Promoting the branch lines
CASE STUDY | Through a mini-website, video guides, magazine campaigns and more, we’re working with South Western Railway, East Devon District Council and Purbeck Community Rail Partnership to inspire visitors to explore East Devon and Dorset's Jurassic Coast by train and onward bus.
CASE STUDY | Building on our experience creating and running the official DartmoorLine.com website, we developed the website, logo and visual brand for the £56m Mid Cornwall Metro project. When Newquay's hourly train service begin as the first phase of the project, we promoted it through targeted social media, bus stop and local newspaper advertising.
CASE STUDY | In 2023, our pirate treasure hunt attracted more than 300 children to visit Looe by train and explore the town’s shops. In 2026 we brought it back bigger than ever: running it throughout the school summer holidays.
CASE STUDY | The May 2025 improved timetable on the Looe Valley Line is a story of community rail and the tourism sector working together. It began with Looe’s tourism sector wanting better connections with the main line, the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership (DCRP) championing the idea, and GWR making it happen. DCRP then worked with tourism partners on a wide-ranging campaign to promote the new timetable. Local press, leaflets, station posters and nearly 50 social media posts saw the campaign reach 1.2 million people, attracting 17,000 likes. This led to 2025 becoming the line's busiest on record.
CASE STUDY | In 2023 we supported the initial West Cornwall roll-out of Pay As You Go travel with a 'how to' video. In 2025 when the scheme went county-wide (all including journeys to/from Plymouth and on the Tamar Valley Line) we updated the video in partnership with GWR and Cornwall Council.
CASE STUDY | 2025 was the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, and as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations, the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership dug into the archives to uncover some of the unexpected and wonderful ways in which the railway has shaped and enriched life in the South West.
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.
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 | 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.