The Anonymous Widower

Taunton To Exeter St. Davids – 4th July 2023

I took these pictures as I travelled from Taunton station to Exeter St.Davids station.

This Google Map shows a section of the M5 North of Collumpton.

Note.

1. The proximity of the M5 motorway to the railway, in some pictures and the map.
2. There is space to plant large numbers of trees between the motorway and the railway.
3. There are high voltage overhead electrical cables running along the same corridor.
4. Collumpton services are also placed between the motorway and the railway.

I believe that with good landscaping, it would be possible to improve the motorway and railway corridor, between Taunton and South of Collumpton.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the track between Wellington and Collumpton, between Taunton and Exeter.

Note.

1. The black line is the railway between Taunton and Exeter.
2. The blue arrow in the North-East corner of the map indicates the position of the proposed Wellington station.
3. Collumpton is in the South-West corner of the map and has also been put forward for a new Collumpton station.
4. I talked about the reopening of these two stations in Reopening Of Wellington and Cullompton Stations.
5. The M5 to the North of Collumpton runs closely alongside the railway.
6. According to Real Time Trains, it takes just under ten minutes to go the thirteen miles between Wellington and Cullompton.

I believe that by using partial electrification, good engineering and innovative landscaping, that sufficient electrification can be erected between Taunton and South of Collumpton, that would ensure the following.

• Trains would leave Taunton going East with enough charge to travel the 89.6 miles to Newbury.
• Trains would leave Taunton going North with enough charge to travel the 51.7 miles to Patchway via Western-super-Mare and Bristol Temple Meads.
• Trains would leave Cullompton going South with enough charge to travel the 32.9 miles to Okehampton.
• Trains would leave Cullompton going South with enough charge to travel the 36.6 miles to Paignton.
• Trains would leave Cullompton going South with enough charge to travel the 60.4 miles to Plymouth.

Note.

1. I’ve added Okehampton, as I feel that if Dawlish had another encounter with Poseidon, Okehampton with its proposed Parkway station on the A30 could be the terminus for coaches to and from Cornwall.
2. Charging could be needed at Okehampton and Paignton.
3. Charging at Okehampton and Paignton, wouldn’t be needed, if the battery-electric trains had enough range  to do the return trip.

Electrification of Plymouth and Penzance stations, as I outlined in Thoughts About Electrification Through Devon And Cornwall, would enable battery-electric trains to bridge the gap of 79.5 miles, between these two stations.

Conclusion

It looks like some miles of sympathetic electrification and landscaping between Taunton and South of Cullompton, is the key to running battery-electric train to Devon and Cornwall.

July 4, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Battery-Electric Trains, Collumpton Station, Dawlish, Electrification, Exeter St. Davids Station, Okehampton Interchange Station, Okehampton Station, Taunton Station, Wellington Station