevertheless, get to Exeter. Instead, they travel by car. At an average occupancy rate of 1.3 passengers per vehicle (I believe this is
about the figure these days), that’s about 75 cars on the A377 or the Link Road. Now a diesel train, even one so short as one of our
local multiple units, is not pollution free. It churns out noxious gases and it’s noisy. I’d be surprised, however, if it causes anything like
as much air and sound pollution as those 75 cars. Moreover, it doesn’t add to congestion and it’s much less likely to be involved in an
accident. We all pay for pollution, congestion and accidents, whether directly through ill-health, injury or worse, or indirectly through
transport and insurance costs, taxation for health services, and so on. Viewed in this light, that subsidy looks like a bargain. It’s only a
bargain, however, if you get those one hundred people out of their cars and into the train. Or, better still, two hundred, or four. Low
fares, almost certainly lower than those currently in operation, will be one of the enticements.
The other matter relates to what is now referred to as ‘social inclusion’, the principle that nobody should be cut off from the
necessities of a good life by lack of spending power or other personal circumstances. Transport is one of those necessities. There’s
ample evidence that many people are excluded from important things in life because they cannot pay to reach them. I mean by this
access to jobs, hospitals and education, as well as to cinemas, relatives, friends, and so on. The problems are even greater in rural
areas like central and north Devon than in the bigger towns.
Here we have a further problem. Of all forms of public transport apart from taxis, rail probably has the highest fares. Moreover, rural
fares are commonly higher than urban (see, for example, ‘Northern Spirit’ by Linda Rogers in Issue 3 of our magazine). Far from
contributing to increasing social inclusion, current rail fares exclude many from the benefits of travel rather than draw them in. The
stronger the commercial incentive to raise fares still further, the greater their exclusion becomes.
On both grounds, then, environmental and social, the case for the £1 fare — or at least fares substantially lower than those available
at the moment — to bring in those one hundred passengers is overwhelming. Commercial concerns will continue to matter, but other
issues matter more. This is why subsidy is justified. Whether the person willing to pay £100 would still want to travel en masse with
the likes of me with my £1 ticket, I don’t know. But I’d settle for the ninety-nine, rather than just the one, even if this brought in £1 less
through the fare box. In short, judge the success of the line by its contribution to our environmental and social well-being, not just by
commercial considerations.
John Gulliver
Fortress Barnstaple?
Below are some excerpts from notices currently displayed at Barnstaple station:
Parking Charges
WHEEL CLAMPING IS IN OPERATION AT THIS STATION
Up to 1 day: £1.50...
We regret that due to the current security situation this
station does not have any facilities for left luggage.
For the same reasons, there are no litter bins at the station...
We have a commitment to our passengers...and a duty to our staff.
If any of our staff are assaulted in the course of their
duty it is our policy to give them support and assistance
in prosecuting their assailants.
In the interest of public safety, it is forbidden to cycle, ride a
scooter or skateboard on Railway property or station platforms...
Do not trespass on the Railway
Penalty £200
It is not unreasonable to charge for car parking (although a station needs a short-stay facility). Even a single assault on a member of
staff is one too many. Cycling and riding scooters or skateboards on the platform is totally unacceptable. Trespassers are a danger
to themselves and cause train crews nightmares. And nobody wants litter.
Except for the one about the ‘current security situation’ (does anyone really believe that someone might put a bomb in a bin at
Barnstaple?), it’s easy to see why each of the above notices might be regarded as necessary. But does anybody stop to think about
the cumulative effect of so many warnings, prohibitions and promises of dire penalty? It gives an impression of a place under siege,
open to attack from every quarter, able to keep going only by plugging every gap in its defences with paper. One that sees people as
threats, not potential passengers needing to be welcomed and cosseted. In short, as Fortress Barnstaple.
I exaggerate, of course, but the point stands. Sue and Rodney, our regular station staff, and Grace, expected to have returned in
September, go out of their way to be friendly and helpful. How could their efforts be backed up by changes in the way the station
presents itself, without recourse, that is, to those token greetings one sees up the line (‘Welcome to Basingstoke’, and so on)? Below
are just three ideas. Perhaps our readers will be able to supply more.
