Travel from Hatherleigh to Oxford & Stratford upon Avon by Train and Rail Link Bus on Saturday 21st April
Two easy steps:
- Book your seats on the train using this link – www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/486990 for the ‘Hatherleigh Coach C’ £47.50 STD Class / Children under 16 £27.00
- Reserve your seat in the Ruby Visitor Centre office (open 10-2pm Tues-Sat) for the special bus from Hatherleigh to Okehampton Station for £3.00 return [leaving 6.30 am from Coop bus stop]
The train will stop at Oxford and Stratford upon Avon via Crediton and Exeter St David’s. It will be a HST train with Pullman dining and buffet facilities.
Hatherleigh & Bude communities have their own rail coaches reserved!
The linking bus service costing passengers only £3 each (inc children) has been kindly subsidised from proceeds from the OkeRail coffee morning held here.
Collection Times:
The Hatherleigh bus will collect passengers at 6.15am (Coop bus stop) and leave 6.30am.
The train will leave at approx 7.10am.
The train will arrive back in Okehampton approx 8.45pm. Return to Hatherleigh by bus approx 9.30pm.
This isn’t any ordinary train excursion, read below how your support can help the campaign for the Okehampton rail line re-instatement to the national rail network:
“The Royal Oke special trains have a national impact with regard reopening the Okehampton to Exeter line. Chris Grayling [Minister of Transport] has instructed GWR to prepare plans to reopen this line.
And so GWR Regional Development Manger, Matthew Barnes is preparing a plan for the Department of Transport.
However an important part of this plan is to demonstrate sub – regional demand for the line, this is why it is essential that key settlements, namely Hatherleigh, Holsworthy and Bude show their support for initiatives such as the ‘Royal Oke Specials’ & ‘Summer Sunday trains’.
On the 21st of April GWR will send representatives of their Swindon management team to travel on the train for the entire journey to assess public support for the line.
In addition senior members of Devon County Council and Cabinet members responsible for transport and infrastructure for Devon will be travelling with us.
This will be a chance for Councillors, businesses and residents from the area to put their case for better rail connectivity. It is essential that Hatherleigh supports this venture to re connect the town to the national rail network.”
[Dr Michael Ireland – Vice Chair of OkeRail Forum]
So if you want a day out in a beautiful historic town and city, and/or want to show support for the OkeRail campaign and send a message to Parliament that we need the rail line reinstated!