The Royal Oke arrives in Paddington to be received Paul Maynard then the Under Secretary of State and Mel Stride - Leader of the House of Commons
18th March 2017. The Royal Oke replacement train passes through Hungerford. Brilliant photo by Tony Barlett
We can confirm that we have a trip to Weymouth arranged for September 14th. We are waiting for confirmation of the route. However we wanted you to be aware so you can pencil it in.
OkeRail Forum in partnership with Great Western Railway and Dartmoor Railway are planning to run an express passenger train from Okehampton Station to Weymouth on Saturday 14th September.
The outbound train will stop at Dorchester West to drop off passengers but will not pick up on the return journey.
Passengers visiting Dorchester must make their own way from Dorchester South to Weymouth to board the return train to Okehampton which leaves at 16.26. There is a frequent train service on this route.
The train will depart from Okehampton at 0815 hours and arrive back at 1930 hours giving almost 5 hours in Weymouth.
Our Fares
The fares are £37.00 return standard class with children at half price (£18.50) and First Class tickets £52.50 adult / £26.25 child.
Keep an eye here for details of how to buy tickets.
Just to warn you, there will be less seats than previous trains so it will be first come first served.
A chance to enjoy Shakespeare country who's birthday is celebrated two days later. Alternatively Inspector Morse City of Oxford. One easy step:
Travel from Okehampton to Oxford & Stratford upon Avon by Train on Saturday 21st April The 2 nd special Royal Oke train leaving from Okehampton Station Chance to enjoy Shakespeare country who's birthday is celebrated two days later. Alternatively Inspector Morse City of Oxford. One easy step:
They may change by a few minutes so keep an eye on www.facebook.com/okerail/ |
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Transport secretary Chris Grayling could restore closed lines under plan to expand rail network and increase growth. CLICK for excellent Guardian Article
Residents of Okehampton welcome news that service that was discontinued as part of Beeching cuts in 1960s may be restored
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/01/okehampton-residents-welcome-talk-of-reopening-railway-lines#comment-109093845
Transport chief Jesse Norman backs re-opening line between Okehampton and Tavistock
http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/plymouth-exeter-trains-could-run-851150
Crucial step towards the restoration of regular Okehampton to Exeter train services
Groundworks for a car park have been carried out on Devon County Council land for the "Okehampton Parkway" station – just two minutes from the A30.
During the election campaign the Secretary of State Chris Grayling announced the plan to reintroduce a trial rail service between Okehampton and Exeter by the end of 2018.
Mr Rush who has submitted detailed proposals for the new station said ‘With the business park and at least 120,000 residents in West Devon and North Cornwall without a nearby rail service there is a very clear need to restore rail connectivity into Exeter for both work and leisure. Rail services throughout Britain are becoming revitalised in recent years. The reintroduction of the Okehampton services is long overdue.’
Devon County Council is working closely with GWR, Dartmoor Railway, Okehampton and OkeRail on the design of the required infrastructure for the station.
Surveyor and Director of OkeRail CIC, Bob Rush
at the site of the proposed new Okehampton railway station.
Top Picture - Artists impression of what the Okehampton Parkway might look like
Contact details for quotes, materials and Queries
Website www.okerail.2day.uk and on Facebook and Twitter
Mike Davies Chair of the OkeRAIL Forum - mikedaviesassociates@gmail.com 07771933718
Michael Ireland as Chair of the OkeRAIL CIC - mireland501@gmail.com
Richard Searight - Chair Communication Group richard@2day.ws 01822 860148
Chris Bligh as technical advisor - chrisbligh@hotmail.co.uk
Depart Okehampton at 09.55, change at Exeter St Davids and arrive in Totnes at 11.15. Then take a 5 minute walk to the South Devon Railway to catch a Steam Train. Alternatively have a short walk into the town to look through all the small independent shops. Return to the station for the 1550 departure. Arrive back in Okehampton at 17.19.
Fare £7.80. For Steam Railway please check with South Devon Railway.
Day out in Paignton/Torquay
Depart Okehampton 09.55, change at Exeter St Davids and arrive at 11.45 (4 minutes earlier at Torquay). Have nearly 4 hours in Paignton or take a trip on the Steam train to Kingswear and return for the 15.45 train back.
Fare £7.80. Check Dartmouth Steam Railway for timetables and fares.
Enjoy a day on the seafront at Dawlish Warren, Dawlish and Teignmouth
Depart Okehampton at 09.55, change at Exeter St Davids and arrive on the coast 11.18 Teignmouth. (Slightly earlier for Dawlish and Dawlish Warren.) You will have plenty of time to enjoy the seaside, walk along the sea front or peruse the shops. Return by walking to Dawlish station and catching the 15.14 home. Over 3 hours at the seaside. You will be back in Okehampton by 17.19.
Fare to these stations £6.30
Shopping in Exeter
Depart Okehampton at 09.55 and arrive in Exeter Central at 10.39. No need to return till the last train back at 16.32. This gives a maximum time in Exeter of nearly 6 hours! Return to Okehampton at 17.19.
