New Saltash hoardings promote branch line destinations

10th July 2018
richard-burningham-and-richard-bickford-with-station-hoardings
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

Foodie Guides

26th June 2018
Launch of Avocet Line Foodie Guide
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.

Second wave of posters designed by local youngsters at Cranbrook station

13th June 2018
Community unveils Cranbrook station posters
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

Celebrating 50 years of the Tamar Valley Line

23rd May 2018
Train on the Calstock viaduct on the Tamar Valley Line
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

Visit Bere Ferrers Spring Flower Show this Saturday

20th March 2018
Plymouth residents are being encouraged to take the train to Bere Ferrers on Saturday 24 March to enjoy the spring colours of the Tamar Valley at the village’s annual Spring Flower Show. Bere Ferrers Spring Flower Show has long been renowned for its daffodil displays and is in its 70th year this year. Read more

Barnstaple’s newest train needs a name

17th February 2018
Train model at Barnstaple station
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

Partnership teams up with CAMRA

30th January 2018
Bar runner at the Bay Horse Inn, Totnes
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

Tamar Valley Line survey

22nd December 2017
Train on the Calstock viaduct with speech bubble: "Have your say"
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

Partnership’s achievements highlighted in GWR report

21st December 2017
Screenshot of GWR Community Rail report 2017 front cover and Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership spread
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

Quartet of branch line videos

20th October 2017
Four students look out of the train window on the Tarka Line (screenshot from video)
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

Double national awards success

6th October 2017
Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership team and partners on stage at the Community Rail Awards
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

Maritime Line survey

21st September 2017
Train on the Maritime Line with speech bubble saying 'Have your say'
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

Restored Victorian sign unveiled at Perranwell

9th August 2017
A historic station name sign at Perranwell station, which is on the Truro – Falmouth Maritime Line, has been unveiled following its restoration. The sign was unveiled by local Cornwall Councillor Peter Williams and Graham Brown, Chairman of Perranarworthal Parish Council. Read more

Experience Poldark app launched

21st June 2017
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

Carbon Reduction Challenge

15th June 2017
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.

Seize The Sunday

9th June 2017
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.

Winning school announced for Carbon Reduction Challenge

8th June 2017
Duloe School has won an inter-schools competition in South East Cornwall focusing on green transport. The Carbon Reduction Challenge was a competition developed by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership to promote travelling by train and green transport in general. A class from each of the schools had a free trip on their local branch line, courtesy of Great Western Railway, and then acted as ambassadors within the school encouraging others to think of more sustainable options for travel. Read more

New later Summer Sunday Tamar Valley Line train starts on 21 May

16th May 2017
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

Later and more trains on the Maritime Line – from this Sunday

16th May 2017
GWR train on the Collegewood Viaduct on the Maritime Line
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 & Cornwall branch lines featured on Scenic Rail Britain

16th May 2017
Scenic Rail Britain logo with St Ives Bay Line train in the background
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