Promoting the branch lines
We were pleased to pick up 3rd place in two categories at last week’s Community Rail Awards ceremony, held at Newcastle’s Civic Centre.
Tourism and Leisure award – 3rd place
Rail Ale Trails
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership teamed up for a revitalised promotion of real ale pubs along community rail lines. Read more
The Tarka Line Bistro, a newly reopened independent café at Eggesford station in Devon, has reported a big boost in patronage thanks to a video by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership (DCRP).
DCRP’s Social Media Officer, Betsy Saunders, visited to film a short video promoting the café, the neighbouring farm shop and the scenic journey on the Tarka Line from Exeter. Read more
A pair of community rail projects in Devon and Cornwall have been shortlisted for national awards.
The 2025 Community Rail Awards will be held in Newcastle in March. The shortlists include:
Tourism and Leisure award
Rail Ale Trails
Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and Blackmore Vale Line Community Rail Partnership teamed up for a revitalised promotion of real ale pubs along community rail lines. Read more
CASE STUDY | With widespread pub closures an issue of national concern, the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership supports nearly a hundred real ale pubs through our Rail Ale Trail scheme.
We've helped make the Devon & Cornwall Railcard the first regional railcard in the UK to be available as a digital product.
Local residents can now either store the railcard on their phone, order a physical railcard online and have it posted to them, or head to their local station ticket office to buy the railcard in the traditional way. Read more.
CASE STUDY | atlBuilding on our experience creating and running the official DartmoorLine.com website, we have developed the website, logo and visual brand for the £56m Mid Cornwall Metro project.
CASE STUDY | DCRP came together with GWR, local authorities and bus operators to produce and promote a series of 10 ‘travelogue’ short films to inspire visits to leisure destinations across Devon and Cornwall using joined-up sustainable transport.
CASE STUDY | Swashbuckling treasure hunt to encourage families to visit Looe by train
CASE STUDY | We worked with the local community to tell the hidden stories of the past 160 years on the Looe Valley Line. We produced video documentaries, a mobile phone app, interpretation boards and more to bring history to life.
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.
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.
CASE STUDY | Great Scenic Railways is the Partnership’s tourism-focused website, promoting the branch lines to more than 75,000 tourists and local day trippers each year.
CASE STUDY | We joined forces with the Campaign for Real Ale to encourage pub goers in Exeter and South Devon to travel by train, using beer mats bearing the message ‘Get here on the Riviera Line’.
CASE STUDY | We've worked with Visit Cornwall, the National Trust and other regional partners to tap into popular culture with our "Visit Poldark country by train" campaign.
CASE STUDY | A half-price offer agreed with Great Western Railway (GWR) and promoted by the Partnership led to a 37% increase in people visiting Barnstaple during the off-season.
CASE STUDY | We have worked with the National Trust to promote the picturesque walk between Calstock station and Cotehele.