The New Service Starts!
This morning I arrived at Exeter St Davids with my Wife to catch the first passenger train for 49 years and 170 days to Okehampton.
It was a bit cold and wet, and was dark when we walked onto platform 3 to catch the train. However despite the inclement weather, there was a buzz and excitement that after intensive work, especially over the last 6 years, we were about to catch the first train to Okehampton.
A number of OkeRail were on the train along with lots of people some of whom were from Okehampton who drove to Exeter just to ride the first service. Interestingly, Richard Westlake, (in the image below), was on the last passenger train in 1972.
There were also a number of rail enthusiasts who had traveled from far and wide, to do the same.
Okerail has been front and centre of the campaign partnering with GWR, DCC, Network Rail and the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. Many people have played key roles at key times, too many to mention – but you know who you are. We as OkeRail are very proud to have been in this privileged position of playing a part in seeing the service returned.
I don’t mind admitting that I didn’t sleep much last night due to excitement and as the train pulled away from St Davids, felt a little emotional. The service stopped at Crediton where the single line token was picked up, as well as some passengers, and we then headed to Okehampton.
Arriving at Okehampton was amazing. The band were playing, people were waving flags and the platform was full of excited people.
The local singing group The Humming Birds were entertaining people while they waited for the service to Exeter to depart.
There was chance to see the many rail professionals who had played a key part, in the last few months, in delivering a railway fit for the future. They were equally excited, and in some cases emotional – as there at Okehampton sat a pair of class 150 trains as this first passenger train on the new service.
The time came for departure, on time, and the service left for Exeter once again calling at Crediton. In both directions the journey was smooth and fast, at one point the speed being measured at 75MPH. We arrived at Exeter on platform 2, the bay platform, where the service terminated ready for it’s return to Okehampton on the next service.
As the timetable develops, the next change is in December, many of those services will run through to Exeter Central which of course will be a real help for students of Exeter College and shoppers wishing to shop in the city. However of course, Okehampton is also a destination, and we will be looking to help market the town and what passengers can do in the town, so that it isn’t just about the journey to the city – but also about patronage in Okehampton too.
Finally, we hope that you will use the service going forward. It is essential we can get regular usage because it will strengthen our case, and evidence, for a fight to see the Parkway station built on the eastern side of the town.
If you have any photos or stories of today and would like to share them, let us know either through our contact page or via our Facebook Page, the link for which is at the top of the page.
We start a new season, let’s support it!
