A very long time ago I arrived in Okehampton on board a troop train. Like all BR troop trains it had the oldest possible rolling stock, and to eat on the way we were issued with packed meals which contained the oldest possible BR pork pies, or so it seemed at the time. This must have been some time in the late 60s or early 70s so I don't really remember a great lot about it. Anyway glad to see that the station has survived and is still working!
@@oml81mm Thank you for sharing these memories Billy. Your train would most probably have arrived at Okehampton sometime between 1968 and 1972. The line heading west from Okehampton towards Tavistock closed to passenger services in 1968 and the line heading east towards Crediton and Exeter closed to passenger services in 1972. Best Wishes, Stephen
@@richardincm Thanks Richard. Yes, the whole site has been beautifully represented. The museum on Platform 2 contains a very interesting display charting the history of the station and the original routes serving North Cornwall, Plymouth, and also Exeter to London. There is also a display for visitors on the restored Platform 3 from Dartmoor National Park. Best Wishes, Stephen
trouble is the entire line to Exeter is easily disrupted with all the issues of tree branch fall and snow flakes, so record number of cancellations for that line
@@emmmoo8631 I think that one of Network Rail’s most high-profile challenges is to manage its lineside vegetation and achieving a fine balance between keeping the railway running safely and protecting the rail corridor ecosystem. It sounds like a massive challenge, especially along rural branch lines. Best Wishes, Stephen
Nice video, I was there in 2023 great station. I must say I don't like these monstrous tower structures for lifts, but why doesn't the railway just build a wooden structure across the rails at platform height for disabled people at the far west end of the platforms? The line is unlikely to be extended and only DMUs use it, so why not just build a wooden stucture at platform height across the rails? If they ever did reopen the line westwards it could easily be taken down. This way it wouldn't alter the look of the station compared to a lift arrangement like at Dawlish, and would enable disabled people to see the things of interest on the other platform. John
@@jeanpalmer141 Thanks Jean and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. It was great to go back to Okehampton Station after so many years and to see it looking so well presented and welcoming. The line is certainly performing above expectations with the latest ORR figures for 2023/24 showing annual passenger numbers having exceeded 300k. Much as I would like to see the line extended to the west I agree with you that this seems very unlikely in view of the work that would be required to bring the Meldon Viaduct up to standard. Perhaps more likely in the short to medium term would be to reopen the 5 mile stretch from Bere Alston to Tavistock which has seen a number of feasibility studies over recent years. However, this project seems to have fallen by the wayside, at least for the time being, with the recent change of government. I completely agree with your thoughts about footbridges. During my visit to Cornwall back in June I saw preparations to remove the Victorian footbridge at St Erth Station and there are also a number of similar accessible structures being installed here in Scotland, the most recent being at Dumfries Station. I guess it reflects the age we live in but it does seem a shame that a compromise can’t be reached so that our railway stations can be accessible to everyone without the need to remove some of the beautiful Victorian structures that are so much a part of our railway history. Best Wishes, Stephen
With climate change growing apace, we can expect further breaches of the line in the Dawlish area. It would make sense to extend the line through to Bere Alston and thus to Plymouth. It could be used as a steam heritage line between Exeter and Plymouth in the meanwhile so as to generate income.
@@PhilipJenkins-v1b Thanks Philip and I do so agree with you. Having just the one means of access from Exeter along the Exe Estuary through Starcross to Dawlish & Teignmouth is a risky strategy as any problems along this stretch of line has major implications for the route through to Paignton/Torquay, Plymouth, and the whole of Cornwall as we saw at first hand back in 2014. There is no doubt that reopening the former PD&SWJR route from Exeter to Plymouth via Okehampton would be prohibitively expensive but given the success of the reopened Okehampton to Exeter line there would seem to be a sound commercial and economic business case for extending the route to the west of Okehampton at some stage in the future. Best Wishes, Stephen
Platform 1 is still there today it was a bay platform for the North Cornwall trains it is situated at the west end of the station just beyond the foot bridge. The wreath that can been seen in the photo by Bernard Mills was provided by the then sectary and founder member of the Launceston Railway Circle the late Lloyd Goodman who can been seen in the photo standing in front of the DMU on the left hand side
@@AndrewBird-y3g Thank you for the information Andrew. I can still remember seeing this remarkable photo along with local news footage of the final passenger train to leave Okehampton Station back in 1972. Although the line between Okehampton and Crediton was not earmarked for closure in the Beeching Report the climate at that time was to close small rural lines and stations and it was probably inevitable therefore that Okehampton would become a victim at some stage. Coming back to visit the area after so many years away from Devon was really special and to see the line doing so well. Best Wishes, Stephen
It's lucky it reopened when it did as the new govt have put a stop to many reopenings. Too busy giving the cash to train drivers who now earn more than airline pilots maybe?🤡
@@garthcox4307 Hi Garth, yes it was the first line to be reopened as part of the former government’s ’restoring your railways’ programme. Following the change of government a number of future schemes have either been postponed or scrapped completely. It seems such a shame as the success of the Dartmoor Line has proven beyond doubt that where there is a sound business case in place the rationale for reopening former abandoned lines has positive benefits both locally, regionally, and nationally. Best Wishes, Stephen
A very long time ago I arrived in Okehampton on board a troop train. Like all BR troop trains it had the oldest possible rolling stock, and to eat on the way we were issued with packed meals which contained the oldest possible BR pork pies, or so it seemed at the time. This must have been some time in the late 60s or early 70s so I don't really remember a great lot about it.
