Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway

Just noticed that the old Moretonhampstead and South Devon line between Newton Abbot and Heathfield is being mothballed as the timber traffic has been withdrawn. I assume that there is already a WIBN scheme to re-open this as a heritage line?

 

The area of the line in Newton Abbot is developing quite quickly - I suspect it might become 'valuable' in the future. Further along the line towards Heathfield is an area very prone to flooding.
With the SDR a little way down the A38 expressway and the Dartmouth SR also close by in Paignton it would be another non starter I guess.
But, as you point out Chris, it could become yet another of the WIBN crusades we see here often.
However the full line to Moreton H would have been nice!

 

I see how absolutely none of those points are reasons not to at least set up a Facebook page. I mean I think we're forgetting that this would allow through trains from Kingswear to Heathfield, that's over 18 miles of GWR, steam hauled, mainline. I'm off to Facebook, I'll post a link when it's ready...

 

Indeed but not so much "often" as "far too "bl***y often."

PH

 

WIBN?

Please expand. It's obviously not the "Women in Business Network" found using Google.

Chris

 

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" - WIBN

 

I think we should definitely lobby Our Glorious Leader to set up a separate forum area titled 'New Heritage Railway Proposals'.

Or would it be too much like shooting fish in a barrel?

 

Can we make Paul Hitch the moderator?

 

How the link and connect to kingswear?

 

I would be banning them all on the grounds of being irredeemable ******s anyway!

Paul H.

 

Direct from Kingswear to Newton Abbot then onto the branch.
However the DSR is unlikely to want to participate as all the heavy expenses involved for mainline running would not be welcomed.
Royal Trains have been known to stable overnight on the branch so any potential owners/preservers may want to apply for Royal Warrant.

 

This line has become 'The Come Back Line' to me - it has often lost its traffic (oil depot, bananas, ball clay, timber) only to be needed later for some new traffic flow. Perhaps again.

It has hosted several specials; Christmas/ New Year 1996 (I think) with a 37 doing shuttles, and even steam during the Newton Abbot 150 celebrations. An interesting line because of its association with Stover Canal and Haytor Granite Tramway.

John

 

"Your quite right John. It is a line that comes in and out of useage. Anyway it said "mothballed" rather than closed which means a F/Book page would be premature to say the least.

 

What a pointless thread.

 

To my knowledge there was a Facebook page set up about a year or so ago about preserving this section of track (if/when it closed). It's fair to say, it didn't get the best reception from the railway community on Facebook... I believe the page has since been deleted as haven't heard anything about it for a while.

 

Don't read it then


Keith

 

To be fair, the points of this thread are:

a) To inform of the mothballing of the line
b) To see if a scheme to preserve the line has been established

 

Got to read it before I can decide if it was pointless or not.

Fair enough - perhaps I should have said the WIBN/facebook/ pi$$take comments were pointless

 

I admit the tone is somewhat lighthearted