Weardale, Dartmoor and RMS for sale

Beware of friendly fire ...

 

You mean the sidings at Meldon Quarry?
Now the Weardale railway ownership is sorted and can run when the lockdown ends, it is known in the heritage industry the Dartmoor Railway still needs a new owner (like Jeremy Hoskins) or a trust like consortium?
Also hopes are GWR will restart daily trains from Exeter to Oakhampton.

 

Can you please get Mr H's name right please? It's Hosking.

 

Thanks for correction
Looking him up he has a 30% share of the Dartmouth Railway Trust, so maybe aware of what's happening, or not at the Dartmoor railway?

 

If anyone knows him they should really let him know in case of The lockdown He hasn’t heard about it

 

Looks like the local council will match the new Weardale railway owners investment to get track repairs done and steam trains working in 2021, despite some local people calling it a "white elephant".
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18725924.investment-weardale-railway-branded-white-elephant/

Still sadly seems no progress at Oakhampton with whats left of the Dartmoor railway.

 

That weardale county councillor has a reputation of being opposed to anything, the later comments from a resident back that up.

Its probably why he presides over a desert of anything, and cannot get any real investment, as well as being in the middle of nowhere.

Know the County Councillor who has presided over the award, he is a decent bloke, and has helped us many times at our leisure facility.

Good Luck to all, if people drive into the depths for the NYMR etc.., with decent stock and loco's, why not here, as well as getting the odd visitor from shildon???

 

https://themoorlander.co.uk/oke-rail-update-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/

https://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/... to Okehampton&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2020

 

50007/50049 were operating for GBRf and delivering six Mk 3s to Weardale this week.

Patrick

 

From the FB page all is looking well for the Weardale railway

 

Sadly no buyer yet for the BAR Dartmoor Railway assets and Cream tea/Christmas Diesel and Mk2 coach rolling stock, which from FB are looking neglected.

But the line is being worked on for HS2 ballast freight and seems Government money is available for GWR to run more trains from Exeter to Okehampton in 2021, but no full announcement.

Looks like the local supporters association are working with the council to look after Okehampton station and have some heratige rolling stock of their own, which was vandalised, but being restored.

The line is being discussed on the general railway chat Some lost rail routes may be 'restored' thread.

 

The section of line from Coleford to Okehampton is reported to have transferred to Network Rail ownership.
This would apear to be supported by the publication of a section A table in the Sectional Appendix, although the local instructions haven't been amended to match.

 

Still no GWR announcement about Dartmoor to Exeter services with a modern DMU for the Summer?
I see from the Swanage thread the old Dartmoor railway rolling stock is now for sale individually (rather than the Santa and Cream Tea operation as a whole business).
No prices published.
Some heratige stock will remain with the local railway supporters association.

 

Yes have seen that some stock is available from Dartmoor, the irony is that it might be useful for Weardale (or maybe Wensleydale) up here if they can be bought, brought and restored.

 

I found this after a quick search:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/OKE/2021-05-17/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt
No idea about the actual start date.
Pat

 

As in the Some lost rail routes may be 'restored' thread the Exeter to Okehampton route now has funding.
From the BBC report
"The budget stated the investment would "provide good quality transport links between communities" as well as "improve employment opportunities" in the local area.

Mel Stride, Conservative MP for Central Devon, said the funding meant the reopening is "now a clear reality", with people in Okehampton and the surrounding area able to "look forward to a massively improved" rail service."

 

Of the stock for sale https://rmslocotec.com/for-sale the "thumper" DEMUs have historical roots in South England, hope they find a good home.
It might be GWR buy and restore them for the new Okehampton service, but expect they will use modern DMUs.

Rmslocotec are based in Bishop Auckland, but Weardale has some DMUs and some Mk3 carriages, so may not need a thumper?

 

Yes hopefully they will find a good home, but absolutely zero chance that GWR will be buying them!

 

A local contact tells me that most if not all of the track between Coleford Junction and Okehampton has been renewed with CWR and the track though the station has been singled to allow for the installation of security fencing. GWR plan to start regular passenger services this year and Devon County Council are working up a scheme for a new park and ride station with access from the A30. There is a rumour about Meldon quarry reopening as part of HS2 but this has not appeared in any official statement. The RMS Locotec adverts describe all stock as being stored at Meldon so it appears that everything has been moved from Okehampton station. Meldon is very open to attacks by vandals so anything stored there is very much at risk. Heritage services don't appear to part of any long term plan at this stage.