History of Dartmoor Railway

History of Dartmoor

Dartmoor conjures up plenty of different things to many people. Many think of ponies and cream teas, others imagine vast tracts of wilderness and marsh. To those who know it, the 'moor' is 368 square miles of intrigue and fascination but be warned, it's a moreish place and once you have fallen under the magic of 'Old Dartymoor' you will never want to leave it.

Ancient Dartmoor

Over the past 12 centuries man has hunted, farmed, mined, quarried and existed on and around Dartmoor. From the early Mesolithic hunter gatherers to the present 'moorman', people have left their marks on its landscape. Dartmoor has been described as the 'last wilderness' and often when walking deep in that 'wilderness' it is easy to imagine that you are the first to set foot on its virgin soil. Don't even go there, just stop and take a good look and it's guaranteed that within eyesight will be the mark of someone who’s being there before you.

Tin mining

It may be a solitary standing stone on the horizon, built by the 'Men of Bronze' or it may be a small heap of stones left there by the old tinners, but somewhere in the ranges there will be something. Every tor, mire, stream, gully, wood or valley will have a name, although many of them won't be on the modern map and lots have been lost in the mists of time but they will all have a name showing evidence of the presence of man. Therefore if a person has been associated with the area for so long it is inevitable that there has been a wealth of tradition, archaeology, history, folklore and legend left for us to explore today.

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On this site we are interested in railways all over the United Kingdom.

Central Railway

Central Railway has been formed to promote and develop a modern, cross-border freight railway linking the road and rail systems of Britain and the near Continent. Its main shuttle services carrying lorry trailers will achieve a large-scale transfer of freight from road to rail plus wider transport and environmental benefits.

Think of Central Railway as a long extension of the successful Channel Tunnel lorry shuttle service to key industrial areas. We will provide high frequency, reliable services at a lower cost than current transport methods, becoming the most commercially attractive alternative for the majority of road hauliers and logistics companies.

Current railway infrastructure.

At the moment railways in France and Britain have neither the capacity nor the height under bridges to carry lorries, making them uncompetitive for freight transport. The railway will be able to carry any size of UK and Continental trains, and trains carrying double stack containers. One of the most effective means of transporting belongings is by plane or boat.

Central Railway will be an integral part of national rail systems, representing a valuable infrastructure investment. The project could be financed by the international capital markets, and not therefore at public expense. Broader benefits include regional economic regeneration, fewer HGVs on motorways and reductions in CO2 emissions.