50p Issue 096 Local newsfromacrossDartmoorand beyondevery fortnight 7th -20th February 2020

ENTERTAINMENT &ARTS P26-28 PROPERTY P29-36 GREEN ISSUES P38 HEALTH P39 BUSINESS P40-41 PUZZLES P44 SPORT P45-48

Okehampton to railline -publicdemand transparency

EXCLUSIVE -ERIC PARTRIDGE -PUBLISHER It’sbeen over two yearssince the former Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling declared in aletterto ‘colleagues’ that the government had commissioned rail operator (GWR) to investigate the reinstatement of apassenger service between Exeter and Okehampton.

The definitive, albeit penultimate paragraph, in the three page correspondence dated30th January,2018 (pictured on page 10) - which also covers anumber of other rail-related issues concern- ing the South West –reads:‘In addition, we have instructed GWR to prepare plans to introduce regular train services to Okehampton, with the objective of securing acredible and costed plan for delivering an all-week, all-year train service between Exeter and Okehampton as soon as is reasonably practicable.’

Thefinal paragraph also states. ‘I will continue to update you on the progress as we continue to invest in this vital part of our rail infrastructure.’

Up until now this publicly-stated commitment and encouraging rhetorichad been largely met with awall of silence from both the Department for Transport (DfT) and GWRand has led to various action groups, concerned members of the general public -who have beenclosely monitoring events -and TheMoorlander,demanding answers from the key agenciesand stakeholders involved.

As reported here last month, the news that Railway and associated infrastructure was for sale and that miscellaneous leases had beenallowed to lapse set alarm bells ringing as to the future of the promised reintroduction of aregular daily ©ROB THOMAS service between Exeter and Okehampton. Continued on page 10

Rider owned and family run cycle shop on the edge of Dartmoor, stockingthe best brands in the business •Custombuild specialists •Servicing, sales and repair •Quality lightweight kidsbikes •Cycle hireand demos •Friendly shop rides •e-Biketest centre •0%finance available

Unit 7&8, HarrowbeerMews, Open Mon-Sat Leg OMuttonCorner, Free Parking Yelverton, DevonPL206WE t. 01822 258022 www.rockinbikes.co.uk 10 7th -20th February 2020 Government announce £500m Beeching ERIC PARTRIDGE -PUBLISHER Okehampton were withdrawn from 6th May, Readers of acertain vintage will remember 1968, when the 20-mile section between Meldon the ‘Beeching Report’, an eponymous analysis Quarry and Bere Alston was lifted, while between originally published in 1963 by Dr Richard Meldon and Okehampton the line was only Beeching, then Chairman of British Rail. retained for freight trains ferrying the stone from the quarry. It effectivelyreshaped the railwaynetwork throughout the UK and resulted in the closure of Okehampton to Exeter passenger services were 2,363 stations and 5,000 miles of railway line be- withdrawn on 5th June, 1972. ing declared redundant -totalling 55% of stations and 30% of route miles across the country. Although activity at the quarry itself ceased in 2011, the line from Okehampton to Exeterhas Dozensofbranch lines that linked villages with been used for alimited number of excursions towns were rated egregious loss-makers and were during the summer since 1997 and ‘The Polar culled, along with great chunks of mainline. Devon Express’ train which was run by Dartmoor wasone of the worst counties affected, resulting Railway in the build-up to Christmas. in the isolation of many arural community.The report became known as the ‘Beeching Axe’. The Okehampton to Bude line included the 10 mile stretch between Holsworthy and Bude. The Although the Okehampton branch line was not line branched from the main line at Meldon Junc- originally included in those cuts, the philosophy tion to the west of Okehampton opening in 1879 of the government of the day was to build roads, andtoHolsworthy and Bude nine years later. roads, roads as car ownership became more affordable and widespread. BOB RUSH AND CHRIS BLIGH HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING FOR THE REOPENING OF THE OKEHAMPTON-EXETERLINE FOR YEARS However the area served by the line was sparsely last month, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps The ‘alternative’ Exeter to Plymouth line, under the populated with records showing that in the mid- Lastmonth, the Government stood by its invited MPs, local authorities and community London and South Western Railway (LSWR) 1930s fewer than seven tickets aday were sold at electionmanifesto promise to mount a‘Transport groups across England to come forward with banner,followed the northern and western margins Ashbury (near Okehampton and Northlew) with Revolution’ announcing plans to reverse some of proposals on how they could use these funds to of Dartmoor passing through the towns of , passenger numbers declining steadily,particularly those devastating cuts with access to a£500mil- reinstate axed localservices. £300,000 has already Okehampton, and Tavistock rather than hug the when private carownership became commonplace lion ‘Beeching Reversal’ fund. The fund is aimed been committed to an ‘Ideas Fund’ to kick-start coastline as the Great Western Railway route did, even before the Beeching cuts were introduced. at bringing backthe rail connections needed to the process and encourage innovative ideasthat and still does. The route that connected the two cit- level up access to opportunity across the country will then be considered for further funding in the ies was completed by 1891, but the ‘Beeching Axe’ The TamarValley Line remains open, but was in andtohelpsubsidise feasibility studies of routes future. saw the line closed in the mid-1960s and just the fact listed for closure as part of the Beeching Axe. that could be restored -but without any commit- local service remained at either end. ment to any further funds. At the launch of the Before the Beeching cuts, Dartmoor and Devon However,itescaped, all except for the section Beeching Reversal Fund in Fleetwood, Lancashire were fairly well served with local rail links. Trains between Exeter and Plymouth via between Gunnislake and Callington, because the Okehampton to Exeter rail line continued from front page Only last week the i newspaper, reporting on the failureofthe Northern Rail franchise, headlined that ‘Other troubled rail operators could be under threat’and then poured fuel on the fire by claiming that: ‘The South Western franchise is also under the spotlight while the South Eastern and Great Western franchises are due to end on 1April.’

