Issue 1, December 1999
Editorial .Crediton Station down waiting room, August 1997 Picture: Richard Rogers
Welcome to our first edition of the North Devon Rail Users Group magazine. Your editorial team members are David Gosling, John Gulliver and Linda Rogers Each edition will include a special feature. Some may specifically relate to the North Devon Line, others may be of a more general nature. In this issue we are including articles about items of interest occurring up and down the line and providing information about additional trains, timetables, fares and stations. We have also included items on policy matters, gleanings from the press, a brief resume of our recent AGM, forthcoming events, and much more! Our aim is to be informative and interesting, innovative and forward looking, covering current issues whilst leaving a little room for occasional nostalgia. We propose to produce four issues a year: for this we need your support and input. Please forward any articles of interest to the editors, care of the Station Tea Rooms at Crediton. We hope that you will enjoy this special bumper first issue. Your comments are actively sought and will be warmly welcomed. Linda Rogers
AGM in Brief The 1999 Annual General Meeting of the North Devon Rail Users Group was held at the Henry Williamson Room, Barnstaple Library on Wednesday 10th November. The meeting was opened by Chairman Lewis Andrews, who started by stressing the high profile the Group had enjoyed over the past year It had been necessary to make representations to Wales and West, Devon County Council, and the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership about proposed cuts in rail services and the clarification of our stance towards the proposed Barn-staple bypass. EU funds of ÂŁ600 had recently been provided which were to be spent on station seating and the refurbishment of the Barnstaple station clock. Meanwhile, the Group had been heavily involved in promoting the line, having spent ÂŁ300 advertising the service.
In conjunction with the Partnership, Wales and West had been successfully lobbied, resulting in the busy Saturday mid-morning service to Exeter, omitted from the winter timetable, being reinstated. The vending machines at Barnstaple, as well as providing a valuable service to passengers, had also contributed substantially to the Group's income. Lewis noted that Wales and West's franchise, expiring in 2004, would. be reviewed in 2002. Now was time for the Group to make views felt to OPRAF and the SRA regarding the kind of future wanted for the line. As a matter of policy, committee meetings had been held at a variety of places along the line during year. Lewis gave particular thanks to Linda Rogers for making Crediton ton Station Tea Rooms available for two of them. Mark Toms, on behalf of the Chairman, reported that funds were still being allocated to various station for floral enhancements to the tune of £40 per operative platform. The results of this year's Station Flow Competition were: 1st, Newton St Cyres; 2nd, Crediton; 3rd, Yeoford. David Crick, the Group's Treasurer, provided details of the Group's financial results over the past year. Resources had been enhanced during the year by £1,983 through increased cash flows; greater profits from activities; and donations from Torridge District Council, and Barnstaple and Crediton Town Councils. The main item of expenditure had been the £1,500 spent on the purchase of the cold drinks vending machine at Barnstaple station. Overall surplus for the year stood at £928. David Gosling, the recently appointed Membership Secretary, stated that, on existing information, the Group had, at most, a membership total of 271, of whom 236 were paying members. He argued for the adoption of a more regularized method of subscription collection, proposing that renewals should fall due for everyone on January 1st each year. Bob Watson expressed concern with regard to the new system, stating that some people go for lengthy periods without subscribing, only to make generous donations later. Other members present, however, expressed concern at what they saw as a lack of a systematic approach to subscription collection in the past. The new method of subscription collection was adopted. There then followed a debate on membership subscription rates. David Gosling demonstrated that, at current rates, the total income would not support the Group's continued existence and further stated that the Group should not solely rely on the income from the vending machines to subsidise its activities. Discussion then centred on what the new rates should be and on the number of categories offered, those present being virtually unanimous in agreeing that a change was overdue. The agreed proposal was that two categories only would remain. Family and Corporate members would be allocated Ordinary membership in future but a Senior Citizen rate would be retained. The new rates are: Ordinary £5.00 (an increase of £3.00); Senior Citizen £3.00 (an increase of £2.00). These rates, being proposed by Bob Watson, were carried. The new committee was then elected, details of which are to be found at the back of this magazine. The committee next meets on Wed. 12th January 2000, at the Exeter Inn Barnstaple at 19.15. Committee matters concluded, we were then entertained by a presentation from Chris Harvey, Network Services Manager of English Welsh and Scottish Railway. A special feature on EWS will he included in the next issue. David Gosling and Linda Rogers
Up and Down the Line
Summer Traffic 1999 Many of the summer trains were heavily used. Even in mid-week, in the experience of one of our members, there was often standing room only on the 10.12 from Barnstaple. Substantial numbers of passengers joined the train at both scheduled and request stops along the line. Similarly, the down 13.01 and 18.00 were often very full. If others haven't been mentioned, it's simply because they weren't observed. But the difficulties posed to train conductors through overcrowding have been noted. Just how much revenue is lost by the near impossibility of ticket examination and tire collection throughout the crowded trains is a matter for speculation. Moreover, journeys which go unrecorded count for nothing in statistics of line usage. In place of the more usual 150s and 153s, Class 158 DMUs occasionally appeared on regular services on the line in the summer months. Many passengers were heard to comment favourably on the superior standard of accommodation they offered.