Scrap some of the threatening posters. Replace them with really bright ones that promote rail travel in the area. The Devon &
Cornwall Rail Partnership has some beautiful examples available;
Get rid of the ‘security situation’ notice (and the stand on which it is mounted). Install good litter bins, perhaps even ‘green’
ones inviting users to separate out their recyclable throwaways;
Take a leaf out of the Austrian Railway’s book. The following appears – in English! - on a prominent sign on the approach road
to Salzburg’s main station: ‘Kiss & Ride – Free parking 10 minutes’.
Perhaps 20 minutes would be more suitable for Barnstaple, where people may need help on and off trains. I haven’t had time to think
about whether the kissing should be made compulsory.
John Gulliver
Station Gardens Competition
Flowers Everywhere - The North Devon Line in Summer
Picture: Wendy Hillier
The reintroduction of the Station Gardens Competition this
year has seen six stations take part, despite the fact that, due
to awaiting confirmation from Wessex Trains regarding certain
safety precautions, some gardeners had already started work,
paying for seeds, plants and compost out of their own
pockets. This attitude is particularly heartening, since it
indicates a willingness by some to look after a community
asset without expectation of reward. The stations involved are:
Newton St. Cyres, Crediton, Yeoford, Morchard Road, King's
Nympton and Chapleton. Without denigrating the efforts made
by all concerned, special mention might be made of Sue and
Mike Lewry who, fairly new to the idea, work down at King's
Nympton even though they live at the village - two or three
miles away, whilst at Crediton, the beds have been worked on
this year by Mike and Jean Hodge, residents of Bridgwater!
The judging was carried out at the beginning of August by Mr
Robert Constantine, the proprietor of Crediton Garden Centre,
but nothing is being revealed until Saturday 26th October when
Wessex Trains Business Manager for Devon and Cornwall,
Andrew Griffiths, will hand over the new trophy to this year's
winner at a special presentation function to be held at the Tea
Rooms at Crediton. The reinstatement of the competition is
being jointly funded by the Group and the Devon and Cornwall
Rail Partnership, with prizes being awarded by Wessex Trains.
An article giving full details of the presentation of prizes will be
printed in the January issue.
David Gosling
Today Swanage; Tomorrow Barnstaple
The branch line to Swanage from Wareham was closed in 1972. Within a year the track had been removed except for a short section
serving the Furzebrook Oil Terminal. A society was formed to reopen the line and last January the last piece of track linking the
Swanage Railway to the national network was laid.
On 28th September, Virgin Trains ran one of their new Voyager trains over the branch line to Swanage. It was named Dorset
Voyager and it spent the rest of the day running between Swanage and Corfe Castle. Virgin are very keen to see their summer
Saturday services running down West Country branch lines and so in a few years time I expect to see at least one train running into
Swanage from the North of England on summer Saturdays. If Swanage, why not Barnstaple? There is growing evidence that fewer
holidaymakers are choosing to travel to North Devon by train. One reason must be because they have to change at Exeter. There are
problems; one of these is preparing the train for the return journey. Newquay, which has five long distance trains on a Saturday, has
been able to provide cleaning facilities, and Barnstaple should be able to do the same.
When the new franchisee for our line has been appointed (and how weary we are of waiting) we should combine with the local
authorities and the Rail Passenger Committee to push hard for as many through trains as possible. How encouraging it would be if
we had even one train arriving from either Manchester or Liverpool, or Leeds or Newcastle.
Hugh Butterworth
The Market and Coastal Town Initiative
The following details the work of the Transport and Access Interest Working Group; Market and Coastal Town Initiative; Crediton
Area.
Providing an effective and integrated public transport system both locally and nationally is an important goal for many communities. In
the Crediton area readers may be aware that an amount of money could be available under the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative
to develop local transport projects.
Transport and access problems faced by many people in the Crediton area have been recognised by 14 parish councils who have
joined together to conduct a transport needs survey. Led by the Town Council and financed by the Countryside Agency, results
should be available by the end of the year. It is hoped that its findings can be used as part of any future feasibility study for local
Transport and Access schemes.
