Avocet Line
Encyclopedia
The Avocet Line is the railway line in England
connecting Exeter
with Exmouth
. It was originally built by the London and South Western Railway
. The line follows the Exe Estuary
for most of its route, giving views of the estuary. The line is named after the Pied Avocet
, which live in the estuary.
The route follows the West of England Main Line
in the suburbs of Exeter before diverging to the south.
There is a ferry
service from Exmouth harbour to Starcross railway station
on the opposite shore of the River Exe
.
, and since 2006 by First Great Western
, using Class 150
or Class 153
diesel multiple unit
s (DMUs) either singly or in multiple. However, from December 2007 First Great Western introduced Class 142 'Pacers'
and more recently, Class 143 'Pacers'
to release other DMUs for refurbishment.
The section in Exeter is shared with South West Trains
West of England
services to London Waterloo
as far as Exmouth Junction
(between St James Park and Polsloe Bridge). The daytime frequency is a train every 30 mins, although trains only stop once an hour at Polsloe Bridge, St James Park, Exton and Lympstone Commando. The latter two stations are request stop
s.
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England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
connecting Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
with Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
. It was originally built by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
. The line follows the Exe Estuary
Exe Estuary
The Exe Estuary is an estuary on the south coast of Devon, England.The estuary starts just to the south of the city of Exeter, and extends south for approximately eight miles to meet the English Channel...
for most of its route, giving views of the estuary. The line is named after the Pied Avocet
Pied Avocet
The Pied Avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta, is a large black and white wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae. They breed in temperate Europe and western and Central Asia. It is a migratory species and most winter in Africa or southern Asia...
, which live in the estuary.
Route
The towns and cities served are:- ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
- DigbyDigby, DevonDigby was a small village on the eastern edge of the city of Exeter in Devon, England. Between 1886 and 1987 it was the location of Exeter Borough Asylum known as Digby Hospital. Today it is mainly an area of housing, out-of-town retail and light industrial developments on the outskirts of the...
- SowtonSowtonSowton is a village and civil parish east of Exeter in East Devon, England. It has a population of 639.Its parish council merged with that of nearby Clyst St Mary in 1976 to form Bishop's Clyst.Sowton is also the name of an industrial estate at...
- TopshamTopsham, DevonTopsham is a suburb of Exeter in the county of Devon, England, on the east side of the River Exe, immediately north of its confluence with the River Clyst and the former's estuary, between Exeter and Exmouth. Although village-sized, with a current population of around 5,023, it was designated a...
- ExtonExtonExton is the name of a number of settlements:In the United Kingdom:* Exton, Somerset * Exton, Devon* Exton, Hampshire* Exton, Rutland* a fictional New Town in BBC Radio 2's Mrs Dale's Diaryin the United States:* Exton, Pennsylvania...
- LympstoneLympstoneLympstone is a village and civil parish in East Devon in the English county of Devon. It has a population of 1,754. There is a harbour on the estuary of the River Exe, lying at the outlet of Wotton Brook between cliffs of red breccia...
- ExmouthExmouth, DevonExmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
The route follows the West of England Main Line
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
in the suburbs of Exeter before diverging to the south.
There is a ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service from Exmouth harbour to Starcross railway station
Starcross railway station
Starcross railway station is a small station on the Exeter to Plymouth line in the village of Starcross, Devon, England. It is on the shore of the River Exe estuary and is linked to a pier used by the ferry to Exmouth on the other side of the estuary...
on the opposite shore of the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
.
Services
For many years the passenger services on the line have been provided by Wessex TrainsWessex Trains
Wessex Trains was the primary passenger rail operator in the South West of England. The company operated trains in the region bounded by Penzance, Cardiff, Gloucester, Worcester and Brighton...
, and since 2006 by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
, using Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
or Class 153
British Rail Class 153
The British Rail Class 153 Super Sprinter is a single car diesel multiple unit converted from British Rail Class 155s.-Description:These units were originally built as two-car Class 155 units by British Leyland from 1987–88, but were converted by Hunslet-Barclay at Kilmarnock from 1991-92...
diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s (DMUs) either singly or in multiple. However, from December 2007 First Great Western introduced Class 142 'Pacers'
British Rail Class 142
The British Rail Class 142 is a class of Pacer diesel multiple units used in the United Kingdom. 96 units were built by BREL in Derby between 1985 and 1987. They were a development of the earlier Class 141 which were introduced in 1984....
and more recently, Class 143 'Pacers'
British Rail Class 143
The British Rail Class 143 is a diesel multiple unit, part of the Pacer family of trains introduced between 1985 and 1986. They originally worked in the North-East of England but were later transferred to Wales and South-West England....
to release other DMUs for refurbishment.
The section in Exeter is shared with South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
West of England
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
services to London Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
as far as Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction is the railway junction where the Exmouth branch line diverges from the London Waterloo to Exeter main line in Exeter, Devon, England. It was for many years the location for one of the largest engine sheds in the former London and South Western Railway...
(between St James Park and Polsloe Bridge). The daytime frequency is a train every 30 mins, although trains only stop once an hour at Polsloe Bridge, St James Park, Exton and Lympstone Commando. The latter two stations are request stop
Request stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
s.
Passenger volume
The busiest station on the branch is Exmouth, which is the fifth busiest in Devon. The number of passengers arriving and departing this station has been in decline, while the numbers using Digby & Sowton and Topsham are increasing considerably. Comparing the year from April 2006 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers at these stations have increased by 105% and 63% respectively.|}