North Devon Line Rail Promotion Group

31/08/2026

It appears from social media messages today that class 175s were all withdrawn from service with immediate affect by GWR and has had an impact on current services across the South Wesr.

These trains were planned to come to the North Devon line to ease over crowding , we do t know what’s happened but are awaiting a briefing from GWR on what’s going to take place with services.

As soon as we know we will let you know , in the meantime this will put pressure on the network as we approach the returning of students to Exeter college and the industries challenges with rolling stock

27/08/2026

With the recent opening of a Parkway or Interchange station for Okehampton is it time that we should be considering the same for Barnstaple ?

The traffic in Barnstaple has reached critical this last few weeks, with congestion making both through and local journeys really difficult.

Whilst we push for rail alternatives it’s really challenging reaching the station in Barnstaple and then when you arrive parking can be struggle . Devon have made excellent strides to connect towns through the bus network. Further improvements later this year will make the bus interchange even easier.

So a Parkway station out of town with a large car park and direct access off the A39 could be something worth considering , as well as looking at his towns like Bideford, Braunton and Iffracombe are connected to the current rail network.

We would like to hear your ideas on conversation worth having re a new out of town station (as well as the existing like Okehampton) then we would like to hear from you.

We would like to hear you views on how alternative forms of transport could help reconnect Bideford, Braunton, Iffracombe and South Molton with the rail network in Barnstaple.

Email us at [email protected]

After days of severe congestion left Barnstaple drivers and bus passengers stuck for hours, one local rail campaigner says the chaos was inevitable, and will keep happening until the town has an alternative to the road.

17/08/2026

The campaign for better transport is seeking support to raise the awareness of the need to improve local rail services as the industry transitions to Great British Railways.

Great British Railways is the new public body that will soon be responsible for managing the whole rail network, both track and trains. The creation of Great British Railways is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve the railway for people and places.

17/08/2026

Services have returned to normal this morning following yesterdays safety closures , thanks to Network Rail carrying out the necessary safety checks following a report from the train crew

16/08/2026

⚠️ LATEST UPDATE FROM NETWORK RAIL

The railway line between Eggesford and Barnstaple remains blocked.

A further inspection from the train driver’s cab has confirmed that the line is not yet safe to reopen for normal services.

The train currently on the line will be permitted to make its return journey under controlled conditions. The line will then remain closed so that engineers can continue their work.

Passengers should expect continued disruption and check before travelling. We will share further updates as soon as they are available.

David Northey - Chair NDLRPG

12/08/2026

🌡️🌧️ **FROM FLOODING TO EXTREME HEAT – HOW DO WE MAKE OUR RAILWAY MORE RESILIENT?** 🚆

Tomorrow, Thursday, GWR will introduce restrictions on parts of the railway because of the extreme heat.

Yet less than eight months ago, we were facing the opposite problem. The **North Devon Line was closed for more than 20 days following flooding and exceptionally wet weather**.

Two very different weather events, but they raise the same important question:

**How do we make our railway more resilient to our changing weather patterns?**

For passengers, whether disruption is caused by too much water or too much heat, the consequences can be the same – slower trains, cancellations, missed connections and, in the worst cases, the railway being unable to operate.

There has been progress. **Funding has now been secured for river monitoring**, following the flooding which caused so much disruption last winter. Better monitoring should help us understand rising water levels and give the railway greater ability to anticipate and respond to flood risk.

But now we're asking **Network Rail** about the other end of the weather spectrum: **heat**.

What parts of the North Devon Line are particularly vulnerable during prolonged high temperatures? What causes the restrictions – track temperatures, signalling equipment, structures or other infrastructure? And, most importantly, **what investment is needed so that today's heat restrictions don't become a regular feature of hotter summers?**

Climate resilience isn't just an environmental issue. It's about having a railway that people can depend upon **all year round** – for work, education, healthcare, appointments, visiting family and friends, or simply getting out and about.

# # # 🚆 WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU

**What have your recent journeys on the North Devon Line been like?**

Have delays, cancellations, weather related or other disruption affected you?

**Tell us your story and, importantly, tell us what impact unreliable journeys have on your life.**

Real passenger experiences help us demonstrate why resilience and investment matter. Your experiences can help us make the case to **Network Rail, GWR and other decision-makers** for a railway capable of coping with **the weather of the future, not just the weather it was originally designed for.**

Please share your experience in the comments or get in touch with us.

🚆 **North Devon Line Rail Promotion Group**

12/08/2026

Ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday 13 August) anticipated hot weather and the accompanying amber weather warning, our teams are working together to ensure the vast majority of planned services operate as usual. We are advising customers to check before they travel and carry water, and we're very grateful for their patience and understanding during this period.

We are also planning some reductions in service to help minimise further disruption and reduce the stress on rail infrastructure in the extreme heat. This includes:
In the Thames Valley, we anticipate changes to our stopping services between London and Reading/Didcot Parkway, with trains not calling at Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
Services between Truro and Falmouth will be reduced to hourly from half-hourly.
The Okehampton branch will not operate, with replacement buses running instead. Services on the Barnstaple line will run as usual.
The local stopping service between Bristol and Salisbury will not run. Cardiff/Bristol-Portsmouth services will continue to run as usual
The shuttle service between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood will not run. Tickets will be valid on local bus services.
More information is available on our dedicated webpage at www.gwr.com/weather, and we've also issued a joint media release which you can read here: https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-and-network-rail-advise-customers-to-check-before-travelling-as-new-amber-weather-warning-issued

Any help you can give to make your networks aware would be much appreciated, and as ever if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes

Tom & Heledd

Thomas Lydon, Head of Public Affairs, Great Western Railway

e: [email protected] t: 07912 299269

Heledd Iolo, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Network Rail Western

e: [email protected]

12/08/2026

Message from GWR - Thursday 13th August

Ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday 13 August) anticipated hot weather and the accompanying amber weather warning, our teams are working together to ensure the vast majority of planned services operate as usual. We are advising customers to check before they travel and carry water, and we're very grateful for their patience and understanding during this period.

We are also planning some reductions in service to help minimise further disruption and reduce the stress on rail infrastructure in the extreme heat. This includes:
In the Thames Valley, we anticipate changes to our stopping services between London and Reading/Didcot Parkway, with trains not calling at Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
Services between Truro and Falmouth will be reduced to hourly from half-hourly.
The Okehampton branch will not operate, with replacement buses running instead. Services on the Barnstaple line will run as usual.
The local stopping service between Bristol and Salisbury will not run. Cardiff/Bristol-Portsmouth services will continue to run as usual
The shuttle service between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood will not run. Tickets will be valid on local bus services.
More information is available on our dedicated webpage at www.gwr.com/weather, and we've also issued a joint media release which you can read here: https://news.gwr.com/news/gwr-and-network-rail-advise-customers-to-check-before-travelling-as-new-amber-weather-warning-issued

Any help you can give to make your networks aware would be much appreciated, and as ever if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Best wishes

Tom & Heledd

Thomas Lydon, Head of Public Affairs, Great Western Railway

e: [email protected] t: 07912 299269

Heledd Iolo, Senior Public Affairs Manager, Network Rail Western

e: [email protected]

03/07/2026