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''Communities served: ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ]'' ''Communities served: ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ] – ]''


Parts of the line are single track, meaning that trains travelling in opposite directions must sometimes wait for each other. Collisions are prevented on these sections by requiring the train crew to be in possession of a physical token released from an electrically operated apparatus at a station under a system known as ].<ref name="Webster2016">{{cite book|author=Gordon D. Webster|title=Signal Boxes and Semaphores: The Decline|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1BaKDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT88|date=15 November 2016|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1-4456-5618-2|pages=88}}</ref> The full journey from Barnstaple to Exeter takes just over 1 hour, much the same as the journey time in a car. Parts of the line are single track, meaning that trains travelling in opposite directions must sometimes wait for each other. Collisions are prevented on these sections by requiring the train crew to be in possession of a physical token released from an electrically operated apparatus at a station under a system known as ].<ref name="Webster2016">{{cite book|author=Gordon D. Webster|title=Signal Boxes and Semaphores: The Decline|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1BaKDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT88|date=15 November 2016|publisher=Amberley Publishing|isbn=978-1-4456-5618-2|pages=88}}</ref> The full journey from Barnstaple to Exeter takes just over 1 hour, much the same as the journey time in a car.


Beyond Barnstaple, the railway used to continue to ] or ] and ]. Part of the latter route is preserved as the ], while sections of both routes have been reopened as ]s (]s) called the ]. Beyond Barnstaple, the railway used to continue to ] or ] and ]. Part of the latter route is preserved as the ], while sections of both routes have been reopened as ]s (]s) called the ].

Revision as of 17:46, 5 April 2019

Tarka Line
File:Tarkalinelogo.jpg
Crossing the Exe at Cowley Bridge
Overview
StatusOpen
OwnerNetwork Rail
LocaleDevon, England
Termini
Stations13
Service
TypeCommunity rail
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)Great Western Railway
Depot(s)Exeter TMD
Rolling stockClass 143, 150 or 153 DMUs
History
Opened1851–1854
Technical
Line length39 mi (62.76 km)
Number of tracks1
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Old gauge7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) Brunel gauge

The Tarka Line is a 39 mi (62.76 km) railway line from Exeter to Barnstaple in Devon, England. The line follows the River Creedy, River Yeo and River Taw for some of its route. At Coleford Junction there is a branch to Okehampton known as the Dartmoor Railway. It takes its name from Henry Williamson's book Tarka the Otter.

Route

Communities served: Exeter – Newton St. Cyres – Crediton – Yeoford – Copplestone – Morchard Bishop – Lapford – Eggesford – King's Nympton – Umberleigh – Tawstock – Barnstaple

Parts of the line are single track, meaning that trains travelling in opposite directions must sometimes wait for each other. Collisions are prevented on these sections by requiring the train crew to be in possession of a physical token released from an electrically operated apparatus at a station under a system known as no signaller token remote working. The full journey from Barnstaple to Exeter takes just over 1 hour, much the same as the journey time in a car.

Beyond Barnstaple, the railway used to continue to Ilfracombe or Instow and Bideford. Part of the latter route is preserved as the Bideford & Instow Railway, while sections of both routes have been reopened as cycleways (rail trails) called the Tarka Trail.

Services

Passenger services on the line are operated by Great Western Railway using Class 143, Class 150 or Class 153 diesel multiple units. During the summer months a Sunday-only service operates (on behalf of Devon County Council) between Exeter Central and Okehampton.

Passenger volume

The majority of passengers travel to or from Barnstaple – about three times the number of all the other stations north of Exeter. Portsmouth Arms is the quietest station in Devon. Some of the smaller stations have seen a decline in passenger numbers during the last few years, although there have been significant increases at Umberleigh, Eggesford, and Copplestone and on the line overall. Comparing the year from April 2009 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers at Barnstaple have increased by 71%.

