ndrailusers - Mag04

Issue 4, September 2000

Table of Contents

Editorial

Editorial Cheshire Rail Tours excursion: Barnstaple-Oxford, taken near Umberleigh. (29th May 2000) Picture: John Gulliver

This year's winter timetable is more or less equivalent to last winter's - after Wales and West had fiddled around with last year's Saturday and Sunday services. So we have nine trains on Monday eight on Saturday and four on Sunday. Wales and West withdrawn from their franchise arrangements as from next March, long before their term is up, in order to renegotiate a fresh agreement with different geographical limits incorporating, among other things, the Waterloo-Exeter line. This would indicate a different approach to the North Devon line, with the possibility of an hourly service, possibly regularinterval. Thus, this year's timetable could, with a bit of luck, be the last of its kind. My own view is, however, that the most likely arrangement is that things will not change too much, too quickly.

Up and Down the Line Barnstaple Morchard Road Crediton Bargain Fares First to Waterloo A Tale of Two Cities Stop Press R.D.S Meeting Bideford & Instow Railway Group Preservation Notes Operational Matters Trouble On the 8.59 Weekend overcrowding Membership Matters Members Event - Slide Show 29th June How To Join Us Policy Matters Lands End Rail Developing the Tarka Line

A corollary from Wales and West's activities has been that South West Trains are fighting back, with the promise of a half-hourly service between Waterloo and Exeter, with ramifications for the extension to Barnstaple - shades of Harold Macmillan and things being never so good come to mind! Also, First Great Western and Virgin have expressed an interest. Never, it seems, has the line been in so great a demand. We will see. Promises, we all know from hard experience, often fail to materialise. Certainly we live in interesting times: at least it is better to report on possibilities of this nature than on questions of bustitution. It rather kills that idea stone dead - or let us hope so, for that is what it deserves.

More information, I feel certain, will have come to light long before the next Annual General Meeting, but come along anyway and hear the latest: there is sure to be much to discuss. The AGM is to be held at the Henry Williamson Room at Barnstaple Library on November 22nd, 1830 for 1900. It is hoped to arrange a speaker from the RUCC, subject to availability. The future of our line could be very bright, very soon. Come and give your support to its future fortunes.

Through Services Frequency of Service Infrastructure Extension of Services Linking in with the Okehampton Line Re-introduction of Freight Traffic Stakeholders in the Action Plan Feasibility Study Factors to be Considered Your Letters

You are also very welcome to attend our committee meetings: the next will be held at the Corner House, Barnstaple on 20th September at 1915. The one following is to be held at the Station Tea Rooms and Craft Shop, Crediton Station, on 25th October, starting as soon as possible after 1730.

David Gosling

Up and Down the Line Barnstaple There's a large cavity in the platform, just in front of the booking hall door. Fortunately, it's surrounded by a safety barrier. It's been

there for some time, with only curious onlookers going near.

Some put this inactivity down to Railtrack's acknowledgement that, when in a hole, it's best to stop digging. Others, of a more gloomy disposition, point to the wooden platform awning support, which, below platform level, has rotted away to less than half its original size. They peer apprehensively, too, at the Exeter end of the station building, where the awning is visibly pulling away from its housing.

While we discount rumours that Wales & West is about to issue hard hats to waiting passengers, we are fearful about what further excavations might reveal. The problem is a sharp reminder of the difficulty of maintaining old buildings. Given the station's architectural merit and its significance to the community of North Devon as a whole, it seems inappropriate that the burden of repair should fall on Railtrack alone.

Morchard Road Morchard Road becomes a TV star! In May the BBC were filming at Morchard Road for a new six part drama series called 'Down to Earth' (first episode to be screened Monday 28th August). The series centres around a farm in Cheriton Bishop (near Exeter) starring Pauline Quirke, although some reports suggest that the real star of the show is the West Country. The BBC used Morchard Road, filming Pauline Quirke arriving by train.