The MCTI Transport Group has already submitted an 'Early Win' project to enable the Crediton and District Ring and Ride bus
organisation to provide a weekend service. This service is aimed at people who have difficulty using conventional train and bus
services. Other, possibly larger, projects are now being considered including a second town bus and community 'feeder' buses linking
the town and villages with local railway stations and bus services.
There are, of course, many practical problems facing this particular project, including timetabling. Trying to link buses to the local rail
network and offering passengers the best possible seamless journey will not be easy. The two train services recently reinstated on
the Exeter-Barnstaple line, bringing services back to the level of a few years ago, will help. The MCTI Transport Group, along with
other organisations, will also be pressing for the quick implementation of the expected hourly clock-face service along the line. If you
are interested I helping with the transport survey in your area, or would like to attend the meetings of the MCTI Transport Group,
please telephone Nick Way on 01363 777903 for information.
Cllr Nick Way
Chair of the Transport and Access Interest Working Group - MCTI
Crediton Area
News Update
At Home...
We've long called for better waiting shelters at the
line's smaller stations. Now three new ones have been
installed. Here, in late July, is the one at Umberleigh.
Picture: John Gulliver
From the introduction of the winter timetable we are very
pleased to report that it is now hoped that Barnstaple station
will be staffed from 07.00 to 19.00 each day Monday to
Saturday, thereby enabling passengers to be able to purchase
tickets, make train enquiries, purchase cold drinks and use the
waiting room after the previous closure of about 16.00. I
understand that Dawlish, Teignmouth, Torquay, Paignton, and
some main line stations in Cornwall have similarly benefited
from an extension to their manned hours.
The winter North Devon line timetable sees the pattern of
Monday to Friday as in the summer although some trains have
been retimed by a few minutes. The 10.14 from Barnstaple
now again has a good connection at Exeter St. David's to
Paddington - something that was destroyed in the summer
timetable. However, the cross-country connection off the 07.09 from Barnstaple now leaves St. David's at 09.11 instead of 08.22,
although there is a local train at 08.23 that arrives at Bristol Temple Meads at 10.00. Generally, connections in to and out of cross-
country trains have improved for North Devon line passengers with the introduction of Virgin's new, more frequent and almost
clock-face service.
Work to obviate flood damage to the line's bridges along
the Taw continues. At Kingford Viaduct in mid-August,
contractors were strengthening the river banks and
preparing the bed for anti-scour measures.
Picture: John Gulliver
It is noted that a large proportion of the wooden sleepers in
the platform lines at Crediton and Copplestone are to be
changed due to their poor condition. Indeed, we understand
that some 11,000 wood sleepers are to be replaced. The last
two North Devon line trains each way on Monday to Thursday
nights in the winter service until Christmas are to be replaced
by road services so that track maintenance staff can have
longer night-time possessions of the line. Further problems are
caused by a 10 mph speed restriction, imposed at the end of
June and until further notice, for all trains on Pill Bridge which
crosses the Taw just south of Barnstaple.
First Great Western have at last reintroduced, from this
winter's timetable, the three-hour journey time between Paddington and Plymouth for the 10.35 from Paddington, The Cornish
Riviera. However, it is still slower than it was eight years ago!
A visit to Newquay on an almost full 8-coach cross-country high speed train on a Saturday in August found Richard Burningham of the
Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership in charge of a gang of five people he employs on behalf of train companies for the servicing of
the main line summer Saturday trains that serve Newquay.
Tony Hill
The go-ahead has been given by John Taylor, Properties Manager of Wessex Trains, to designs for flower beds, running-in boards
(7' signs denoting Crediton writ large!) and authentic lanterns to be installed at Crediton station. The improvements are just part of
plans designed by members of Friends of Crediton Station, and form what is hoped to be just the first phase in reinvigorating the
whole station, building upon its historic significance. The intention is to have this first phase in place by next spring - with a touch of
ceremony. Funding will come from the Countryside Agency via the offices of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and represents
a good example of what can be done by local community groups (like NDRUG), a point particularly relevant when we consider the
message to be brought to us by Dr Paul Salveson at the forthcoming AGM.
