Avocet Line

The Avocet Line is the railway line in England connecting Exeter with Exmouth. It was originally built by the London and South Western Railway, and was historically known as the Exmouth branch 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 lives in the estuary.

History

Route

The towns and cities served are:

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.

Services

For many years the passenger services on the line have been provided by Wessex Trains, and since 2006 by Great Western Railway, using Class 150 or Class 153 diesel multiple units (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. Since December 2011, the Class 142 units have returned to Northern Rail.