Barnstaple The car park at Barnstaple station has been extended. The new section covers part of the rather derelict space formerly provided for overspill parking. It has been brought up-to the level of the main car park. With the provision of the new bus waiting and turning area at the Exeter end of the station, the old turning area has become redundant and been incorporated into the new extension. Interestingly, the limit of the expanded parking area appear to have been defined by former track bed towards Bideford. At the moment, at least, the line and level of the latter have been intact. Meanwhile, so heavy was the use in high Summer of the parking area cars deposited by cyclists heading for the Tarka Trail that only the earliest of prospective rail users could be sure of space. The daily parking charge has been raised to ÂŁ1.50. Weekly ticket holders, however, continue to be able to park free and, for the benefit of everyone, surveillance cameras are now in operation.
Chapelton Simon Lewis, the new occupier of Chapelton Station House, recently attended the Umberleigh meeting and expressed an interest in entering the flower competition. Accordingly the Group has provided the station with flower tubs which enabled the new owners to put on a creditable first performance, brightening up the station at the same time!
Umberleigh Rather surprisingly, few seem to have spotted the possibilities of the car park at Umberleigh station. Except for those corning from the north of the town, it is probably easier to reach in
conditions of heavy traffic than Barnstaple station car park and, for the moment at least, can be used without payment. One must assume that few people are aware of its existence. Perhaps members of the Rail Users Group could do their bit to bring it to wider attention.
Lapford Earlier this year, members Tony Hill and David Gosling took time out to see what improvements could be made to the embankment name at Lapford. The grass was cut back to enable passengers to see this well known feature of the station. As summer progressed, and the flora once again took over, the cement-based (or so it seems!) lettering could still be seen but, it must be said, the condition of the sign leaves much to be desired. Next spring, the Group must make a special effort to repair the landmark and paint it afresh. At the same time, it would be beneficial if more work could be carried out on nearby ground in order to present Lapford's name in neater surroundings.
Morchard Road There were some difficulties at Morchard Road with the installation of the new Train Information System. Before it could be connected to the national telephone network a new metal telephone pole had to be erected in the car park close to the fencing by the platform entrance. The position of the pole had to be carefully selected to avoid planting it on private land! (More about the Train Information Systems later.)
Crediton Four new flower tubs have been supplied by the Group, three of which are on the station platform and one at the front of the station building. Linda Rogers has now filled the tubs with flowers and will maintain them. In addition, a large window box has been fixed along the full length of the main platform windows. These features should help to enhance Crediton's efforts at next year's flower competition.
Newton St Cyres The station building at Newton St Cyres, like that at Chapleton, has recently been resold. The new owners have approached a member of the Group and have expressed a strong interest in our activities, stating in addition that they have spoken to Angie and Lewis Delve, who tend the flowers at the station, offering to make a contribution to their efforts next year.