Fare to Exeter Central £5.20
Day out in Exmouth
Depart Okehampton at 09.55. Change trains at Exeter St Davids or Exeter Central and arrive in Exmouth at 11.17. Return at 15.55 giving nearly 5 hours on the beach and looking around the shops. You will be back in Okehampton by 17.19.
Fare to Exmouth £6.30
Shopping in Plymouth
Depart Okehampton at 09.55, change at Exeter St Davids and arrive in Plymouth at 11.42. Quicker than the bus! Well over 3 hours to explore the shops, the Hoe or the Barbican. Depart at 15.25. return to Okehampton at 17.19.
Fare £10.00
More information / updates about OkeRail www.facebook.com/okerail @okerailoffical or visit www.okerail.2day.uk
Stop Press! Why not catch the special bus from Tavistock Town Square Sunday 13th August at 8.50
Return bus tickets are £5.60
Call Anne Johnson 07982 132567
Contact details for Quotes and queries
Chair of the OkeRAIL Forum - mikedaviesassociates@gmail.com 07771933718
Michael Ireland as Chair of the OkeRAIL CIC - mireland501@gmail.com
Chris Bligh as technical advisor - chrisbligh@hotmail.co.uk
OkeRAIL’s historic Royal Oke train service between Okehampton and London arrived just 30 minutes late in spite of the passengers having had to change trains at Exeter due to a technical problem with the line. Not only was it fixed by the time that they made their return trip in the evening but OkeRAIL found that what had started as a local news item was promoted to headline news on the BBC and other media.
Just before 8am Royal Oke pulled out of Okehampton bound for Crediton Exeter and London Paddington. However within a few minutes the carriage wheels developed track adhesion problems due to the lack of use of the track. Remarkably, GWR had a replacement train ready for us at Exeter so only minutes were added to the journey time.
There was an extraordinary family atmosphere on the train. People had come from all over the South West to join the train. They were going to London for an amazing range of reasons. Visits were made to the Shard, the Science Museum, the London Eye, Westminster, the David Hockney exhibition, long-lost relatives or to find out about orchids at Kew Gardens! All the sort of things that ordinary people expect to do routinely but currently seldom can if they live in North Devon or Cornwall as it can take up to 10 hours traveling by car and train.
Crucially interviews on the train revealed that many people would be using the restored service to get to work in Exeter and Bristol, get their children to Exeter College and of course to travel to London on business. (email richard@2day.ws for quotes)
Once in London a delegation of OkeRail members supported by Mel Stride MP met the Under Secretary of State Paul Maynard who welcomed the train at Paddington. He indicated that he found the argument for the line reopening “compelling”.
Hundreds of passengers signed up to participate in signing petitions, seeing their MPs and pressurising their local councillors to get regular services running between Okehampton and Exeter once again. Moral of the tale? Don’t let’s wait another fifty years before running the next High Speed Train to London. Not only does the lack of regular trains spoil the track - it isolates communities and businesses in our region.
Join the campaign on www.facebook.com/okerail @okerailoffical or visit www.okerail.2day.uk
Contact details for Quotes and queries
Chair of the OkeRAIL Forum - mikedaviesassociates@gmail.com 07771933718
Michael Ireland as Chair of the OkeRAIL CIC - mireland501@gmail.com
Chris Bligh as technical advisor - chrisbligh@hotmail.co.uk
Overwhelming support for OkeRAIL’ s Public Consultation event at Charter Hall last Saturday
Over 250 people attended the first OkeRAIL Public Consultation event – including our MP Mel Stride, the Mayors of both Okehampton and Hatherleigh - and attendees from all over the West Devon and North Cornwall!
Not only were attendees able record their support, see possible future plans for an additional Okehampton Parkway station but crucially have a real feel for how imminent the OkeRAIL restoration project really is.
It will cost around just £1 million to fully restore Okehampton to Exeter services. In four years we could have viable, regular services running again.
Surveys conducted at the event indicated that almost 60% of attendees would use the service on a daily basis – with 27% going on from Exeter to London and beyond.
Additionally the overwhelming conclusion of the event was that the service would not only transform Okehampton but all our principle towns of Launceston, Crediton, Tavistock and to the North, Holsworthy and Bude.
Richard Wolfenden-Brown of The Bude & Holsworthy Railway Action Group commented ‘the main surprise is that the line to Okehampton did not reopen years ago. It just seems the obvious thing to happen for so many reasons and the new group in Bude and Holsworthy will do all we can to help our colleagues in the Okehampton area to get the line open with all speed.
Does this mark the end of 50 years of neglect and abuse of Okehampton rail links?
It is up to us.
The OkeRail exhibition is turning into a ‘Railshow’ for the region. There will be events at Crediton, Tavistock, Launceston Bude and many others.
What can you do?
Support the crowd funding, (over £3,660 has already been pledged) ‘like’ our Facebook page (OkeRAIL) write to your MPs , councillors and especially to County Hall in Exeter. We need urgency in our campaign!
For more please visit OkeRAIL on Facebook or www.okerail.2day.uk or Twitter or call Mike Davies 07771933718 Chair of OkeRail Forum