Crediton Some new signs have appeared at several stations along the line, indicating the direction of travel. That is to say an arrow points in the direction of Barnstaple and another in the direction of Exeter (with the appropriate names). Whilst this is useful further down the line, it could be very misleading at Crediton, since this station has TWO platforms in use. The platforms should be clearly marked platform 1 and platform 2 to correspond with the message received from the information box!

John Gulliver, Tony Hill and Linda Rogers

Bargain Fares First to Waterloo Readers with long memories may recall that our very first issue drew attention to the bargain £22.50 South West Trains APEX BarnstapIe to Waterloo return fare. Well now we can go one further. According to The Railway Magazine (August 2000), one can now get £3 upgrades on a range of SWT services, including those on the Exeter line. This means that one could travel to London and back, with the greater part of the journey in first class splendour, for £28.50. Must beat driving anytime!

Hugh Butterworth

A Tale of Two Cities I waited anxiously by the doors as we slid into the platform. I could not see along it, of course, since there are no windows to see out of these days, so whether the North Devon Line train was there or not, I could not tell. Had I come all the way from Waterloo just to remain stranded at Exeter St. David's for two hours? No member of Wales and West staff was to be seen: neither, for that matter, was there a representative of First Great Western. There was no guidance to be gained by inspecting the platform information indicators. And yet my train had not arrived late: the connection, albeit tight, surely could not have gone?

It had been raining lately, of course - well, rather a lot actually. I wondered! I stepped outside the station and looked to my left. Ah, ha! I saw lots of people standing around, looking bored, wet and cold. The dismal, chilling possibility of truth dawned on me. I asked one of them if he were, by any chance, waiting for a bus for stations to Barnstaple.He said; 'Yes.' Ha! So I waited dutifully alongside.

For the next forty or fifty minutes not one member of either company came out to apologise nor to offer any information about how long we might be expected to wait. I went back into the station two, or was it three, times during the wait. I saw no-one except perhaps, the odd driver wandering about. The information desk stood impressively devoid of information disseminators.

Why? Why were passengers not requested to wait in the warmth of the station lounge to be informed of the arrival of the replacement bus, instead of standing out in the miserable drizzle, wet, cold, irritable, and justifiably annoyed at their treatment? Why were they not attended to by station officials?

And why, oh why, was the wretched bus freezing cold when it did arrive? And, by way of interest, why did not the bus serve Yeoford? Taxis for Yeoford might have been available, but I heard of none. And what about passengers waiting at Yeoford? I found out later that they could ring a number. When they did they were told there were no trains because of flooding. I think they knew that already.

About five minutes before the bus did turn up, a security officer informed us all that it would be arrivmg before long. A security officer!

The passengers had obviously been appraised of the problem before I, and my Waterloo train, had arrived. They were then left completely to their own devices, standing around desolately in that gloomy December evening, just before last Christmas.

The line was washed away so there was every excuse for the non-running of the Barnstaple service. By contrast, there was no excuse whatever for the absolute lack of regard shown by both companies - the one whose train we were awaiting; the other who had responsibility for the running of the station. Both companies failed dismally to look after the well-being of their passengers on this miserable occasion.

Why? Linda Rogers spoke of her experiences of train delays in the North of England in the last issue of this magazine. At Todmorden, the train was running late. The station staff tried to contact Leeds to inform them of a passenger for the Exeter service. At Bradford Interchange, the guard had performed a similar service. Sadly, outside Leeds, our passenger saw the Exeter train depart, her train running into the platform it had lately occupied. But, in the information centre, the assistant was helpful and apologetic. She informed her manager who, it is true, kept our passenger waiting - but not without further apology. In any case, everyone knew that there was a two hour wait before the next available train. The lady was treated to food and drink to take on the train: arrangements were made for her to be met at Birmingham, to ensure that she made the correct connection. Lastly, the Northern Spirit Manager asked for Exeter St. David's to provide a taxi for our passenger's onward journey to Crediton, in order to avoid a two hour wait.

Why? Why? - because they showed initiative and conspicuous evidence of caring about what happens to their passengers. No-one at Exeter St. David's had pre-arranged the taxi: they needed a reminder!

