The Train at Pla,orm 1 The Friends of Honiton Staon Newsle9er 9 - December 2020 Welcome to the December newsle0er. This month, as well as all the latest rail news, we have pictures of the engineering work at Exmouth Juncon and news of the fih birthday of Cranbrook Staon. There are also seasonal contribuons from some of our members and supporters, and details of the latest metable which is due to start this month, subject to final confirmaon. Remember that you can read the newsle0er online or download a copy from our website. The first train arrives at Cranbrook on December 13th 2015. Picture by Dave Tozer. South Western Railway Introduces Latest Timetable December 14th sees the introducon of South Western Railway’s latest metable. They originally hoped to introduce a new metable, with a service pa0ern closer to the pre-pandemic metable, which would run unl December 2021. However, SWR has just announced that they now intend to connue to run the weekday metable that has operated since September unl March 26th 2021. This means the much-ancipated reinstatement of the extra evening peak services from Exeter has been further postponed. In a message to stakeholders, the Managing Director of SWR, Mark Hopwood, said: “In October SWR informed our stakeholders about our plans to increase services from 13 December 2020. The decision to increase our services was made earlier this year, at a me when we were seeing a steady increase in passenger numbers. However, since I wrote to you, the naon has entered a second lockdown and from tomorrow we will again be entering a ered system of restricons. “As you will appreciate, these measures have had an impact on our passenger numbers both current and forecasted. “In light of this, with the permission of the Department for Transport, we have taken the decision to rollover our weekday metable from 13 December 2020 to 26 March 2021. We believe this is the right decision for our business and the taxpayer, who through the Government have been supporng the rail industry throughout this pandemic.” Network Rail Completes Major Projects in Exeter The end of October saw Network Rail carrying out extensive work in the Exeter area, affecng both GWR and SWR services. During the week-long line closure, work took place to extend the plaWorms at St James’ Park, plaWorm work at Lympstone Commando, as well as replacing track at Exmouth Juncon. Mike Gallop, Network Rail’s Western route director, said: “It’s great that we are able to undertake a number of projects at the same me during closures of the railway. We have been working with our train operator colleagues to plan a co-ordinated work package to reduce the impact on the travelling public. By undertaking as much work as possible during a closure, we are able to minimise the impact to travellers. Mel Harvey, who is GWR’s Staon Manager for the Mid-Devon area, said: ‘’This essenal work will see the plaorms at St James' Park and Lympstone Commando extended, allowing customers the opportunity to take beYer advantage of the trains we are able to run; as well as vital track renewal work.” Alan Penlington, South Western Railway’s customer experience director, added: “Whilst there’s never a good me to close the railway, half term is historically a quieter me and the works taking place at Exmouth Juncon will improve reliability and performance along this important stretch of railway for years to come. “I realise these works will mean disrupon for our customers. However, replacement buses will be in operaon and this longer closure will save months of weekend engineering works. I’d like to apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their paence.” Engineering train passes Pinhoe Sta6on carrying replacement track bound for the work at Exmouth Juncon. (Pictures by Dave Tozer) Buses replaced trains between Exeter and Honiton and between Exeter and Exmouth throughout the line closure. Services were inially disrupted by bad weather when the line was due to re- open. And when trains did begin to run, drivers had to take extra care due to poor rail condions. A further day of disrupon took place on Sunday November 8th in order to complete the juncon replacement works. During this closure, buses replaced trains between Exeter and Axminster. There will be further engineering work affecng our line during December. This will mainly take place on Sundays: Sunday 6th: Some services between London Waterloo and Exeter will start at Basingstoke. Sunday 13th: The lines between Basingstoke and Salisbury will be closed all day for maintenance work. A revised service will run between London Waterloo and Basingstoke. Buses will run between Basingstoke and Salisbury. Trains will run between Salisbury and Exeter St. David’s. Sunday 20th: The lines between Salisbury and Yeovil Juncon will be closed all day for maintenance work. A revised service will run between London Waterloo and Exeter St. David’s. Services will be diverted between Salisbury and Yeovil Juncon via Westbury. Sunday 27th: The lines between Basingstoke and Salisbury will be closed from Sunday 27th December to Sunday 3rd January for maintenance work. A revised service will run between London Waterloo and Basingstoke. Buses will run between Basingstoke and Salisbury. A revised service will run between Salisbury and Exeter. A reminder that there will be no trains on December 25th and 26th. Advance Noce: There will be alteraons to the service on Sunday January 10th and 24th 2021. An 125 ton Kirow Crane swings the penulmate piece of the new points into place during the engineering work at Exmouth Junc6on in October. SWR Supports Staon Adopon Groups During Second Lockdown We were grateful to SWR for their announcement that during the second lockdown some staon adopon acvies were allowed to connue. In an updated set of rules sent to groups by Community Rail Manager Andy Harrowell, SWR said that gardening for flower displays outside of buildings could connue during the lockdown. They made clear, however, that this would be limited to two volunteers once a week. SWR’s safety team also agreed to allow lier picking to be re-introduced, by any groups who had previously agreed this with the company. At the end of the lockdown period, the rules were updated again. Up to four volunteers can now work at any one me, although social distancing must connue to be observed, especially with SWR staff and passengers. Staon adopters can now a0end staons more than once each week. In addion to gardening and lier picking, staon adopters can again work on established community noceboards and art displays. SWR Customers Offered Chance to Donate Payouts to Children’s Charity To mark World Children’s Day in November, South Western Railway announced that it had joined forces with the charity Acon for Children, to enable rail customers to donate their Delay Repay funds to the charity. Delay Repay provides compensaon for customers who have been delayed by 15 minutes or more. The average pay-out per transacon last year was £6.98. This would usually be refunded back to the customer’s bank account following an applicaon via the SWR website. From now on, however, customers can choose instead to divert the funds directly to Acon for Children. The charity, which is commied to helping vulnerable children, young people and their families, already works closely with SWR, which has provided over £20,000 of support through complimentary travel and staff fundraising, and is the UK Charity Partner to SWR’s parent company FirstGroup. Chrisan Neill, deputy customer experience director at South Western Railway, said: “This year has been extremely challenging for so many people, in so many ways. We do hope, however, that our customers will be supporve of this new iniave and help support the vital work of Acon for Children. Delay Repay compensaon is typically a small amount of money, but even the smallest donaons can make the biggest difference when it comes to helping vulnerable children.” Locks Farmer, director of fundraising and markeng at Acon for Children, added: “The coronavirus crisis has exploded into the lives of many vulnerable families who are now hanging by a thread as they face one of the bleakest winters of their lives. Our key workers are at the front line of tackling child poverty and are working incredibly hard to deliver life-changing support to thousands of families desperate to keep their kids clothed and well-fed. “This incredible new iniave will enable us to support even more of our most vulnerable children, through the generous donaons of SWR’s customers.” Network Rail Adopts New Targets to Fight Global Warming Network Rail (NR) has become the world's first railway company to set the most ambious science- based targets to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Andrew Haines, chief execuve of Network Rail, said: “Rail is already the cleanest and greenest mode of transporng large numbers of people and goods, but we’re commied to cung our carbon footprint even further. “We’re on an important journey – to support the government’s target of being net-zero by 2050, to help the country build back beYer as we recover from the pandemic and to help passengers and freight users make the greenest choices they can. “We're already making progress in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. All of the energy we use to power staons, depots and offices comes from renewable sources. Meanwhile, a trial to move our road fleet – such as the vans needed in rail maintenance work – to electric vehicles is underway.