Exeter Central Many of you could not have failed to notice that something is at last happening at Exeter Central. The place is stuffed full of scaffolding, gift-wrapped in red and white tape! Passengers are now required to meander carefully, rather than walk, from one end of the platform to the other! Still, we mustn't complain: after many years of neglect the station seems finally to be receiving some much-deserved attention. This facelift is not confined to platform areas: the station buildings and Queen Street facade are also being subjected to renovation. John Gulliver and David Gosling
Winter Timetables 1999/2000 Enclosed with this magazine is a copy of the winter timetable, produced by a member of the Group. The official Wales and West timetables, in different ways, contain errors, or omissions. The large notice board timetables, to be found each station, although correct at time of going to press, do not include the recently reintroduced Saturday morning service from Exeter and its return working, which has been invaluable for taking shoppers to Devon's capital. This train was put back into the timetable by Wales and West, initially as a pre-Christmas promotion, but subsequently extended to run throughout the life of the timetable, after representation from Lewis Andrews, our Chairman. Even if other considerations entered into Wales and West's deliberations, it's nice to think that our Group may have had some Influence in bringing about the restoration of this service. The Tarka Line publication also suffers from this error. The small(ish) Wales and West timetable booklet, in addition to making the same omission, does not include the first Sunday down and up service. Both Wales and West publications include references to the summer services to Okehampton. Since these services only run on the first two Sundays of the winter timetable, their inclusion in the main part of the Barnstaple services -which, of course, run throughout the life of the timetable has caused some confusion. There have been occasions when people have turned up at Crediton for trains which have been non-existent. Perhaps a variation of layout design is all that is required here. A key letter indicates that these trains do not run all winter but these are easily overlooked. The easier life can be made for passengers, the better. It used to be customary for a squiggly line to be printed down the timetable entry for any train which ran only on selected dates: this standardised feature was very effective at drawing the reader's attention to the fact that something needed looking into! It may be noted that the Tarka Line publication does not suffer from this problem since the Okehampton trains are simply not included. This is also true of that published by NDRUG! David Gosling
Forthcoming Events South Devon Festival of Transport A festival of transport, centering on Newton Abbot, is being planned for May, 2000. It will include displays of vintage buses, aeroplanes and railway vehicles. Steam-hauled excursions will arrive from the rest of the country. Some of the most well-known locomotives have been
promised. Among them are a King and a Castle, both ex-GWR Collett designs, and the exLNER Gresley Pacific Flying Scotsman. Early hopes of a steam special to Barnstaple, however, are fading. Nonetheless, there are opportunities here for Family or 2 for 1 tickets to Newton Abbot from the North Devon line. Will Wales and West grasp them?
Steam Returns to Mid and North Devon Using the steam locomotive and coaches working the Easter Exeter to Newton Abbot "Dawlish Donkey" trains, Pastime Railtours are intending to run evening steam specials from Exeter to Okehampton and return on 24th April and to Barnstaple and return on 29th April 2000. For full details contact Pastime Railtours on 01543 411971.
Bideford The Bideford and Instow Railway Group will be entertaining Father Christmas at his Grotto at Bideford on Saturday 11th and Saturday 18th December. Parents are advised to be accompanied by at least one child! Meanwhile, Bideford Railway Museum and Instow signal box are open to the public on Sunday afternoons during the winter between 2pm and 4pm John Gulliver, Tony Hill and Alan W ilkinson
Crediton Station Tea Rooms .Crediton Station Tea Rooms Picture: Richard Rogers
The subject of our first feature is very much closely related to the line - namely the recent history of the Station Tea Rooms at Crediton. Members Linda and Richard Rogers obtained the keys in December, 1997, officially leasing it in February of the following year. They did not, perhaps, realise the full extent of the work they had in front of them before they could claim to have completed its restoration. The derelict heap, resulting from years of use, and
misuse, had to be transformed into the pleasant, warm and tastefully decorated refreshment room now on offer, in a little over three months in order to be ready to open in time for the summer season. This was achieved - but only just - by Richard taking a month's leave from his professional business, and working with Linda every day during this period. Often, a day's work was not completed until the early hours of the following morning. Extensive treatment was necessary to rid the booking office area, in particular, of dry rot. This had spread so far as to be in danger of infecting the ceiling and roof. If this had progressed only a little further, the roof itself would have been threatened. Replacement of the roof would almost certainly have been uneconomical and, even though the building is listed Grade II, its very existence would have thereby been at risk.
