Taking the Avocet Line to Exmouth (22nd June 2024) скачать в хорошем качестве

Taking the Avocet Line to Exmouth (22nd June 2024)

Welcome to this video: ‘Taking the Avocet Line to Exmouth’ From the Seaside, to the Estuary, via a Forbidden Station! Recorded on Saturday 22nd June 2024. Running Time 20 minutes. The Avocet Line is a busy, thriving and much-loved railway that runs for much of its length along the eastern side of the Exe Estuary from the city of Exeter to the seaside resort of Exmouth (Devon’s 4th largest town). The line has an interesting history and took decades to bring to fruition. It faced closure under the Beeching Reforms in the 1960’s but survived despite stringent economies being implemented including un-staffing the intermediate stations, removing redundant track and signalling at Exmouth, and singling the line between Exmouth Junction and Topsham. The video begins at Exmouth which today is the terminus of the line. The present station is the third on the site and dates to 1976. Previously there were four platforms and an imposing station building. I also stopped off at the two request stop stations along the line, the first being at Lympstone Commando which was opened in 1976 to serve the adjacent Royal Marines Camp. There are signs at the station stating that passengers alighting must have business with the camp but in fact members of the public can access the station via a public footpath which connects with the other request stop station on the line at Exton. Exton Station was originally opened as Woodbury Road. Only about half of the trains on the Avocet Line call at this station on request. The views out across the Exe Estuary are spectacular and on the opposite bank is the Great Western Main Line. It was from here that I filmed the Mayflower Steam Locomotive 61306 working the English Riviera Express tour from Woking to Kingswear. My journey along the line ended at Topsham which contains the only passing loop on the otherwise single branch line to Exmouth. The original station building designed by the renowned railway architect Sir William Tite is still intact. Passenger numbers using the line have been increasing steadily and now exceed 2.5 million a year and are expected to grow further over the coming years. It is clear that line is currently worked to capacity and that it has been hindered by the economies of the 1960’s & 70’s which restrict the numbers of the trains that can be operated at any one time. Towards the end is a short preview of my next video which features the Dartmooor Line and the ‘Fall and Rise of Okehampton Station. I was just 11 years old when passenger services were suspended but the station reopened to regular services once again towards the end of 2021 and now attract over 250,000 passengers every year. Thank you for watching.