Network Rail takes over Dartmoor Railway

DEVON’S DARTMOOR Railway has become the first heritage line in Britain to be incorporated back into the national network.

The 15½-mile line has been closed since January 2020 after its owner, British American Railway Services, put both it and the Weardale Railway up for sale when its owning company – Iowa Pacific Holdings – went into receivership. Network Rail announced in mid-March that regular passenger services would be reinstated over the route between Okehampton and Exeter, as part of the Government’s ‘Restoring Your Railway’ scheme.

NR engineers will begin upgrading both the line and Okehampton station to national network standards, although an NR spokesperson confirmed: “We are working with our partners to retain the heritage feel of the station, including provision of authentic, 1950s Southern Railway signage.”

Operator Great Western Railway aims to introduce a two-hourly service by the end of 2021, increasing to an hourly service during 2022. Regarding the future for heritage operations at Okehampton, Dartmoor Railway Supporters’ Association secretary Jon Kelsey said: “While it’s an aspiration, it currently depends on third-party decisions beyond our control. We are in communication with the major players, and eager to explore any opportunities which arise.”