Tarka Valley Railway Breaking News

Announced yesterday (on the Torridge District Council planning website) is the Tarka Valley Railway group has been given planning permission to lay just over 260 metres of track toward Bideford, from the current length of track in Torrington station and two short sidings. With the news coming Just over 30 years since the last train left - 27th Jan-83 a BR blue bubble car.

To recap the TVR group has a Fowler 0-4-0 diesel Progress smartly restored and in working order, a restored Clay Hood, with a BR Mark 1 under restoration to Southern Region green and a standard BR brake van under restoration. Congratulations to those involved who persisted with the planning application and their hard work supporting the application.

Link to TVR website - News

Regards

Devonbelle

 

well done,"from small acorns mighty oaks doth grow"

 

What is the longer term plan for the group ? Presumably the track will be able to coexist with the excellent and popular Tarka trail which is on the old track alignment should it extend further north ?

 

I think from talking to the TVRG gents closely involved they've conjectured what's possible, seeing what has been achieved elsewhere cycle path and railway happily co exists - think Northampton and Lamport, Avon Valley. The planning permission gives the ability to lay track upto the first Overbridge and a couple of sidings. So that's enough to keep them busy! Heading toward Bideford so very pretty, so some potential, but a few challenges - a tunnel etc. History tells this was the section retained after BR lifted the line (mid 80s) and the aborted preservation group tried to secure the line Torrington for 2 miles toward Bideford, before that too was lifted.

The link I posted a few days ago to the groups website gives details of their planned gala weekend this Easter (Sun/Mon) where they plan to share their plans and restoration work to date.

Regards Devonbelle

 

Unlike Avon Valley line, this branch was only ever single track so co-existence with the cycle track may be difficult. Great if it can be done.

John

 

Press coverage starting to appear -

Rail project on track for success in Torrington - News - North Devon Gazette

 

Re: Tarka Valley Railway Breaking News - Update

Further coverage in last Thursdays North Devon Journal - link below.

I called into the open day this morning - the diesel loco Progress ran demos up and down the platform line. The site was open yesterday.

The restored Mark 1 coach had books and mags on sale and the plans were on display for the extension to the running line and the two new sidings.

The restoration work on the BR standard brake van is looking good, with new corner posts and tongue and grove going in, The plan is the brake van will carry passengers hauled by Progress. If Ive got the technology right (!) there should be two photos attached. Paul


Tarka Valley Railway Group secures planning permission to built railway attraction in Torrington | This is North Devon

 

Just for the record the Northampton & Lamport Railway runs in council controlled land (The Brampton Valley Way) to the south of the old Boughton Crossing Sustrans has control. The N&LR is only going to go south as far as Boughton Crossing even though initial founding thoughts was to go all the way to the Northampton loop. Once the current extension south is operational (need to fund raise and refurbish a bridge) we'll head north towards Lamport (at least 1 more+ bridge refurbishment too)

 

Tarka Valley Railway group has been given planning permission to lay just over 260 metres of track toward Bideford, from the current length of track in Torrington station and two short sidings. With the news coming Just over 30 years since the last train left - 27th Jan-83 a BR blue bubble car.

 

I've got lots of sympathy for this little group, having met one of them and had a cuppa in the lovely Torrington Station cafe, and I'd contribute to their cause via their cafe every day if I lived there. But I'm one of the group of sceptics on this forum who put hard nosed realism before sentiment. Just look up the road - I don't think the line from Bideford to Barnstaple should ever have closed......but it did, and if there was a case for funding from any source in this region - public, council, Government etc to achieve any real progress it would have been to reinstate this piece of line, and in over 40 years what is there to show for all the goodwill? Practically nothing except James Mays's hornby railway race. So I'd love to think the Tarka Valley railway could achieve miracles on its own stretch but for what, and to where, and for who, and for how long?

 

Good luck to them if they can get anywhere, some cycle paths (or specifically one company behind a few of them) can be a right PITA based on past experience, certainly isn't helping Bodmin in their quest to head towards Wadebridge for one.

 

I wish them well. I'd love to see 34081 back on the Withered Arm.

 

You"v got more chance of getting a kiss from the pope.

 

Oh?, is the Pope gay then?



Chris

 

Got to agree with the sceptics on this one I'm afraid. Fantastic location and tourist honeypot but completely hemmed in with no possible chance of a meaningful running line. We have cycled the Tarka trail and it is simply fantastic. There were literally hundreds of people riding and walking up and down when we were there. There was also many businesses based on the trail like bike hires and tea shops etc. They ain't going to move. Sustrans aren't going to walk away and there isn't room for track and bikes side by side. Its the one the got away. 260 metres of track is barely a rake of coaches let alone an extension.

Sorry duck and dead are the appropriate words. Its too late. Go down to Bodmin and help them. Make a difference to something that is great.

 

You sound interested.

 

The facetious posts regarding the Pope have no relevance to the thread in any way and should be deleted.

 

Amen to that

 

I'm sure the moderators will 'See' to that....

 

Trains between Torrington and Halwill usually ran without any passengers. As a lad, I turned up at Hatherleigh to take the train; the booking clerk cum signalman cum porter cum goods clerk cum stationmaster said that I was the first passenger at the station all week - it was Saturday! Rather better than that north of Torrington, but I bet there are far more walkers and cyclists using the trackbed now than ever rode on the trains.

However, if people want to try to make a go of it, that is their right in a free society and I can only wish them luck.