David Gosling
...and Abroad
A small group from NDRUG joined Cheshire Railtours' 07.30 Shrewsbury to Okehampton special train at Exeter St. David's on
Saturday 20th July. Formed of 13 coaches and hauled by royal train locomotive 47798 Prince William, the almost full train ran on time
from Exeter to Okehampton and was only a few minutes late back at St. David's having been held to cross a Barnstaple-bound train
at Crediton. Several photographers were noted along the line recording the now rare sight of a locomotive-hauled passenger train.
The locomotive was worked hard on the continuous long gradients from Coleford Jn. to Okehampton. This was the first loco-hauled
train over the line since the stone trains at the end of March. Indeed, the cloud of orange rust-dust seen at the rear of the train
reminded me of my journey on the last train to Torrington run from Bristol in November 1982 which was formed of two Class 31
locomotives and 15 coaches. A free shuttle bus service ran between the station and town at Okehampton, where most of the
passengers seemed to go in addition to travelling on the steam train to Meldon.
Meldon Quarry supplied several hundred tons of ballast by road to Woody Bay station during August for use in the exciting scheme to
relay part of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, which was opened in 1898 and closed in 1935.
Despite good intentions - and a temporary 5 mph speed restriction through the station which, unfortunately, still applies - Sampford
Courtenay station's re-opening has been delayed due to one of the several funders pulling out. It is now hoped that the station will
open in 2003.
Dartmoor Railway plan a Halloween Steam Special on 1st November, Steam Santa specials for three weekends before Christmas,
and diesel-hauled Pony Okehampton-Meldon trains each weekend throughout the winter. Full details are available from Okehampton
station on 01387 55637.
Tony Hill
Even though brake van rides could not be operated during the Bideford and Instow Group's 11th Annual Open Day, the event was
again proclaimed a success. BIRG's Planet diesel locomotive ran demonstration trips and numerous exhibits were on view whilst
visitors enjoyed trips around the area in an open-top bus. With around 2,000 visitors thought to have attended, a profit of
approximately £700 will have been made.
The last passenger train to Bideford and Torrington ran on 6th November 1982 and BIRG intends to commemorate this event later
this year.
Alan Wilkinson
A Reunion with the Master
I recently travelled from my home near Barnstaple to Waterloo. Enjoying the warmth of a balmy evening, I decided to stroll in a
leisurely fashion over Hungerford Bridge to my club in St. James' Square. Intending to round off a pleasant evening with a night-cap, I
made my way to the I. C. Gricer Bar. To my astonishment, my old friend, the great detective, was sitting comfortably in an armchair
wreathed in tobacco smoke.
'Ah, Watson,' he said, 'I perceive that you have journeyed from North Devon.'
'How did you know that?', I asked.
'Well, you still have a copy of that excellent publication, the North Devon Journal, under your arm, a newspaper unfortunately
unobtainable in the Capital. Did you enjoy travelling first class?'
'How did...?'
He interrupted me. 'Only a man who has made the long and tedious journey from North Devon can arrive looking so relaxed and
contented as you if he has travelled in one of South West Trains' excellent first class carriages. In any case, the ticket stub is sticking
out of your breast pocket. I am pleased that you have at last received payment of your cousin's legacy.'
'How did...?'
'Elementary, my dear Watson. Living as you do on the tiny pension paid to you by an ungrateful government, you have always
purchased a second class Apex ticket from Barnstaple to London. What do you think of South West Trains' first class £39 Apex
return fare from Exeter to Waterloo? It would have been the Apex fare because you could never afford the iniquitous first class fares
which all companies seem to charge these days. You must have enjoyed the comfortable seat and, because of the lack of travelling
companions, you were able to spread your belongings all over the table.'
'But, Holmes, how on earth could you possibly know that?'
