Michael Parker-Bray
Promotional hoardings highlighting Cornwall’s branch line destinations have gone up around Saltash station building as the latest step towards the building’s eagerly awaited revamp.
The 33-metre boards promote beauty spots including Calstock, Looe and St Ives as well as the redevelopment of the station building. Read more
CASE STUDY | We have launched Foodie Guides for four branch lines to highlight food businesses along each route that champion local produce and sustainability, and to inspire rail travel to the area.
Last summer, Cranbrook station was transformed by the addition of colourful posters, designed by pupils and students from St Martin’s C of E Primary School and the Cranbrook Education Campus.
To ring the changes, a second set of winning posters has just been installed. Read more
Children will soon be able to travel for free on Tamar Valley Line trains as part of celebrations to mark 50 years of regular direct rail services between Gunnislake and Plymouth.
On Sunday 3rd June 2018, there will be an Open Day at the Tamar Belle at Bere Ferrers station. Read more
Name the train to win rail tickets
A new train has arrived at Barnstaple station and we want your ideas for what it should be called. Suggest a name below – the best suggestion will win a pair of standard class tickets anywhere on the Great Western network. Read more
The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership is working with the South West region of CAMRA and its local branches to promote rail travel and support real ale pubs.
The Partnership has produced bar runners (shown above at the Bay Horse Inn, Totnes), posters and beer mats that are being distributed by CAMRA members in local pubs. Read more
Residents in the Gunnislake, Calstock and Bere Peninsula areas are being asked to take part in a transport survey to help with a new study looking at the value of the Tamar Valley Line to the community.
Take the survey
All aspects of the line’s value are being investigated including the access it provides local people to employment, education and shopping in Plymouth, connectivity with the rest of the country and its role in helping tourists visit the Tamar Valley AONB. Read more
The Partnership’s achievements in 2017 have been highlighted in a new report by Great Western Railway.
GWR’s Community Rail 2017 report (available to download as a 1MB PDF) sets out highlights from the last 12 months from each of the Community Rail Partnerships on the Great Western network. Read more
In response to the growing importance of video marketing, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership has produced a series of short films to showcase the South West’s scenic branch lines.
The videos – all under 90 seconds long – have been promoted through targeted Facebook advertising, reaching hundreds of thousands of people and garnering an extremely positive response. Read more
The Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership was awarded two first places at the national Community Rail Awards held in Derby on Thursday 5th October 2017.
The Carbon Reduction Challenge was recognised in the Involving Children and Young People category and the Seize The Sunday campaign on the Avocet Line won the Marketing award. Read more
Whether you use the train or not, if you live near the Truro-Falmouth line please help us to shape future railway services by completing this short survey.
Take the survey
Who should take the survey?
As well as current rail users, we are particularly keen to hear from those who rarely, if ever, use the trains. Read more
Fans of the BBC series Poldark can now plan a trip to explore the show’s Cornish scenery – including by train – thanks to a new app.
Visit Cornwall’s ‘Experience Poldark’ app was developed with the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and recommends Poldark filming locations to visit, travel tips and more. Read more
CASE STUDY | The Carbon Reduction Challenge was an inter-schools competition to encourage local schools to swap car journeys for train journeys to reduce their carbon footprint.
CASE STUDY | When a long-held aspiration is close to being achieved, it’s important to seal the deal – and that’s exactly what happened on the Avocet Line (Exeter-Exmouth) when our marketing campaign led to a 22% jump in Sunday journeys.
Great Western Railway will be introducing a new, later Sunday train for the Summer on the Plymouth – Gunnislake Tamar Valley Line on Sunday 21 May 2017.
The train will leave Plymouth at 20 01, arriving at Gunnislake at 20 47. Read more
Great Western Railway (GWR) will introduce an improved timetable on the Truro to Falmouth Maritime Line from Sunday 21 May 2017.
On Mondays to Fridays, the last train on the line will run more than half an hour later. The train will depart Truro station at 22 44 instead of the current 22 08 and Falmouth Docks at 23 11 instead of the current 22 35. Read more
Devon and Cornwall’s scenic railway branch lines, such as those to St Ives, Looe, Gunnislake and Barnstaple, are included in a new nationwide campaign launched today to encourage people to explore ‘Scenic Rail Britain’.
A new website, Scenic Rail Britain, blog and social media channels are being launched that day by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) and its members at stations around the country. Read more
A much-loved book of walks from the Exeter-Barnstaple railway line makes a welcome return this spring with the launch of an updated second edition.
Tarka Line Walks by local author Peter Craske features scenic strolls from the line’s 13 stations. Since it first saw the light of day eight years ago, Tarka Line Walks has attracted an enthusiastic following. Read more
Dog owners in Plymouth are being invited to explore the National Trust estate at Cotehele by catching one of two “Calstock Rover” trains from Plymouth to Calstock this Sunday, 19 March.
The Calstock Rover will be part of the regular Tamar Valley Line service leaving Plymouth station at 09 20 and 11 06 on Sunday morning. Read more
We are helping eight primary schools near the Looe and Tamar Valley lines to act as green travel ambassadors – with inspiration from Coco the Cat!
Using their powers of persuasion, pupils from the schools will be encouraging their teachers, families and friends to change their normal habits and try the train. Read more