"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 April 2026 Railfuture published on behalf of the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance (NDRDA):-
~ a Preliminary Strategic Business Case for North Devon Line modernisation - (see Executive Summary).
In March 2026 Network Rail had published "Transforming the North Devon Line: A Summary of Potential Infrastructure Enhancements".
~ a Preliminary Strategic Business Case for a new train service connecting Bideford with Exeter and beyond - (see Executive Summary)
(author's notes: this fourth version of the Bideford train service reinstatement PSBC includes additional reference to Network Rail's 2024 "Connecting Communities" report. The third version had a small number of updates and corrections compared with Version 1 published in December 2025 - for the agenda for a Torridge District Council meeting in early-January - and Version 2 published in February 2026 - for delegates attending the NDRDA's 3rd annual Convention in early-March. 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 in February 2026, and likewise corrected in April 2026).
Also published in December 2025 was the Economic Appraisal with Engineering Feasibility for a Bideford-Barnstaple reopening from SLC Rail, commissioned by Railfuture on behalf of the Alliance.
In November 2024 Network Rail had published "Connecting Communities: framework assessment of new station opportunities on Western Route" (full report, apart from Bideford shown as the only case study of five).
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 proposed Devon Metro (images from Devon & Torbay Local Transport Plan 4, for 2025-40) 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 2027 - fourth annual Convention of the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance, on Friday 5th. Venue likely to be in Exeter.
- April/May 2027 - to be confirmed, an 11-day branch and main lines closure at Cowley Bridge junction for flood defence works.