Station usage
Station name 2002–03 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Newton St Cyres 1,147 702 780 889 1,662 1,868 1,784 2,774 3,212 2,252 2,760 2,510 2,082 2,940 2,468
Crediton 21,607 22,478 22,550 24,021 27,422 32,344 36,784 44,074 48,978 43,016 50,342 52,492 55,112 58,390 56,006
Yeoford 7,993 6,883 6,848 7,701 7,445 7,946 10,504 12,948 14,164 13,746 15,588 17,128 16,450 18,580 18,156
Copplestone 1,231 356 1,090 2,283 4,563 7,422 8,164 10,024 12,682 10,990 14,058 13,476 12,304 13,522 15,262
Morchard Road 4,676 3,442 2,712 2,341 2,904 4,170 6,482 8,834 11,456 11,494 11,416 11,822 12,222 13,210 12,134
Lapford 4,912 2,104 1,658 2,208 1,967 2,058 1,878 2,374 2,062 1,796 2,354 2,704 2,252 2,262 1,498
Eggesford 11,430 14,152 16,009 18,184 18,658 21,298 22,858 25,500 26,902 30,062 26,160 29,106 29,920 28,902 31,628
King's Nympton 4,013 2,400 1,781 1,009 1,033 1,542 1,984 2,578 3,006 4,482 3,748 3,422 5,758 8,030 6,640
Portsmouth Arms 614 372 510 667 1,012 844 676 936 884 694 844 1,510 756 518 444
Umberleigh 7,951 8,301 10,408 12,564 13,811 16,256 17,718 19,808 22,774 31,454 34,210 37,609 31,324 37,076 34,784
Chapelton 734 472 161 120 208 176 162 190 190 258 232 192 100 566 188
Barnstaple 176,682 194,474 210,846 238,082 261,174 283,920 302,998 342,328 372,438 382,186 384,234 427,394 421,346 443,450 440,404
The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail and Road estimates of station usage. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve-month periods that start in April. Methodology may vary year on year. Usage from the periods 2019-20 and especially 2020-21 onwards have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic

Community rail

Tarka Line
Legend
Exeter–Plymouth line
to Penzance
&
Riviera Line
to Paignton
West of England line
to Basingstoke
&
Avocet Line
to Exmouth
Exeter St Davids ¾
Red Cow Level Crossing
Riverside Yard
Cowley Bridge Junction
Bristol–Exeter line
to Taunton
River Exe
Newton St Cyres 4¼
Crediton 6¾
Crediton Level Crossing
Salmon Pool Level Crossing
Yeoford 10½
Coleford Junction 11½
Dartmoor line
to Okehampton
Copplestone 13½
Morchard Road 15¾
Lapford 17½
Eggesford Level Crossing
Eggesford 21¼
Kings Nympton 25¼
Portsmouth Arms 28¼
River Taw
Umberleigh Level Crossing
Umberleigh 32¼
River Taw
Chapelton 34¾
Langham Lake
River Taw
Pill Bridge
Devon and Somerset Railway
to Taunton
GW Line Junction
Barnstaple 39¾
Ilfracombe Line Junction
Ilfracombe branch line
to Ilfracombe
North Devon Railway
to Bideford
Advertising on 150241 The Tarka Belle

Tarka Line is named after the otter in Henry Williamson's book Tarka the Otter which is set in the area. It is one of the railway lines supported by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking or visiting country pubs.

The Tarka Line rail ale trail was launched in 2002, the first of several such schemes which encourages rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. The trail originally covered 16 pubs, and the number has risen and fallen over the years, but in 2016 is 18 pubs. There are five pubs each in Exeter and four in Barnstaple, with one each at Newton St Cyres, Crediton, Yeoford, Copplestone, Morchard Road, Lapford, Eggesford, Portsmouth Arms, and Umberleigh. 5, 10 or 18 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special Tarka Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.

Wessex Trains covered Class 150 2-car DMU number 150241 in coloured pictures promoting the line and named The Tarka Belle. It is still in service with Great Western Railway (Formerly First Great Western) but is currently in dynamic lines livery.

The line was designated by the Department for Transport as a community rail line in September 2006. This aims to increase revenue and reduce costs. Among possible options are increasing the car parking at stations, looking at ways to increase the train frequency, and assisting the Dartmoor Railway to operate a connecting service between Yeoford and Okehampton.

See also

References

  1. Gordon D. Webster (15 November 2016). Signal Boxes and Semaphores: The Decline. Amberley Publishing. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-4456-5618-2.
  2. "Station Usage". Rail Statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
  3. Falconer, Kieran (6 September 2009). "All abroad the real ale train". Express. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  4. Hancock, Nick (16 September 2009). "Rail ale drinkers are back on right track". Express and Echo. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. "Tarka Line Rail Ale Trail". Great Scenic Railways. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  • Nicholas, John (1992). The North Devon Line. Sparkford: Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86093-461-6.
  • Department for Transport, Rail Group (2006), Route prospectus for the ... Tarka Line'

External links

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Railway lines in the South West
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50°53′38″N 3°52′42″W / 50.8939°N 3.8783°W / 50.8939; -3.8783

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