Anyway glad to see that the station has survived and is still working!
@@oml81mm Thank you for sharing these memories Billy. Your train would most probably have arrived at Okehampton sometime between 1968 and 1972. The line heading west from Okehampton towards Tavistock closed to passenger services in 1968 and the line heading east towards Crediton and Exeter closed to passenger services in 1972. Best Wishes, Stephen
Interesting re-use of the old goods-building, converting it to a YHA youth-hostel, helping local tourism !
@@richardincm Thanks Richard. Yes, the whole site has been beautifully represented. The museum on Platform 2 contains a very interesting display charting the history of the station and the original routes serving North Cornwall, Plymouth, and also Exeter to London. There is also a display for visitors on the restored Platform 3 from Dartmoor National Park. Best Wishes, Stephen
trouble is the entire line to Exeter is easily disrupted with all the issues of tree branch fall and snow flakes, so record number of cancellations for that line
@@emmmoo8631 I think that one of Network Rail’s most high-profile challenges is to manage its lineside vegetation and achieving a fine balance between keeping the railway running safely and protecting the rail corridor ecosystem. It sounds like a massive challenge, especially along rural branch lines. Best Wishes, Stephen
Nice video, I was there in 2023 great station. I must say I don't like these monstrous tower structures for lifts, but why doesn't the railway just build a wooden structure across the rails at platform height for disabled people at the far west end of the platforms? The line is unlikely to be extended and only DMUs use it, so why not just build a wooden stucture at platform height across the rails? If they ever did reopen the line westwards it could easily be taken down. This way it wouldn't alter the look of the station compared to a lift arrangement like at Dawlish, and would enable disabled people to see the things of interest on the other platform. John
@@jeanpalmer141 Thanks Jean and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. It was great to go back to Okehampton Station after so many years and to see it looking so well presented and welcoming. The line is certainly performing above expectations with the latest ORR figures for 2023/24 showing annual passenger numbers having exceeded 300k. Much as I would like to see the line extended to the west I agree with you that this seems very unlikely in view of the work that would be required to bring the Meldon Viaduct up to standard. Perhaps more likely in the short to medium term would be to reopen the 5 mile stretch from Bere Alston to Tavistock which has seen a number of feasibility studies over recent years. However, this project seems to have fallen by the wayside, at least for the time being, with the recent change of government. I completely agree with your thoughts about footbridges. During my visit to Cornwall back in June I saw preparations to remove the Victorian footbridge at St Erth Station and there are also a number of similar accessible structures being installed here in Scotland, the most recent being at Dumfries Station. I guess it reflects the age we live in but it does seem a shame that a compromise can’t be reached so that our railway stations can be accessible to everyone without the need to remove some of the beautiful Victorian structures that are so much a part of our railway history. Best Wishes, Stephen
With climate change growing apace, we can expect further breaches of the line in the Dawlish area. It would make sense to extend the line through to Bere Alston and thus to Plymouth. It could be used as a steam heritage line between Exeter and Plymouth in the meanwhile so as to generate income.
@@PhilipJenkins-v1b Thanks Philip and I do so agree with you. Having just the one means of access from Exeter along the Exe Estuary through Starcross to Dawlish & Teignmouth is a risky strategy as any problems along this stretch of line has major implications for the route through to Paignton/Torquay, Plymouth, and the whole of Cornwall as we saw at first hand back in 2014. There is no doubt that reopening the former PD&SWJR route from Exeter to Plymouth via Okehampton would be prohibitively expensive but given the success of the reopened Okehampton to Exeter line there would seem to be a sound commercial and economic business case for extending the route to the west of Okehampton at some stage in the future. Best Wishes, Stephen
Platform 1 is still there today it was a bay platform for the North Cornwall trains it is situated at the west end of the station just beyond the foot bridge. The wreath that can been seen in the photo by Bernard Mills was provided by the then sectary and founder member of the Launceston Railway Circle the late Lloyd Goodman who can been seen in the photo standing in front of the DMU on the left hand side
@@AndrewBird-y3g Thank you for the information Andrew. I can still remember seeing this remarkable photo along with local news footage of the final passenger train to leave Okehampton Station back in 1972. Although the line between Okehampton and Crediton was not earmarked for closure in the Beeching Report the climate at that time was to close small rural lines and stations and it was probably inevitable therefore that Okehampton would become a victim at some stage. Coming back to visit the area after so many years away from Devon was really special and to see the line doing so well. Best Wishes, Stephen
It's lucky it reopened when it did as the new govt have put a stop to many reopenings. Too busy giving the cash to train drivers who now earn more than airline pilots maybe?🤡
@@garthcox4307 Hi Garth, yes it was the first line to be reopened as part of the former government’s ’restoring your railways’ programme. Following the change of government a number of future schemes have either been postponed or scrapped completely. It seems such a shame as the success of the Dartmoor Line has proven beyond doubt that where there is a sound business case in place the rationale for reopening former abandoned lines has positive benefits both locally, regionally, and nationally. Best Wishes, Stephen