The Tea Rooms are available for meetings by prior arrangement. The Cyclists Touring Club and the Scaleseven Society have already taken advantage of this facility, as has the North Devon Rail Users Group itself. Here members discuss policy earlier this year with Lewis Andrews chairing, and Sue Reed of the Crediton Courier taking the minutes. Picture: David Gosling
So not only does Crediton - and the North Devon Line - have a refreshment facility at this station but, through their efforts, the rest of us are privileged to be able to relax over a cup of tea or coffee, eating out toasted tea cakes, in a relaxed, historic, 150 year old building which otherwise could easily have been destroyed. Official opening of the Tea Rooms and Craft Shop took place on May 2nd 1998. Since then there has been a steady build up of loyal custom, both in terms of those seeking refreshments, and others of a more creative and practical bent. The main emphasis of the craft side of the business is cross-stitch, embroidery and tapestry, with some local craft items available. In addition to keeping comprehensive stocks of leading brands of kits, charts, cotton, wool and accessories, the full complement of Linda's own range of cross-stitch kits, Elite Designs, is available off the shelf. She also takes commissions, creating the required design from photographs or drawings provided by the customer. Research is being undertaken into the history of the building, and of the Exeter and Crediton line itself. In the near future it is intended to have a corner set aside for an exhibit detailing this history. Anyone who feels they may have any useful information to help with this task is welcome to get in touch with Linda, at the Tea Rooms, on 01363 777766. Externally the building is currently undergoing renovation. On completion, the visitor will be greeted by an attractively restored building in full, authentic, London and South Western Railway livery, with a s much attention to detail (signs, posters, etc), as is possible.
Work has started on the underside of the canopy on the road side of the building. All paint is being removed prior to repainted, rather than merely rubbing down. Nearly all the woodwork is in excellent condition. The pencilled words Crediton and Jewell have been uncovered as paint has been removed: was Jewell involved in the original construction? Picture: Wendy Hillier
What better atmosphere to sample the delights of a tasty meal and a warm welcome. With the ticking of the railway clock, and the sound of an approaching train, it would be easy to conjure up the imminent arrival of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. Now all we need is the steam... David Gosling
Policy Matters Devon County Council's Response to OPRAF Like other county councils, Devon has responded to the OPRAF 1999 Assessment consultation paper. Entitled The Future of Rail Services in Devon, its reply sets out the Council's vision of the shape and functions of the rail services required for Devon for the first part of the 21st century. This encompasses expansion of provision for both passengers and freight. It involves substantial improvements in services between Devon and the rest of the country, the enhancement and even expansion of branch line facilities within it and the development of better links between rail and other modes of transport. Behind a commitment by the county to a more active role in working with transport authorities within Devon and adjoining counties and with the rail providers is a stance which is essentially forward-looking and positive: •
'Our commitment is not embedded in some nostalgic yearning to the era of railways of old. Rather, our determination is centered on the realisation that local, national and European rail services...have a critical part to play in securing integrated and sustainable transport networks for Devon.'
(Foreword by Brian Greenslade, Leader, DCC) Within this broad framework, the Exeter - Barnstaple line is given strong support. In particular, the County Council wants to see:
• • • •
improvements in the line infrastructure so that more and faster trains can be run; the introduction of an hourly clockface timetable; improved links with First Great Western and Virgin Cross Country services; station enhancements.
It also recognises the potential of a local freight terminal at Barnstaple. At the same time, the Council signals major concerns about the current Passenger Service Requirement. This allows the timetable to be reduced to seven trains per day and does nothing to protect key flows, such as the morning peak services to Barnstaple. With this latter point in mind, Rail User Group members might take note of a particular expectation on the part of the Council: •
'It is...important that there is an acceptance that not all services, particularly on rural branch lines, can be profitable and that the public purse will pay for 'socially necessary' services.' (p.2)
The County has already shown its hand in the past year by subsidising two daily services on the line in addition to the PSR. Such support clearly depends on political will. Group members may like to consider how they can play their part in sustaining it.