WHY? David Gosling

Stop Press R.D.S Meeting The Railway Development Society (S.W) is holding a meeting in Plymouth in November. There will be speakers from SSRA & Rail regulators. Members of NDRUG are particularly welcome. Full details are available nearer the time from R.D.S secretary on 01736 796454.

Steam on the Line

Daylight Railtours are running a steam hauled excursion led by Bodmin, from the Mid Hants Railway to Okehampton on the 3Oth September.

Bideford & Instow Railway Group Preservation Notes As these notes are being written, a final choice of small diesel locomotive, to operate brake van rides at Bideford, is being made.

Whilst it may not be in time to operate during the summer, it is confidently expected that it will feature in "Santa Specials" at Christmas.

To comply with safety regulations, a fence has been erected between the railway track and adjacent footpath/cycle track.

Tony Hill

Operational Matters Trouble On the 8.59 The Class 153 single unit on July 24th's 8.59am from Barnstaple to Exeter ran as swiftly as ever to Umberleigh. There it stopped.

And didn't restart. At least for several minutes. When it did get going again, the engine cut out whenever we hit 30mph. In this way, successively accelerating, cutting out and coasting, we limped to Eggesford, with the heating full on on this hot summer's day.

The train was crowded from the beginning. Walkers and cyclists joined it at subsequent stops. At Eggesford, a sizeable party of mothers and toddlers was waiting to board. In the normal way of things, all set for a major riot. That none occurred was largely down to the diligence of the driver and train conductor.

The driver ensured that the conductor could let passengers know what the problem was ('cooling system fault', I think he said). By the time we reached Eggesford, the conductor had written down the intended destinations of all on board and assured them individually that, if help could not be procured, alternative travel arrangements would be made.

At Eggesford, half the passengers stayed seated while the rest spilled out on to the platform to watch the work of a fitter who had come down from St David's. it wasn't long before he had things fixed and the conductor was shepherding people back on to the train.

We got to Exeter half an hour or so late, but with no further trouble. More importantly, passengers were smiling. Not a few thanked the train crew for the trouble they had taken.

It was, I thought a perfect example of how to look after passengers in a difficult situation. In all probability it did the line much good.

Weekend overcrowding Weekend traffic on the line, even before the summer seasonal peak is reached, is heavy. Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons appear to be the busiest times. One Saturday morning train early in July was so crowded before departure time that, for safety reasons, the conductor had to ask station staff not to sell any further tickets for it. In consequence, several passengers had to wait for a later train and some looked for alternative means of travel. Other passengers were unable to board the train further up the line.

John Gulliver

Membership Matters Members Event - Slide Show 29th June Those who attended the slide show presented by Roger Joanes in Barnstaple had a most interesting and entertaining evening, with

slides of railway stations from Hemyock in the east to Padstow in the west and from Ilfracombe in the north to Tavistock in the south.

It is hoped in addition to the Annual General Niectinti to arrange futher members' entertainment events. Ideas and suggestions are always welcome. Please contact Tony Hill on 01363 877229.

How To Join Us lf you wish to join the North Devon Rail Users Group please write to the membership secretary: address details are on our homepage. Fees are ÂŁ5.00 per year for Ordinary and Corporate Members and ÂŁ3.00 for Senior Members.

Tony Hill and Linda Rogers

Policy Matters Lands End Rail The season for franchise-bidding is well under way. Prism Rail was swiftly out of the blocks with a surprise proposal for an Exetercentred franchise linking the coastal towns of Devon and Cornwall to London. It includes an hourly service for the North Devon line and through trains between Barnstaple and Waterloo.

The committee was given a preview of these proposals by Wales & West's Bob Houghton. It met subsequently to examine them in detail and to formulate comments to send to the Strategic Rail Authority. These comments are set out below. Readers will note that, as well as making clear how we see Prism's proposals, they reveal once more our group's aspirations for the North Devon rail service.

Since we formulated this response, South West Trains has also put in a bid for a service London and the West. This, too, envisages through running between Waterloo and Barnstaple. Clearly things are hotting up. We are seizing the moment by directing a stream of letters to local MPs and MEPs, and to the leaders of local councils, asking them to put their weight behind the key elements of these proposals by the various rail companies.

