Great Western Railway: Exeter St Davids - Exmouth (Avocet Line) on August 18th 2019

Описание: 2nd time I filmed on the Avocet Line to Exmouth

Onboard a 4 car set consisting of 2 Class 150s on a service from Paignton departing Platform 1 onto the West of England Line which our route as far as Exmouth Junction.

The Line curves away passes under the 1st of 2 Tunnels being St Davids Tunnel climbing a steep gradient towards Exeter Central.

Exeter Central opened in 1860 by the London and South Western Railway however it wasn't until February 1862 when the connection to St Davids was made which was known as Exeter Queen Street however was renamed in 1933 at the time when the station was rebuilt.

The Through lines were taken out of use firstly with the up line in 1969 with the down line in 1984. Platform 1 is rarely used nowadays. The station entrance on North Road closed in 1966 but It was reopened around the down fast line was removed.

St James Park station located closed to the Exeter City football ground can be used to terminate certain trains however due to the short platform it can only accommodate 2 cars however in this journey only passengers from the 1st carriage get alight.

The line passes underneath the 2nd tunnel being Blackboy Tunnel. At Exmouth Junction South Western Railway Trains continue along the West of England Line towards Pinhoe while our route diverges onto the Avocet Line. Opened In 1861 diesel trains didn't starting running until a century later in 1961 with the line being singled to Topsham in 1973.

First stop on the branch Is Polsoe Bridge which opened in 1907 with 2 platforms with the down platform taken out of use when the line was singled to Topsham.

Digby and Sowton originally opened as Clyst St Mary and Digby Halt in 1908 which was closed after nationalisation in 1948. The present station dates from 1995 to serve a housing and industrial estate funded by Devon County Council and Tesco and closely located to nearby Sandy Park home of the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Team which on match days the single platform can be overcrowded.

Newcourt opened in 2015 to serve a new housing estate. The line afterwards crosses over the M5 Motorway located between J30 and J31 before the junction with the A30 and A38.

Topsham opened at the time of the Exmouth Branch in 1861 is the only 2 platformed station on the Branch since 1973 which allows trains back to Exeter to pass in the up line direction. The station buildings and signal box now occupied by offices.

Afterwards the line heads towards which before the station crosses over the River Clyst and comes alongside the River Exe itself.

Exton first opened as Woodbury Road at the time of the Avocet Lines opening but was renamed in 1958 as Exton Halt however the suffix was dropped in 1965.

Passing Lympstone Commando which is a request stop serving a nearby military base. Although the station opened in May 1976 however at the same time caused confusion with the next station Lympstone until 1991.

The penultimate station on the Branch is Lympstone Village originally opened as Lympstone however was renamed Lympstone Village in 1991 to avoid confusion of the now Lympstone Commando station

Just before Exmouth the line passes a junction leading to the former Budleigh Salterton Railway branch to Sidmouth Junction which served as a connecting line to the West of England Line station of Feniton opened first in 1897 before extended to Exmouth in 1903 however was closed in 1967 having been axed by Beeching

And so our train arrives at Exmouth only has 1 platform the terminus of the Avocet Line.

Exmouth itself can be accessed by ferry from Starcross which by chance can be seen from the other of the River Exe which also served by Paignton trains over the Riviera Line from Exeter St Davids. Today occupying the former old station is a Swimming Sports Centre as well as a Bus station date from 1981.

The Avocet line is named after the Pier Avocet which in summer unsurprisingly because itself a seaside town can be busy with tourists.

It was introduced by 2003 by then Wessex Trains which since 2006 operated by First Great Western and since September 2015 rebranded as Great Western Railway.

Train turnaround times average between 4 - 6 minutes and in this case after 4 minutes it heads back out to Paignton which where will finish filming the return journey at Exeter St Davids but stay on until Teignmouth.

At the time of filming Exmouth was also by Monday - Saturdays Barnstaple trains serve Exmouth however on Sundays only Paignton trains and Exeter St Davids services serve the line with Barnstaple trains cut back to Exeter Central however in December 2019 Barnstaple trains are due to cut back to St James Park to enable a hourly service to and Paignton trains being increased to 2 per hour as part of a timetable overhaul on Great Western Railway in Devon as well as Cornwall.

Filmed on Sunday August 18th 2019 on iPhone 8 and edited on iMovie