New Rail Passenger Partnership Scheme In response to a letter from one of our members, Nick Harvey MP elicited the following statement from Glenda Jackson, then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions: •
'We are committed to encouraging more people to travel by rail and to see more investment in the rail network. That is why we have made available additional funding for a new Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) scheme aimed specifically at providing support for locally sponsored services that are not commercially viable.'
(letter to Nick Harvey, 5 July 1999) Glenda Jackson is no longer an Under Secretary. The scheme, however, lives on. Its relevance to our line, and to others within the County, is readily apparent. So far, we have yet to learn how or whether its possibilities are being explored. John Gulliver
Gleanings from the Press Freemarket Central? In a recent issue of one of the railway periodicals ('Welcome to Freemarket Central', Railway Magazine, May 1999, pp.74-79), transport writer Rhodri Clark claims that current developments in rail investment and management represent the latest phase of a longstanding tendency to strengthen the potentially profitable sectors while allowing the weaker ones to slip further down a spiral of decline. His argument is about the nation's railways in
general. A number of the points he makes, nevertheless, might be seen to be of direct relevance to the west country and to the Barnstaple line in particular, and thus to NDRUG: • • • • • • •
While the government has recently provided £50m for rural bus services, as yet, no significant extra money has been allocated to rail lines; In the absence of additional public funds and with the limitations of current contractual arrangements, the development of rail services lies in the hands of the Train Operating Companies; There is evidence of a trend for TOCs to move their trains from lines with low earning potential to routes where the returns promise to be greater; In some cases, as on the Llandudno to Blaenau line, this may involve the replacement of some trains by buses; The division between profitable and unprofitable lines is increasing. On the former, cheap fares and better services draw in more passengers. On the latter, higher fares, poor frequencies and inferior rolling stock discourage them; while some rural lines have attracted more passengers since privatisation, this has often stemmed from the efforts of local authorities and rail users' groups rather than their promotion by TOCs themselves; If such organisations want such lines to have a future, they may have to shoulder the management and marketing tasks the TOCs may be unwilling to undertake.
Those interested in these claims are strongly recommended to read Rhodri Clark's article in full. Copies of the Railway Magazine issue in which it appears are available from newsagents or, as back numbers, from Circulation Department, The Railway Magazine, Oakfield House, Perrymont Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3DH; price £2.85 each. John Gulliver
Freight on the Line EWS at Crediton The stone traffic taken by English Welsh and Scottish Railway to Crediton from Meldon and elsewhere, as reported in an earlier newsletter, has now ceased. Since this was a short term contract, its end should not occasion surprise. It is more valid to view the whole venture as an indication of how the railway can take heavy traffic off the road at short notice where the will is there. What the group needs to press for is the maintenance and even enhancement of the line's capacity to cater for such traffic. John Gulliver
Bargain Fares Can you travel from Barnstaple to London Waterloo for £11.25? Well, no, actually...but you can go there and back for £22.50 on South West Train's recently introduced APEX fare. This means that, to take advantage of this reduced fare, you must book at least seven days in advance and return within one month. If you travel from Yeoford, Crediton or Newton St Cyres the return fare is only £20.00. The APEX ticket includes a free seat reservation. If you buy a ticket before 6pm (it used to be 2pm, so this represents an improvement!) on the day before your outward journey, a return ticket will cost £32.50. From Eggesford, King's Nympton, and Lapford this is reduced to £31.5O; and from Yeoford, Crediton, and Newton St Cyres further reduced to £29.50. However, if you hold a railcard, the fare is even further reduced by a third, thus bringing the fare from Barnstaple down to £21.45: again with a free seat reservation. So if, for example, you leave Barnstaple at 10.11, you will arrive at Exeter St David's at 11.19. Almost immediately, the Waterloo train will draw in to the same platform and depart at 11.30. It arrives at Waterloo at 14.42. Call 0870 9000 773 (W and W) or 0845 6000 650 (SWT) for Telesales Services or 08457 484950 for National Rail Enquiries. Hugh Butterworth
Train Information Platform Information Points Every station now has a Train Information Point. Press the button and you will receive a time check and confirmation of the time of the next departure. Rumour had it that you would also receive information regarding the late running of trains. However, experience at Crediton recently contradicted this. Some twenty-five minutes after the expected time of arrival of an up train (17.29), the system was confidently informing passengers that the next departure for Exeter would be at 19.02. Meanwhile, the 17.29 was still somewhere between Crediton and Eggesford! Perhaps, this is a hiccough, or does this represent a critical system limitation? If so then what is on offer is somewhat disappointing, unfortunately being no more than a talking timetable.
