A special celebration took place on 20 November to mark the second anniversary of the reopening of the Dartmoor line between Coleford Junction and Okehampton.
The route was delivered at least £10 million under budget and more than 550,000 passenger journeys have been made on the line – significantly more than expected.
Representatives from Okehampton Town Council, West Devon Borough Council, Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, Great Western Railway, Network Rail and the Dartmoor Railway Association attended, along with other stakeholders from the region.
Great Western Railway Head of Strategic Service Development Matt Barnes said: ‘It has been two years since we and our partners reopened the Dartmoor Line.
‘This anniversary, with more than half a million journeys now made, is testament to the hard work of so many who campaigned for the line’s reinstatement, and the benefits of investing in local transport.
‘The continued demand shows just how important good rail connections are for the community, and the economies, they serve.’
The Government recently announced funding for Devon County Council to continue work on the business case for reopening the western section of the former London & South Western Railway main line between Bere Alston and Tavistock. It remains a regional ambition to reinstate the full through route between Exeter and Plymouth in a three-phase project.