'My dear Watson, do you remember the short-sighted, elderly man in charge of the refreshment trolley, who spilt coffee over your
trousers? I am sorry about that. Send me the dry cleaning bill and I will charge it to my client. I had received intelligence that Dr
Moriarty's subordinate, the Master Forger, would be joining the train at some stage. As the train makes no less than thirteen stops
between Exeter and Waterloo it was a tiresome task. Let us hope that, one day, South West Trains will be given the opportunity to
introduce the proposed fast service, stopping only at Andover, Salisbury, Axminster and Honiton, thus reducing the journey time to
under two and a half hours. As you are only staying a few days, (oh, really, Watson, look at the tiny suitcase you are carrying) I trust
that you will allow me to travel with you on the return journey. I have received instructions from a member of the nobility in Devon -
you may know him, name of Baskerville. It is an intriguing enquiry, about a large dog. If it comes to anything, I do not doubt that you
will write a story in your usual, exaggerated style, and call it something like The Beast of Dartmoor.'
Hugh Butterworth
It Doesn't Always Have to Be Expensive
I recently went to London and took the opportunity of renewing old friendships. My various train journeys were as follows:
Return
Mileage Fare
(£)
Barnstaple—Waterloo 422 21.45
London—Sheringham (Norfolk) 290 21.90
London—Hampton Court 30 3.10
London—Coventry 192 9.90
===== ======
934 56.35
===== ======
Cost per mile: 6 pence.
There are two important qualifications; I hold a railcard which allows me a third reduction and, very importantly, I can travel when
fares are at their cheapest.
Barnstaple-Waterloo: My railcard was only marginally useful. The ordinary Apex return is £22.50, but it has to be booked seven days
in advance, whereas the £32 fare (£21.45 with railcard) can be purchased the day before.
London-Sheringham, London Hampton Court: I used the railcard for both journeys.
London-Coventry: This excellent fare was the result of booking at least 14 days in advance and using the railcard.
On both the Exeter and Coventry journeys I had to use a specific train for my four journeys.
And How Did the Journeys Go?
Barnstaple-Exeter. Wessex Trains was on time as to be expected.
Exeter-Waterloo. Consistently five minutes late until Andover where we lost twelve minutes or so. Because we were late we were
caught in the inevitable congestion around Waterloo and arrived 30 minutes late.
London-Norwich. One minute early on the outward journey and on time on the return. One nice touch; although I was not committed
to any particular train, a seat had been reserved on the 10.30. The reservation ticket, besides recording the usual details, also
carried my name - pleasantly reassuring for the occasional or nervous traveller. One knows that one is definitely in the right seat on
the right train.
Norwich-Sheringham. On time both ways, the line is promoted as the Bittern Line by Ian Dinmore, whom many will remember as a
very efficient booking clerk at Barnstaple.
London-Hampton Court. Both journeys passed uneventfully.
London-Coventry. Trains coming into Euston were arriving on time, however, when we reached Berkhampstead and the start of the
present upgrading work on the West Coast Main Line, we reduced speed. Near Bletchley we were switched from the fast to the slow
line because of a broken rail and arrived 20 minutes late. the return was uneventful.
Waterloo-Exeter. I decided to catch the 11.35 and this provided a good example of the increasing congestion at Waterloo. Just after
11.20 we were directed to platform 8 for our 3-coach train. As I arrived, so did a local train which stopped in front of the Exeter train.
This second train left at 11.32 and our train was left locked until then, presumably to avoid any last-minute passengers diving into
ours by mistake. As a result we were late leaving and, due to very slow running to Clapham Junction, we were 15 minutes late.
However, the single track west of Salisbury came to our rescue. Our train was scheduled to wait for 12 minutes at Salisbury anyway,
pending arrival of an up train. We then had to wait nearly 10 minutes at Chard Junction for another up train. When, oh! when, will
someone start to double parts of the Exeter-Salisbury line?
One final thought on fares. Walk-on fares are expensive, and now that Virgin are running three trains every two hours to Birmingham,
we need reasonable fares to attract the turn-up-and-go traveller.