We'll keep you informed. But don't hesitate to add your own individual letters to their postbags. The more that the decision-makers appreciate the support for better rail services, the greater is the likelihood that we will get them...

The following letter was sent to: Mr Grant, Chief Executive, SSRA, Golding's House, 2 Hay's Lane, London, SE1 2HB.

REFRANCHISING: Proposals for the South West in "Prism Rail: Connecting the South West of England with the Capital".

We, the North Devon Rail Users Group, understand that Prism Rail is shortly to hand back its Wales and West operations to the SSRA and must assume that, in consequence, the proposals made in the above paper for the reorganisation and development of a substantial part of the rail services to and within the south west will be taken no further. Without wishing to comment on Prism Rail itself, we wish to point out that we believe that there are merits in the proposals which should be built into any rail scheme for the south west, however it is franchised. We would like to draw them to your attention, firstly with regard to the general issues involved, and then with respect to the North Devon rail line in particular.

Of the general matters, we attach importance to the following especially: the recognition that railways have a key role to play in sustaining the south west's economic life; the recognition that the railway offers a sustainable alternative to the increasingly congested business and leisure strategic corridor bounded by a A30 trunk road; the acknowledgement of the potential role of an interurban service between Waterloo and towns in Devon and Cornwall in complementing the intercity services provided by the Paddington line and in meeting the growing

demand for travel between the west country and the south coast; the commitment to the principle of the 'seamless journey', to be realised through the provision of through trains between the capital and the coast towns, improved links with bus services and better car parking and facilities for pedestrians and cyclist at adequately staffed stations; the commitment to faster, more frequent trains, running at regular intervals; the recognition of the need for the upgrading of the rail infrastructure to make such a service possible; the commitment to the substantial upgrading of rolling stock by the procurement of new trains and by the radical reflirbishment of existing stock; the development of ticketing which encourages both the casual use of rail facilities (a matter important to tourism especially) and the long-term commitment to rail of frequent and regular travellers; the devolution of key management functions to the south west, with the specific aim of increasing their responsiveness to expressions of local need; the consolidation and development of links with local authorities, RUCCs and other interested parties; the readiness to work with local authorities to open new stations and, where needed, to reopen old lines.

With regard to the Barnstaple line in particular, a line which links Exeter to many rural communities and the rapidly growing conurbations of North Devon, we attach particular importance to: the commitment to a regular interval, hourly service, operating through the greater part of the day, with most trains continuing beyond Exeter to Exmouth; (in the belief that the requirement to change at Exeter is the biggest single impediment to the growth of rail travel to and from this area), the provision of two daily through trains between Barnstaple and London; the recognition that improvements to the line's infrastructure are essential to the enhancement of the service it offers; the commitment to the provision of sufficient rolling stock to cater properly for the surges in demand associated with both daily traffic flows and holiday periods; the commitment to the upgradmg of rolling stock: here we would draw particular attention to the requirements of holiday makers for greatly increased luggage space, to the need for increased availability of storage space for cycles, and, above all, for the provision of trains which allow travellers to appreciate the line's greatest natural asset, namely its magnificent scenery; the commitment to station improvements and the staffing of some of them (we would assume that Barnstaple is one) between 0700 and 1800; the willingness to look imaginatively at how station facilities might be tied in with other community services.

We trust that you will give these matters your full attention as you shape the new franchises.

John Gulliver

Developing the Tarka Line It was on Friday 2 January 1998 that Cheshire Railtours ran its first ever 'charter' train from the Barnstaple Line - a New Year's shopping special to Paddington with an HST. Prior to this the line had largely been forgotten by charter train operators. No excursions had run from the line in recent years and main line' trains got no nearer to North Devon than Exeter or Tiverton Parkway.

Since we began business in 1988 Cheshire Railtours has always favoured running charters from branch lines and our very first trip in May 1988 was a Buxton to Settle & Carlisle line trip. With this background we had none of the trepidation that others had about running a trip from Barnstaple.

