"To secure a new rail link between Bideford and Barnstaple and upgrade of the North Devon (Tarka) Line between Exeter and Barnstaple, championing their transformational benefits for communities and businesses and advocating to decision-makers the economic, social and environmental case for developing and investing in the project." (inaugural event of Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance, 1st March 2024).
In February 2026 Railfuture published on behalf of the Alliance a Preliminary Strategic Business Case for North Devon Line modernisation and a Preliminary Strategic Business Case for a new train service connecting Bideford with Exeter and beyond (author's note: this second version of the Bideford train service reinstatement PSBC has a small number of updates compared with Version 1 published in December 2025. None change the nature of the arguments presented, but ensure that it remains parallel where necessary with the PSBC for the modernisation of the Exeter to Barnstaple line put into the public domain for the first time at the same time).
Find out more via Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance (Facebook - previously ACE Rail) and Tarka Line friends and groups (Facebook - previously the Tarka Rail Association) and follow / like / post. Also on X (formerly Twitter): @RailfutureDC
Register your support for this award-winning campaign, affiliated to Railfuture, now an integral part of Devon Metro-2 during 2025-40 (first image below, second image from Devon & Torbay draft Local Transport Plan 4) and Peninsula Transport's Strategic Implementation Plan for 2025-50.
See also the Railfuture-affiliated North Devon Line - Rail Promotion Group (formerly the Tarka Rail Association).
For relatively recent (early-2020) views of the existing North Devon (Tarka) Line watch Driver's Eye View of the journey from Barnstaple to Exeter St Davids Barnstaple - Eggesford. Part 1 of 2 (23 minutes) and Eggesford - Exeter St Davids. Part 2 of 2 (33 minutes).
For a much older (1996) cab view in the opposite direction see Exeter St. David's to Barnstaple. For slightly less old (2001) edited cab views watch Exeter St. David's to Salmon Pool Crossing (after Crediton) followed by Salmon Pool Crossing to Barnstaple.
For much more recent - post-Dartmoor Line re-opening - cab rides watch from Exeter St Davids (platform 3) to Okehampton, and from Okehampton to Exeter St Davids (bay platform 2).
In February 2026 Railfuture published on behalf of the Alliance a Preliminary Strategic Business Case for North Devon Line modernisation and a Preliminary Strategic Business Case for a new train service connecting Bideford with Exeter and beyond (author's note: this second version of the Bideford train service reinstatement PSBC has a small number of updates compared with Version 1 published in December 2025. None change the nature of the arguments presented, but ensure that it remains parallel where necessary with the PSBC for the modernisation of the Exeter to Barnstaple line put into the public domain for the first time at the same time).
Find out more via Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance (Facebook - previously ACE Rail) and Tarka Line friends and groups (Facebook - previously the Tarka Rail Association) and follow / like / post. Also on X (formerly Twitter): @RailfutureDC
Register your support for this award-winning campaign, affiliated to Railfuture, now an integral part of Devon Metro-2 during 2025-40 (first image below, second image from Devon & Torbay draft Local Transport Plan 4) and Peninsula Transport's Strategic Implementation Plan for 2025-50.
See also the Railfuture-affiliated North Devon Line - Rail Promotion Group (formerly the Tarka Rail Association).
For relatively recent (early-2020) views of the existing North Devon (Tarka) Line watch Driver's Eye View of the journey from Barnstaple to Exeter St Davids Barnstaple - Eggesford. Part 1 of 2 (23 minutes) and Eggesford - Exeter St Davids. Part 2 of 2 (33 minutes).
For a much older (1996) cab view in the opposite direction see Exeter St. David's to Barnstaple. For slightly less old (2001) edited cab views watch Exeter St. David's to Salmon Pool Crossing (after Crediton) followed by Salmon Pool Crossing to Barnstaple.
For much more recent - post-Dartmoor Line re-opening - cab rides watch from Exeter St Davids (platform 3) to Okehampton, and from Okehampton to Exeter St Davids (bay platform 2).
Coming up .....
- March - third annual Convention of the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance to be held in Mid-Devon, on Friday the 6th.
- March - Devon County Council Cabinet will on 11th March consider "Urgent Action to Safeguard and Modernise the Tarka Line" which was moved in full Council by Cllr Graham Bell (Braunton Rural), seconded by Cllr Ed Tyldesley (Chulmleigh & Landkey) on 24th February. See Railfuture briefing note in support, and Preliminary Strategic Business Case for North Devon Line modernisation.
- March - Georgeham Parish Council (Braunton West & Georgeham district ward, Braunton Rural county electoral division) will consider membership of the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance at their next meeting, on the 19th.
- March - 9-day engineering improvement works on North Devon Line, Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th inclusive, road replacement transport services. Track renewals north of Lapford station and immediately south of Barnstaple station.
- March - Torridge District Council will launch the new Bideford Regeneration Strategy and MasterPlan, on the 26th.
- April - Torridge District Council's External Overview & Scrutiny Committee due to receive a presentation on the Preliminary Strategic Business Case including a specialist economic assessment and initial engineering feasibility for a Bideford-Barnstaple rail link, on Wednesday 1st; business carried forward from inquorate meeting on 7th January (agenda item 8, including introductory report).
- April/May 2027 - to be confirmed, an 11-day branch and main lines closure at Cowley Bridge junction for flood defence works.