ONCE upon a time, Yeoford was a very busy railway junction, where people changed trains from Exeter and beyond for either the north or the south coast, for Plymouth or Barnstaple. There was a footbridge over the railway so that both platforms could be used.

That all went with the Beeching cuts. Now the second line is being used again for passenger traffic with trains between the moors and city, a regular passenger service every day between Okehampton and Exeter having begun again last November. Except that trains do not stop at Yeoford, although they do stop at Crediton.

Yeoford has a dream that this could change, with a bit of effort. To that effect, a petition with 951 signatures has been presented to Devon County Council.

It was handed over by parishioner David Lucking to the Devon County Council member for the area, Cllr Frank Letch at the start of this month’s meeting of Crediton Hamlets Parish Council held at Yeoford.

The petition says the signatories “implore Devon County Council (on behalf of various stakeholders) to, at the very least, seek funding to conduct and publish a feasibility study into the restoration of the second platform and access at Yeoford Station, allowing trains between Exeter and Okehampton on the Dartmoor Railway to stop there.”

It goes on to say that it seems Yeoford has been overlooked when they hear of plans to restore stations at Tavistock, Wellington and Cullompton.