The result was an overwhelming success, resulting in two more sell-out HST trips from the line within weeks - this time to Mid Wales.

Since then we have run further charter trains from Barnstaple to London, Mid Wales and to Oxford and Worcester, proving our belief in the line's potential. Indeed we could have run and filled even more trains from this line, were resources and infrastructure on Britain's postprivatisation railway better.

And this leads me to the main point of my article - that the Barnstaple line has been the victim of overrationalisation, government

policy (or should I say non-policy?) and a general lack of vision by the industry's senior managers for several years. There are so many examples of this that I could fill the magazine with a list of missed opportunities, false economies and general disinterest from 'on-high', but I will give one personal example:Encouraged by the response to our charter trains from the line, we wrote to Wales & West Railway's Head Office in Cardiff arid offered to distribute their promotional literature free of charge for them on our trains from Barnstaple. Bearing in mind that this would have been a unique marketing opportunity for them - as research suggests that many charter train passengers are lapsed rail travellers who have not used trains for some years - I expected an enthusiastic response. However, despite a reminder I did not even get the courtesy of a reply.

Other attempts I have made at putting business their way have met with an equally disinterested response. One wonders whether Wales & West are fit operators to run the line, or for that matter even want to run it, as their only achievement of late has been to reduce services on the route!

Having given the background - and a rather negative one I admit - I would like to look forward to what might be possible on the line with the right quality of railway management, local politicians and investment. It has to be said that all these suggestions are made against a background of a privatised railway where shareholders and money are often deemed more important than passengers and quality of service. So some ideas might be harder to achieve than they might have been under BR.

Through Services I have long wondered why BR and their successors never took the initiative to extend a couple of the Waterloo-Exeter services to Barnstaple and back. Thankfully a through service to Waterloo now seems to be a very real possibility in the not too distant future, if reports in the media are to be believed. However, more is possible. Through Summer Saturday services from other parts of Britain should be introduced and the opportunity should be taken to programme units such that some services run through Plymouth or Bristol.

Frequency of Service Wales & West has reduced the service recently, when it should have been increased. There has been a proposal of late for an hourly service and this makes sense to me - it just comes down to resources. Unfortunately with several routes crying out for additional services, there isn't the rolling stock around to go around (well actually there is, but the financial arrangements and the way the Rolling Stock Companies and their stockpiles of coaches at marshalling yards are controlled, makes it very difficult for train operators to get their hands on what they need).

Infrastructure The line's infrastructure has been decimated over the years with sidings, signalling, passing loops and double-track sections - not to mention staff - having been removed. This means that much potential traffic is denied access to the line. A town the size of Barnstaple with its vast hinterland deserves a freight terminal, yet without the reinstatement of a siding or 'loop' and the appropriate signalling, freight traffic would find it very difficult to make use of the line. A run-round loop south of the station would open up the line to freight traffic as well as allowing locomotive hauled' passenger trains to use the hue. In addition the loop could be used for stabling trains, thus allowng additional services such as charter trains to run inwards to Barnstapie without blocking the platform at Barnstaple.

There is also good reason - especially when taking into account the potential of the Okehampton line - to restore the CreditonColeford section of the route to double track track working rathcr than operating it as two single lines. This would allow much greater flexibility of services and reduce delay if a train coming in the opposite direction was running late.

Extension of Services There were once no less than five routes into Barnstaple's three railway stations - one could get to anywhere in the locality by one time. No longer so - only one of those five lines remains and that is but a shadow of its former self. Of all the routes that were allowed to die, the most short-sighted act of closure was that to Bideford and beyond. The line remained in use for freight for several years after passenger services were withdrawn, yet despite the tide having turned by then against rail contraction, the tracks were

still lifted when BR withdrew freight services to Torrington. For very little investment the Exeter-Barnstaple passenger trains could have been extended to the growing resort of Bideford.

I believe that despite the tracks having been lifted for some years, it is essential that the route is reopened to Bideford. For the record I also believe that. the llfracombe line was another closure of utterly short-sighted stupidity and I would dearlv love to see it re opened too. Whether this ever happens will depend upon the quality of our politicians, both national and local.