Hugh Butterworth
Readers Write
Nice Rolling Stock; Shame about the Posters
As a regular user of the North Devon line these last four years I
thought that what occurred on my journey a few days ago (8th
August) would be of interest. After an afternoon’s shopping in
Exeter, my son and I were waiting, together with numerous other
people, for the 16.42 departure from Exeter Central to Barnstaple.
The train arrived up the hill from St. David’s, destination boards
reading Barnstaple, and duly pulled into platform two. Once the
doors had opened we, together with the other passengers, went on
board and found seats. While waiting for the departure, I chanced
to overhear one of my fellow voyager’s conversation. Turning to
another passenger he said, ‘Do you know if this is the train to
Barnstaple?’ With reassurance that this was the correct train,
the passenger went on to say that the reason for asking was that
this train seemed far too good to be going to Barnstaple.
Furthermore, he had been concerned that it might be heading for
some other far-flung destination.
The train left Central on time and proceeded to St. David’s. Here,
numerous other passengers joined us, many with comments of
surprise. One comment in particular stands out in my memory. The
passenger, having taken his seat, said to his companion, ‘I’ve
never travelled home in such luxury.’
Having left St. David’s and heading down the line, the comments
continued: ‘It’s got a telephone on board.’ ‘You can see out of
the windows.’ One younger passenger, having occasion to use the
lavatory, returned to his friend and gushed forth: ‘You should see
the toilet; it’s fantastic.’
What was the cause of all these observations? Was this train some
ghostly apparition of the Plymouth boat trains of yore,
resplendent in all its Edwardian finery? Had the Venice-Simplon
Orient Express become lost or the late George Pullman woven his
magic on our usual, tired rolling stock? No; none of these. The
explanation was much simpler. Wessex Trains had used an Alphaline
Class 158 Diesel Multiple Unit on this service and the passengers
really appreciated the change from the usual rolling stock. Well
done, Wessex trains. You certainly captured the hearts and minds
of your passengers that day!
On another matter: on the way home from work last night, I saw a
new advertisement produced by Wessex Trains and English Heritage.
This poster caused me some concern, not for what it contained, but
its omissions.
The poster portrayed the rail network in the South West, together
with English Heritage sites of interest near various stations.
Lines included the main line from Bristol to Penzance, the Weston-
super-Mare loop, the Taunton to Westbury line, the Cornish
branches, plus others that I was unable to identify due to the
distance I was from the poster. What were missing in their
entirety were the North Devon line, the Exmouth line and the
Okehampton line (summer Sunday only).
A New Barnstaple Station?
Before it’s too late, could I indulge in a bit of ‘blue sky’
thinking? When I saw the plans for the new Barnstaple road bridge
and bypass I assumed that the proposed Sticklepath interchange was
such a dog’s dinner that it wouldn't happen. (To remind readers:
the original notion was probably dreamed up by a civil servant in
Whitehall 25 years ago, on the assumption that the railway would
be dead and gone. When it survived, they decided to cut into the
hillside and create a ‘spaghetti junction’ for new traffic jams,
obliterating the cycleway and any rail extension to Bideford, and
impeding car access to the station.)
Now that the development (heaven help us) of the Shapland site is
under discussion, is it not too much to hope that the planners
might revise their ideas? It occurs to me that they could slew the
rail track slightly under the existing bridge and, following the
old line towards the river, give us a nice new station close to
the river and town. (A pedestrian and cycle bridge to the Strand
would be the cherry on the cake!) It could be neatly incorporated
in any new development, I’m sure.
I still suspect that the road builders will be forced to think
again about the monstrosity proposed, and such realism would give
them elbow room to create something better and give Barnstaple a
decent, if modest, rail station. Or am I dreaming?
Dr R. H. Arnold
Membership Matters
New Members
We welcome:
Mike and Sue Lewry, King's Nympton
Mr A. K. Clark, Morchard Road
Committee Meetings (Members Welcome)
Wednesday 6th November; 17.15; Crediton Station Tea Rooms.
Wednesday 13th November; 18.30; Castle Centre, Barnstaple; AGM.
Tuesday 14th January; 18.45; Rising Sun Hotel, Umberleigh.