{"id":1338,"date":"2021-11-10T00:21:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T00:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teignrail.co.uk\/scouting\/?p=1338"},"modified":"2025-03-07T23:59:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T23:59:25","slug":"61-okehampton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teignrail.co.uk\/scouting\/61-okehampton\/","title":{"rendered":"61 Okehampton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The utilicon was booked to work to Tellam’s Yard, Cheriton, and then to Exeter Road Industrial Estate in Okehampton, so the scout took the opportunity to ride around the town and up the hill to the station, where a regular train service shortly will resume after a gap of nearly fifty years.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After loading in Cladco <\/em>and parking outside, he cycled back along Exeter Road, the old A30, and peered over the bridge parapet to see a recently cleared rock cutting face being wire-netted, before turning into Higher Stockley Mead, at the end of which the track authority has its works compound.<\/p>\n\n\n

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At the entrance, a lorry belonging to Total Rail Solutions had just been loaded with two plant trailers and was about to depart, possibly for the firm’s depot in Thatcham.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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The compound is very close to milepost 196. The track at right leads to the line.
This is intended to be the site of the car park of Okehampton Parkway Station, not far from access to the A30 dual carriageway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nearby is a lane that leads to the Crediton road, along which the scout wanted to enter the town so as to take in the housing development sprawling eastward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The road crosses the railway at M.P. 195\u00bd by means of Three Arch Bridge, whose parapets are distinctly out of plumb in places.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A little further and the uniform ranks of another soulless army appear to advance steadily and menacingly across open countryside as if to the beat of drums. (Click to enlarge and zoom in +)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Crediton road is at right. This expansion of the town will be used to support the case for the parkway station, funding for which is being sought by the county council. +<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The scout rode into town and then up the hill to the showground, where the road forks to Holsworthy and Bude. This is where New Road, the turnpike, made a gentler descent to the town than Old Road, which is now gated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n