WITH reference to the letters from Alan Finch, Rod Smith and other correspondents on the possibility of re-opening of the line between Bere Alston and Okehampton, this is the situation as I understand it. When the sea wall at Dawlish collapsed, Patrick McLaughlin the transport minister asked Network Rail to look into the available alternatives to stop Plymouth and the far South West being cut off from the rest of the country by rail again. Network Rail put forward a number of alternatives, one of which was the re-opening of the old southern line through Tavistock and Okehampton. Because most of the original trackbed was still intact this route proved to be by far the cheapest option and would give the South West an alternative line which was completely separate from the one running through Dawlish. I would stress however, that this was before the last election and is by no means a 'done deal'. I believe the costings were for double track between Plymouth and Exeter which would allow for a faster train service, similar to those on the existing main line with some stopping at Tavistock and Okehampton, others going straight through and a slower 'local' stopping service. Although it is unlikely that all of the numerous former stations on the line would re-open, there would be a new 'Parkway' station at Sourton to take the traffic from North Devon and Cornwall. To answer the questions from Mr Finch and Mr Smith; if the line is double tracked then the existing 'Granite Way' would have to be relocated, if laid to a single tracked 'branch line' configuration, then there would be a possibility of keeping some of the cycleway on one side, although it would not be an ideal solution for either trains or cycles. As regards going through Tavistock itself, the proposals were for using all of the former main line and like any project which involves transport, whether it is a new road, motorway, railway or airport, there will have to be some compulsory purchase of land and buildings, all of which were presumably included when all the alternative routes were costed. It is a difficult situation to resolve. Personally, I feel that there has to be an alternative way to and from Plymouth and the West, at present there is only one way in or out and this depends on the one existing line which will always be vulnerable to the sea or delays caused by maintenance or any other number of reasons, so if there is to be an alternative route why not give it to this part of Devon which has not had a rail link for 50 years? Paul Mercer Peter Tavy