Time for a new train line through the south west - train related news

[Greyhound]

It was a fascinating look back...The prisoners in handcuffs being escorted onto the platform.Then put into a carriage reserved for a Home Office Party.

Loved the cat in the signal box.

In the old days (until 1956) prisoners for Dartmoor used to arrive at Princetown station. A "reserved" sign on a coach usually meant prisoners in transit.

 

[Greyhound]

Just watched the recording. Nice to see Lord Nelson class Sir Walter Raleigh glide into Waterloo and the old departures board.

Nice to see a Nelson anywhere! I never managed to see one on the Southern.

 

[Hants_red]

Lots of Devon station names mentioned too.

You could still get to Bude and Ilfracombe in 1961?

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

In the old days (until 1956) prisoners for Dartmoor used to arrive at Princetown station. A "reserved" sign on a coach usually meant prisoners in transit.

I wonder in the documentary film if the Prisoners were off to Dartmoor(or Exeter)
The trains destination was Plymouth.Leaving from Waterloo in those days it would have travelled on the Southern route via Okehampton.Tavistock North Station is only 15 miles from Princetown.

 

[Greyhound]

I wonder in the documentary film if the Prisoners were off to Dartmoor(or Exeter)
The trains destination was Plymouth.Leaving from Waterloo in those days it would have travelled on the Southern route via Okehampton.Tavistock North Station is only 15 miles from Princetown.

They would have been taken to Plymouth, then transferred to the branch line that went via Yelverton up onto the moor to Princetown.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

Nice to see a Nelson anywhere! I never managed to see one on the Southern.

They were of course mainly used on London to Southampton/Bournemouth line. Around 1962 one did make it to Exeter Central on a rail tour. They were however banned from Southern Lines west of Exeter because of their weight. When they were introduced the SR wanted to display one at Devonport during "Navy Week". To get it there and back it had to travel via the GWR main line from Exeter St Davids to Plymouth.

 

[Alistair20000]

You could still get to Bude and Ilfracombe in 1961?

Yes I think I heard those station names called along with many others long since gone.

I will watch it again and check.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

You could still get to Bude and Ilfracombe in 1961?

Indeed you could. The line to Bude closed in October 1966, whilst Ilfracombe to Barnstaple soldiered on for another 4 years until Oct 1970.

 

[Hants_red]

Yes I think I heard those station names called along with many others long since gone.

I will watch it again and check.

I checked out a few of the stations last year when in North Devon. Halwill Junction you can still a bit of the platform if you walk past the new houses, plus you can see the two junctions if you walk towards Bude. Dunsland Cross was a problem, as I couldn't work out where the line was, even though I found Railway Cottages! I think there had been a bridge that has now been demolished.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

I checked out a few of the stations last year when in North Devon. Halwill Junction you can still a bit of the platform if you walk past the new houses, plus you can see the two junctions if you walk towards Bude. Dunsland Cross was a problem, as I couldn't work out where the line was, even though I found Railway Cottages! I think there had been a bridge that has now been demolished.

A friend of mine owns a property at Thorndon Cross, which includes the remains of Maddaford Moor Halt. This was built from a kit of parts, manufactured at the Concrete Works at Exmouth Junction (Posloe Bridge Halt is another local example). After closure most of the slabs forming the platform surface were plundered by the locals for resurfacing drives ! The line itself is now a public footpath (the previous owner being forced to sell it to the council in order to obtain planning permission to install a duck pond !).