One has to remember that were these lines open today, any attempt at closure would almost certainly fail for a number of reasons.

Firstly people are far more politically and environmentally aware today and are far more willing to resist change imposed upon them by people who would have been considered their 'betters' years ago. Secondly the road network is gradually becoming more gridlocked and people are seeking saner ways of getting about. And thirdly people are travelling more than they used to.

Were the Barnstaple line's 'extensions' to Bideford and lIfracombe open today, I would envisage an hourly service with alternate trains travelling through to Bideford and Ilfracombe via the old Town station, perhaps with trains splitting at Barnstaple at peak times to provide more frequent services Northwards and Westwards when appropriate. There would obviously be a passing loop at Barnstaple and probably one on the llfracombe line at Braunton.

Incidentally. I feel it is also a great pity that that Barnstaple lo Taunton on line through South Molton was allowed to close, but I have to be realistic here and admit that there is more chance of John Prescott givtng up his cherished fleet of Jags than there is of getting that route re-opened!

Another idea on a smaller scale is the provision of a halt at Bishops Tawon - a fast growing village that is becoming a dormitory town for Barnstaple, yet distant to BarnstapIe station to the north or Chapelton station to the south.

Linking in with the Okehampton Line The highly popular Sunday Shuttle services to Okehampton prove the potential of the line, sharing the Tarka Line route as it does as far as Coleford Junction. Obviously it is not within the scope of this article to discuss my aspirations for the Okehampton-TavistockPlymouth route, but suffice it to say that I believe there is potential for a daily service to Okehampton. This would provide additional services between Exeter and Crediton. Further, if this happens, the 'down' platform at Yeoford could be brought back into use, enabling passengers from the Barnstaple line travelling to Okehampton to change there.

Which of these proposals comes to fruition remains to be seen. The evidence we have had in recent years of corruption and deceit at the highest level, and of what I regard as people putting the interests of themselves, their parties or even their own egos before those of the electorates they are meant to serve, has destroyed my faith in national politicians of all colours, certainly at Ministerial level. However, I believe that local politics by and large is not as perverse or corrupt and is anyway less remote from the people it is designed to serve. That is why I believe the future of our line lies very much with our local county and district councillors.

We need to keep the pressure up on them to invest in, market and expand the line. Rail users need to be active in their local councils, in lobby groups such as the Railway Development Society, Transport 2000 and the many green lobby groups. We need to keep the press informed of developments and to defend the interests of rail passengers by writing to the 'letters' pages of newspapers. We also need to oppose the blocking of the trackbeds of disused lines by construction works for by-passes, car parks, supermarkets or housing estates, by bringing out the 'Swampy' in us.

Yes we can get the Bideford line re-opened if we want to. Yes we can get lorries off the road and a rail-freight yard opened in BarnstapIe and yes we can get that hourly frequency of services. But we all have to get active if we really, really want it, We still have free-speech and democracy of sorts in this country - for the moment anyway - so make yourself heard! No politician or councillor is elected without the public putting them there - so tell them what you believe is a sensible local transport policy.

(Further details of Cheshire Railtours' programme of excursion trains can be obtained by writing to them at Golsoncott Cottage, Golsoncott, Rudhuish, Minehead TA24 6QZ with a SAE or by telephone 01984 640005) David Latimer Cheshire Railtours

Re-introduction of Freight Traffic It is my belief that any reintroduction of freight to the line will require a co-ordinated plan of action to be drawn up. All stakeholders in the plan would need to contribute to the plan in some way. The plan would need to describe the actions each stakeholder needs to take to bring freight to the rails of North Devon again. In management speak, each stake-holder must 'buy in' to the plan. Each stakeholder will do this only if they can expect a return of some sort. This need not be financial; in the case of government (both local and national) the return would be the satisfying of policy. A coherent plan would form the basis of the various grant applications and planning permissions that are likely to be necessary to make the infrastructure improvements needed both on and around the railway.