GWR’s leaseactually expires on 31st March, but it is widely accepted that the license to operate for another two years -with afurther two year option -will be granted without let or hindrance and that the whole process is amere formality.

Expressing the mounting local frustration following the lack of any salient information or transparency since, The Moorlander contacted GWR for clarification regarding the future of the line and the current progress of the plan as commissioned by the-then SecretaryofState in MEL STRIDE -CONSERVATIVE MP FOR CENTRAL DEVON January 2018. This is extremely encouraging news not only GWR have, this week, issued the following for the future of the Exeter to Okehampton line statement: "Wecan confirm that following a but for the regeneration of the Bere Alston to request by the DfT,GWR provided aresponse on Tavistock link too. It would, however,betoo the potential to provide regular services between much to expect that the remaining gap, which Exeter and Okehampton, and how some of the would complete the ‘Dawlish-avoiding or challenges to such aproject could be overcome, northern route’ between Okehampton and for their consideration last summer. Bere Alston via Meldon, will be re-established any time soon. ‘While our response is confidential we recognise the present feeling and local aspirations around ‘Or for the rural connection from Okehampton the future of regularweekday rail services to to Bude via Halwill Junction and Holsworthy, Okehampton, which was the most sought after which closed in 1966 as aresult of additional route in the most recent GW franchise ‘The Beeching Axe’, to be reintroduced either. consultation. That is not to say that reopening these lines, which would be of immense benefit to their ‘The DfT’sFebruary 2019 “Investing in the respective communities and businesses, will South West” report recognised this and we are never happen at all. continuing to work with stakeholders to explore future opportunities for the route." Mel Stride, MP for Central Devon, whose constituency embracesthe ExetertoOkehampton 7th -20th February 2020 11 Reversal Fund roadsinthe area were so poor.The line remains and Plymouth which would add apotential 15 open today from Plymouth to Gunnislake, and minutes to through journeys. There are also parts includes astop at Bere Alston, where it is hoped of the route which are currently single track which that the line to Tavistock can be reopened. would need upgrading to adouble track as capac- ity would not be enough for any diversions or for The North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light rerouting freight this way to free up capacity on Railway was built to serve numerous ball clay the main line via Dawlish.” pits that lay in the space between the London and South Western Railway’sTorrington branch, an Chris, along with fellow professionals Bob Rush extension of the North Devon Railway group, and -who works in construction project management, Halwill Junction. andRichard Proctor,former station manager at Okehampton itself were all heavily involved in an The line continued to take passengers until March advisory capacity with Destination Okehampton 1965, and the northern part from Meeth and and action group OkeRail until June last year.The Marland continued to carry ball clay, but not group have submitted their own comprehensive passengers, until August 1982. and independent proposals to the various agencies ©BEN BROOKSBANK and stakeholders for the reintroduction of the So just howcan the Beeching Reversal Fund help BERE ALSTON STATION 1964 AS VIEWED EASTWARDS TOWARDS OKEHAMPTON AND EXETER. Okehampton to Exeter line. local communities here in Devon? “Intime we wouldhope to complete the entire way and it follows the growth of usage of Devon Exeter to Plymouth northern line but it has to be andCornwall’sbranch lines.” They have also prepared an exhaustive study Devon County Council(DCC) has already done incrementally. It will not happen overnight for a‘northern route’, including aproposednew declared it will be nominating the Bere Alston to but there is acommitment -weall want to see it Mr Burningham added that while he doesn’tsee timetable, which could be seamlessly incorporated Tavistock line for funding, Councillor Andrea happen