Another unfortunate aspect of the Crediton installation is that it informs passengers whether they should travel from platform 1 or 2, depending on their intended destination. Unfortunately, there are no platform indicators on the station at all! Hugh Butterworth and David Gosling
Operational Matters A Little Local Difficulty... St. David's: November 1st, 1999. The monitor at the Paddington end of platform 3 points Barnstaple passengers to the rear of the train. The screen at the other directs passengers for Paignton to the front. The DMU, which will split at St. David's to form the 16.24 to Paignton and the 16.26 to Barnstaple, slips into the station from Central. Of the many waiting passengers, those in the know board their right portions. Others, failing to hear the announcements over the station din, assume that 'front' and 'rear' relate to the way the train enters the platform and act as instructed. Those for Barnstaple board the Paignton portion and those for Paignton, the Barnstaple. In the latter, rumour spreads that some are in the wrong end. Presumably, similar news permeates the Paignton section. The would-be Paignton passengers rush in one direction, meeting those for Barnstaple charging in the other. Pure Hoffnung, some might say, but eventually things are apparently sorted... ...Except that two Paignton passengers ride unexpectedly to Crediton. From the Tea Rooms, Linda says that this happens two or three times a week. Perhaps other passengers get unplanned views of Dawlish! Such misdirection causes much distress. The Group is making constructive suggestions to get the matter sorted out. John Gulliver
Stop Press Cheshire Railtours Railtrack have decided - following the accident at Ladbroke Grove - to reduce the capacity of
the lines approaching Paddington station by 30% for the foreseeable future in order to allow safety improvements to be made. In addition to several normal services being affected, there is no room to accommodate any special trains, including the pre-Christmas excursion, advertised in our previous newsletter, from Barnstaple to Paddington, which was scheduled to run on 11th December. Len Gillard and Linda Rogers
Your Letters Illogical Transport Planning Few people would dispute the need to alleviate Barnstaple's chronic traffic problem by means of a downstream bridge and bypass. What is beyond belief, however, is that the planning proposals involve the blockingoff of the track bed of the former Bideford Line, at the edge of Barnstaple Station itself, by embankments. Ever since the illogical closure in 1965, Bideford has been the subject of an almost continuous campaign to get its railway link restored, and Devon County Council are fully aware of this, having been involved in negotiations on the subject, from time to time. Only a lack of funding has so far delayed any reopening, and probably will for another 510 years, but this does not diminish the ultimate need for large urban areas such as Bideford to be reconnected to the national rail network. As part of the present government's future transport policies, the same government has ordered an additional 7,100 homes to be built in, and around, Bideford alone by the year 2011. Noone should be fooled by the council's vague promises that the disputed embankment could be modified in the future to allow a railway line to be built through it. This would involve, not only the infrastructure, but items such as water, drainage, cables etc. being relocated, and the consequent expense would probably result in the project being continuously deferred, when the time comes. Whilst Devon County Council, themselves, have approved the bridge and by pass proposals, the project will require considerable government, and possible EU funding. It is to be hoped that this will only be forthcoming
if the design is modified to allow a single track of railway line to be incorporated at the outset. This feature could be put to practical use at once by laying about half a mile of track through it to allow train loads of construction materials direct access to the main site, thus avoiding some of the chaos of lorry traffic. Alan Wilkinson