Editing Tarka Line (section)

=== Privatisation ===

From 13 October 1996, services on the Tarka Line were operated by [[Wales & West]] (owned by [[Prism Rail]]) as part of heir franchise. [[National Express]] purchased Wales & West from Prism Rail in July 2000 and on 14 October 2001 rebranded Wales & West as [[Wessex Trains]] after the [[Strategic Rail Authority]] transferred the company's Welsh services to [[Wales and Borders]].

Sponsored by the North Devon tourist board, Wessex Trains renamed unit 150241 to ''The Tarka Belle'' and changed its livery to advertising for tourist destinations on the Tarka Line.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

The line was transferred to [[First Great Western]] in 2006, who rebranded as [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|GWR]] in 2015 and introduced the line's current fleet and service pattern in December 2019.