Stakeholders in the Action Plan Stakeholders would include, but not be limited to: Railtrack Devon County Council The local councils through which the line passes, especially those where loading/unloading points might be situated.

A freight operator (most likely, EWS) The plan stands a better chance of success if further stakeholders are added, as follows: Local MPs and MEPs. Their support is almost obligatory if central government and EU funding is needed.

Further freight operators. EWS is not the only fish in the sea, especially when it comes to aggregates traffic.

A local haulage operator (or operators) who operates a fleet of vehicles capable of carrying the containers that are used with rail wagons. These will be the people who carry freight from the terminals to its final destination.

Central government. Although the most recent actions of central government have shown them far more supportive of road freight transport than they claim, transfer of freight from road to rail remains official government policy. Grants are available to pay for the initial cost of doing so. At present these grants are not being taken up as fast as money is being made available.

The government department concerned is of course the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

The European Union. The EU is prepared to make money available to invest in measures that stimulate economic growth (such as improving transport infrastructure) in areas of depressed economic activity (such as the West Country).

Local land agencies. Organisations such as the Highways Agency, and the agency dealing with rivers will need satisfying that whatever is carried out does not cause problems for them.

Other interest groups will have a connection to the plan but may not necessarily expect some kind of tangible return from it.

The infrastructure maintenance company responsible for the line. More trains over more infrastructure means more work for them - so they have reasons to support the plan. This support might take the form of providing information to support the plan free of charge.

A civil engineering company. Clearly, civil engineering work may well be required. A civil engineering Consultancy could be expected to benefit from this work and, especially if a local firm, might wish to be associated with the plan for publicity purposes.

Railway infrastructure construction companies. Work on track and signalling might also be required. Local companies would be interested in the work and as a result might input information to the plan at little or no cost.

Local chambers of commerce. These groups represent the businesses that will be putting loads onto the trains.

Local environmental groups. Many of the arguments supporting a return of freight to the rails are environmental. It would be very useful to have groups such as the local branch of 'Friends of the Earth' fighting on our side.

Local road safety groups. Statistically speaking, rail transport is about 100 times safer than road. Local safety groups should therefore support the plan, as it would lead to a reduction in road accidents in the area.

Local respiratory disease support groups. Rail results in far lower pollution levels than road, so groups supporting those with respiratory problems caused by pollution from road vehicles should support the plan.

National pressure groups pushing for a transfer of freight from road to rail. The most prominent of these is the Rail Freight Group. They will have access to the kind of expertise that could be very useful in drawing up the plan and pointing out who we should be lobbying and how.

The media. There will be those who are opposed to the plan - those who currently benefit from the transport of freight by road in North Devon, those who live close to the line but who perceive one or two additional trains a day as a major nuisance that will depress the value of their homes and those who might suffer from the nuisance caused by any infrastructure works needed. Such groups or individuals will use all means at their disposal to prevent the plan coming to fruition, including extensive media publicity. Getting the press 'on our side' by pointing out the advantages for the vast majority of those living in North

Devon from day one is of utmost importance in combating such groups. For instance, local newspapers could point out the benefits to car users in reducing the number of slow moving lorries on the roads.

Feasibility Study Associated with the plan will have to be a feasibility study. This will be rather more extensive than that currently being conducted by EWS, which focuses only on potential traffic levels and operational difficulties in servicing them. The study will have to demonstrate that all the possible impacts caused by reintroduction of freight by rail to the line have been considered and shown to be either negligible, or are capable of mitigation in some realistic, economic and practical way.

The feasibility study should also consider possible impacts and effects upon the railway and the freight that it will carry caused by influences both internal and external to the existing railway, its staff and its users. Once again, it will be necessary to show that all such impacts have been considered and shown to be negligible, or are capable of mitigation in some realistic, economic and practical way.

Factors to be Considered Many factors are associated with the environment through which the railway passes. For most of these the effect of running a freight service over and above the existing passenger service is marginal but nonetheless this needs to be demonstrated to allay fears and get objections overruled. Examples of such factors where the freight service could impact on the railways surroundings could include: Consideration of sites of special scientific interest.

