Some useful links for DRA members and supporters



EasyFundRaising, which enables you to contribute to DRA funds every time you make an online purchase from thousands of retailers, including all the major ones like Amazon, Ebay etc. It's something for nothing! For more details, visit their website, or contact the DRA Treasurer Christine Horner (christine.horner[at]talk21.com): EasyFundRaising

DRA Facebook page: DRA on Facebook.

DRA Twitter page: DRA on Twitter.


Websites of interest to DRA members, local rail users and enthusiasts:


Avocet Line Rail Users Group Exeter-Exmouth line users group

BloodandCustard Interesting railway site with section on the Okehampton Car Carrier service. Have a good look around the rest of the site while you're there.

Bow Station Information on Bow Station, by its current owners.

Connect Bude campaigning to reconnect Bude to the national network

Cornwall Railway Society Brilliant site with lots of Devon content

Crediton Community Bookshop Apart from being an excellent community bookshop, this is also the town's TIC and as such carries local railway timetables

Dartmoor Line website for the GWR Exeter-Okehampton service

Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group nothing to do with railways, but much local interest in this group dedicated to studying Dartmoor's tin mining heritage.

Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership Developing the Devon and Cornwall branches

Exe Valley Railway Quality website reflecting affectionately on the Exeter-Tiverton-Dulverton line

Farsap Film Archive of Railway Signalling and People. Lots of interesting material relating to signalling.

Friends of Honiton Station. Very tidy and informative website. It's worth going back regularly for their excellent monthly newsletter.

Great Western Railway Operator of local branches and Penzance-Paddington mainline

Heritage Railway Association The voice of UK preserved railways

Heritage-railways.com UK & Ireland Heritage Railways

MAGIC Defra website providing authoritative geographic information about the natural environment from across government

The Moorlander Local newspaper vociferous in its support of the reinstatement of the Exeter service. Archives feature a number of articles on the Dartmoor Line.

National Library of Scotland Late 19th/early 20th century 25" OS maps courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.

National Rail Tickets and service info

Northern Route Working Group making the case for reinstating the line to Plymouth

OkeRail Local rail campaign group

Open Railway Map another excellent mapping site

Peninsula Transport, of which the Peninsula Rail Task Force is the strategic rail subgroup.

Railfuture Campaigning for rail improvement. Of particular local interest is the Northern Devon Railway Development Alliance.

Rail Map Online terrific website overlaying historic railways on modern mapping

The Railway and Canal Historical Society. This particular link takes you to a page of fascinating videos of RCHS talks and meetings 2021-2023.

Railway Codes. Website of rail line infrastructure and the myriad of related acronyms. This link is to the entry for 'our' line, but all UK is covered.

Railway Heritage Routes Explore the Bude Branch material. Lots of interesting drone footage.

Railway Inn at North Tawton

Real Time Trains Real time running info for UK trains

Sampford Courtenay parish council Articulating the case for another stop on the Dartmoor Line.

South Western Circle authoritative source of LSWR historical material

South Western Railway Operator of Exeter-Waterloo services

Tarka Rail Association Exeter-Barnstaple line user group.

TavyRail Making the case for the Tavistock to Plymouth rail link.

Timetable World digital collection of timetables and maps

Trainline UK and European train and coach information

Visit Okehampton local visitor information


Publishers or suppliers of books of interest, some of which are available from our shop.


Branchstow Books Specialist railway bookshop, with an emphasis on titles which are self published and from small publishers.

Crecy Transport and military publisher

Halsgrove History and heritage, with much local content

Lightmoor Press Wide ranging publishing imprint, with important sections on railway, maritime, canal and industrial history

Pen & Ink Publishing Publishers of books on many aspects of Plymouth's history

Pen and Sword Books Publisher of books on a variety of historical themes, including transport and industrial archaeology.

Stenlake Ayrshire based publisher of books on transport, industry and local history. Owners of Oakwood.

Transport Treasury Publishing Publishing albums of images from an extensive transport archive.


A selection of links to interesting videos:


Okehampton Station In Devon: Pre 1972 Closure On Plymouth To Exeter Line. Mostly taken on the last day of the Okehampton-Exeter service in June 1972.

Okehampton to Meldon Quarry Short 8mm film of Exeter University trip.

Which lines could return on the former West Devon railway network? Slightly out of date but still valid Dailymotion video on the route through Tavistock.

Mile197. This is our own David Ellis's excellent Youtube channel. Note especially the HST test train at Okehampton in 2021. (Did you see the cameo by a well-known TV rail presenter?).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlxK5N4LC3Y The Mid Devon Light Railway, by Ed Goodridge. When you've watched this one, check out the other videos on Ed's channel.

greatscenicrailways.co.uk/visit-north-devon-by-train DCRP North Devon promo videos

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-_NeBruGQU&t=13s Railways in Devon in the 1970's

trainstobeyond.com/2022/07/29/2022-uk-in-the-footsteps-of-the-atlantic-coast-express/ In the Footsteps of the Atlantic Coast Express

https://youtu.be/7xQmnUM7LNc very nice video by Clive Parker, of his Devon railtour, based at Okehampton. Subscribe and watch some of Clive's other videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37IjQWTNGBE An interesting video made in Spring 2022 looking back on how the Dartmoor Line was achieved, courtesy of Modern Railways via Railfuture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkZSsaMEpMM 1950s footage of Okehampton to Tavistock. Short and silent. Lots of T9s in evidence.

The Dartmoor Railway short 2009 film about the DR, including Thumper 1032. Look at the tidy vegetation!

BBC Spotlight on reopening the N Dartmoor line and

BBC Spotlight on reopening the Teign Valley route


Preserved railways and railway heritage websites in this corner of the country (or nearby as the crow flies!):


Avon Valley Railway

Bideford Railway Heritage Centre

Bodmin & Wenford Railway

Combe Rail Barnstaple - Braunton tram project and Ilfracombe line heritage

East Somerset Railway

Exeter & Teign Valley Railway at Christow Station. Railway reinstatement/education/heritage and much else. Just have a look.

Gwili Steam Railway

Helston Railway

Launceston Steam Railway

Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

Plym Valley Railway

South Devon Railway

Tamar Belle Heritage Centre

Tarka Valley Railway

Teifi Valley Railway

West Somerset Railway

Yeovil Railway Centre