and our aim along with our various the full line reopening immediately,heishopeful into the existing schedule together with detailed Davis,Devon County Council Cabinet Member partners is to reduce the journey time from for the future. “If Tavistock and Okehampton plans of anew ‘parkand ride’ station known as for Infrastructure, Development and Waste, told Plymouth to Paddington to under three hours.” reopen and are asuccess, then there is just a15 Okehampton Parkway at Okehampton Business TheMoorlander exclusively: “With the huge milegap in the track, and reopening could be an Park on the east side of the town. amount of time and effort and cost that has already Richard Burningham, manager at Devon and option.” gone into the reinstatement of the Okehampton to Cornwall Rail partnership said, “The reversal fund “A new study needs to be done into aHolistic Exeter line, -which Iam100% certain will happen is very positive news and Iamparticularly pleased There afew problems to overcome first though as view of the Northern Route and the current branch once the rail regulators are satisfied -then we will to see the fund is to develop proposals rather than ChrisBligh, arailway expert who has an exhaustive lines to and Gunnislake,” added Chris. turn our attention to the reintroduction of the commit £500m for the reopening of rail lines, as knowledge of this particular line having worked in Bere Alston to Tavistock line. The council already £500m won’tgothat far and you won’tget much therailindustry for over 20 years points out. Whether the group’sefforts are recognised by the own the track bed, there are no issues there so it is railway for it. This should go along way to come “There is apotential problem with reopening the strategic partners involved in the local regenera- right that we apply to the fund which will advance up and work up some strong proposals. line all the way from Exeter to Plymouth via the tion remains to be seen, but the announcement theproposals and help with the extra money ‘northern route’ currently,asitwould require of the Beeching Reversal Fund can only be good needed to get it open and rebuilt. “It is encouraging to see the investment in the rail- reversals of the train at both Exeter St David’s news towards restoring the region’srailnetwork. -public demand transparency raillink, has beenstoic inin hishis supportsupport forfor thethe DDrr MMiicchhaaeellIIrreland,eland, CChairmanhair of the reintroduction of the neww service OkeRail Forum –the localaction for many years. group wwho has been campaigning for “I have campaigned the reintroduction for over adecadeto of the defunct bring aregular rail line for over ten service backbetween years -appealed to Okehampton and thhe key stakeholders Exeter via Crediton. forrtransparency.

‘I have held dozens “Alllweask is that of meetings with we arre kept informed local campaigners, of developments,” he Government ministers told TheeMoorlander, WHENTHE TIME COMESWILL IT and the different agenciees “the whoole affair has been involved to progress thiss shrouded in secrecy for far BE ACREMATION OR BURIAL? huge project,for example too long annd it’sabout time playing akey role in some progress was made.” This is just one of the questions that needs to be securing the go ahead foror addressed when you pass away.But the bigone the route’sgovernment backed feasibility study, Now that GWR have publicly which is nownearing completion. Iremain admitted that they did indeed deliver the is who will pay For your funeral? confident that we are close to achieving what we commissioned report to the DfT some six months have long set out to do and that within the next ago we trust that Dr Ireland’smessage will not Often families willgointo debt to burytheirloved ones duetothe two years this valuable serviceshould be up and go unheeded and that the public are kept better running.” informed in the future. ever increasing cost of aFuneral.But thereisananswer FIND OUT ABOUT APRE PAID FUNERAL PLAN TODAY Oncepaid for you will neverbeasked formoremoney however long youlive.

CALL 01579 383892/07979850128 to arrange a completely non obligatoryHome Visitwith an approved advisor n.b. We only offerplans from registeredNationwideCompanies. WWW.FUNERALSBYD.CO.UK

OKEHAMPTON TRAIN STATION