Heritage features, for instance listed buildings.

Statutory and non-statutory sites for nature conservation.

Water courses. Improving the drainage of the line could impose a strain on local streams, rivers and brooks at times of heavy rainfall.

Communities. Those living in cornmunities alongside the line who do not wish the line well will not be impressed by the idea of more, heavier, louder trains passing close by their houses. This is especially true if trains run at night. They will be afraid for the value of their homes.

Flooding Subsidence Objects, animals or people on the track Fallen trees Land slip Dangerous fumes or smoke, etc Other factors to be assessed include: Accessibility of facilities to emergency services Satisfictory response of emergency services where hazardous cargoes are involved The signalling - can it handle the extra trains at the speeds the freight operators will wish to operate?

The line loading gauge - will the sort of wagons the operators wish to use fit through the over bridges and past the platforms?

Will the underbridges bear the weight?

Will the numerous level crossings be safe for the operation of freight?

Will staff be available at the hours of the day the freight operators wish to operate trains?

The answers to these and other questions will determine whether the return of freight to the line is practical. The operators themselves will determine if it is viable.

Duncan Rose

Your Letters

Freight Terminal for Barnstaple Whilst fully supporting the proposals in issue 3, why put all our eggs in one basket? Why concentrate everything in this one location? Plans for the Town's western bypass must include an underpass specifically for restoring the rail track beyond the existing buffer stops at Barnstaple station, a feature which would appear to be in keeping with the present government's transport policies.

The immediate advantage of relaying even a quarter of a mile of track towards Fremington will be that the bulk of materials required for the bypass construction can then be brought in by rail, to the advantage of the line's revenue and also to ease the inevitabie chaos that Barnstaple will suffer if it is all to be delivered by road. It may be remembered that cement was one of the last rail-born commodities to reach Barnstaple, before the short-sighted closure of Barnstaple goods yard, some years ago.

Ultimately, the track extension can be used as the starting point for a further extension to the Yelland area where potential business exists at the oil terminal and the M.O.D depot - it should be noted that the M.O.D are currently using rail services for their locations at Bovington, Tidworth and Catterick. The future development of industrial facilities on the former power station site should not be overlooked, nor should the planned extension of Appledore shipyard, which used to supply lucrative business to the former Bideford goods yard.

Alan Wilkinson

The chance of a local terminal is most welcome news but not so at Seven Brethren. The opportunity to alleviate traffic congestion with rail freight in North Devon is very limited. It may save a few lorry journeys on the link road but really that will only make car driving more comfortable.

Serious congestion on that road is only slight.

In its infinite wisdom N.D.D.C. have made lower Sticklepath a congested area. Having slowed everything down with traffic lights they add retail outlets, Lidl's etc. to spew further traffic into the area. Future proposals are a bridge that will make the Western areas travel through town, around the square and over the long bridge to reach the leisure centre, several retail outlets and the railway. Add the proposed development of Seven Brethren, throw in a few lorries from the freigbt terminal and we can have a long campaign for an underpass or some such structure.

The correct place for the terminal is where the link road and the railway cross so that the onward movement will only effect the town if the delivery is in the town which will be quite rare. We should campaign for this together with a passenger facility at the same place. This would make the railway far more accessible to Bishops Tawton, Newport and Whiddon Valley to say the least. Indeed you could reach Bideford from there far faster than any train timing that was in the old timetables when the service used to run there.

David Crick

I was most interested in the feature on the possible Barnstaple rail freight terminal in issue 3. However, it should be pointed out that the North Devon District Council's plans need to include a much longer runround facility than the one now available. Without this, the capacity for freight and scope for passenger excursion traffic will be severely limited, thus defeating the whole object of the exercise.

Should the ambitious plan for a new cargo port facility at Yelland come to fruition, then clearly that would be the location where a new rail freight facility should be provided. Generous government grants are available for such schemes. This would give even more importance to the need to safeguard the present railway formation from Barnstaple towards Bideford, incorporating a bridge over the railway in any Barnstaple 'Downstream' road scheme.

Tony Hill