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The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a 7 feet ¼ inch broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel The city of Exeter is the county town of Devon, in England, UK. It is located at , . In the 2001 census its population was recorded at 111,066. ...
Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ...
Location within the British Isles Torquay Pavilion, with St Johns Church in the background. ...
Devon is a large county in South West England, bordering on Cornwall to the west, Dorset and Somerset to the east. ...
Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004...
Great Western Railway broad gauge steam locomotives awaiting scrapping in 1892 after the conversion to standard gauge. ...
Brunel before the launching of the Great Eastern. ...
Chronology - 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament
- 1846 opened to Newton Abbot
- 1847 opened to Totnes, atmospheric trains start running
- 1848 atmospheric trains withdrawn, Torquay branch opened
- 1849 line completed to Plymouth
- 1876 amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
History
Openings The South Devon Railway was a 7 feet ¼ inch broad gauge railway engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Great Western Railway broad gauge steam locomotives awaiting scrapping in 1892 after the conversion to standard gauge. ...
Brunel before the launching of the Great Eastern. ...
The first section of the line to be opened was from Exeter to Teignmouth on 30 May 1846. The line was extended to Newton Abbot on 30 December 1846 and reached Totnes on 20 June 1847. It reached a temporary station at Laira on the outskirts of Plymouth on 5 May 1848 and finally reached the permanent terminus at Plymouth on 2 April 1849. The company built its offices outside this station. The city of Exeter is the county town of Devon, in England, UK. It is located at , . In the 2001 census its population was recorded at 111,066. ...
Location within the British Isles Teignmouth sea front Teignmouth (pronounced Tinmouth) is a town on the east bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign in south Devon, United Kingdom. ...
May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ...
1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...
Location within the British Isles Newton Abbot is a market town in Devon , England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580 (2001 census). ...
December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ...
1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...
Map sources for Totnes at grid reference SX805605 Arms of Totnes Town Council Totnes (TOTness — emphasis on the first syllable) is a market town in South Devon, England. ...
June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ...
1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...
Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ...
May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ...
1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ...
1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...
The line was extended the short distance into the new Plymouth Great Western Docks in 1850 and in 1853 opened a branch to the older Plymouth harbour at Sutton Pool by converting a part of the Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway to broad gauge. 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...
Atmospheric trains The railway was designed to be worked by atmospheric power which enabled a cheaper route to be taken, making use of steeper gradients and smaller curves than was considered practical with steam locomotives at that time. An atmospheric railway is a railway in which air pressure or vacuum is used to drive trains. ...
Atmospheric trains started carrying passengers on 13 September 1847 but the service was withdrawn on 9 September 1848. The failure of the system resulted in financial difficulties for the company for many years, although arrangements with local businessmen such as George Hennet allowed the provision of additional stations and rolling stock. September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ...
1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...
September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ...
1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The remains of several engine houses can still be seen alongside the line.
Branches and extensions A branch was opened from Newton Abbot to Torquay on 18 December 1848. This line was extended as the independent Dartmouth and Torbay Railway on 2 August 1859, finally reaching Kingswear on 16 August 1864. Location within the British Isles Torquay Pavilion, with St Johns Church in the background. ...
December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ...
1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ...
Kingswear is a village in the South Hams area of South Devon, residing on the east bank of the River Dart. ...
August 16 is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...
In the meantime, Plymouth had become a joint station with the opening of the Cornwall Railway on 4 May 1859, and the South Devon and Tavistock Railway on 22 June 1859. This latter line was extended by the Launceston and South Devon Railway on 1 July 1865. The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway (7 feet 0. ...
May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ...
1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ...
June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ...
1859 (MDCCCLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar). ...
July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ...
1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...
Other independent branches were the Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway from Newton Abbot on 4 July 1866 and the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway which opened to Ashburton on 1 May 1871 and added a branch to Totnes Quay on 10 November 1872. The South Devon Railway had also added a quayside branch, to the Exeter Canal at City Basin on 17 July 1867. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ...
1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...
Ashburton is Ashburton, a town in Canterbury, New Zealand Ashburton, a town in Devon, England Ashburton, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...
May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ...
1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...
November 10 is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 51 days remaining. ...
1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...
The Exeter canal was built in 1563 which means it predates the canal mania period and is one of the oldest artificial waterways in the UK. It was built to bypass the blocking of the River Exe by the Earls of Devon. ...
July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ...
1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
Subsequent history The company was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 February 1876, shortly after which the London and South Western Railway arrived in Plymouth and a joint station was opened at North Road. Amalgamation, meaning to combine or unite into one form, has several uses: In chemistry, mining and dentistry, amalgamation is the blending of mercury with another metal or alloy to produce an amalgam. ...
The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...
February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ...
The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1840 to 1923. ...
Plymouth station Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, UK. It is the largest of the six railway stations in the city, and the only one served by Intercity trains. ...
The gauge was converted to standard gauge on 21 May 1892. Previous to this, the line from Tavistock Junction to North Road in Plymouth had been mixed gauge to allow the London and South Western trains to travel over the broad gauge tracks. Similarly, one of the two tracks from Exeter as far as City Basin had been mixed. May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ...
1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...
The Great Western Railway was nationalised on 1 January 1948. It completed the doubling of the line and introduced a more intensive suburban service in Plymouth in 1904, along with several small new stations. January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ...
1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...
1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Route After leaving the Bristol and Exeter Railway station at Exeter, the line crosses the River Exe and then passes through the suburbs of Exeter along a stone viaduct. Once out in the countryside it follows the river down to Dawlish Warren where it turns along the sea wall to Teignmouth and then follows the River Teign to Newton Abbot, where the company's workshops were located. William Spreats print shows the original St Davids station, built by the Hoopers in Pennyroyal Fields in 1844. ...
The River Exe rises on Exmoor in Devon, near the north (Bristol Channel) coast of the county, but flows more or less directly due south and reaches the sea at a substantial ria on the south (English Channel) coast. ...
The city of Exeter is the county town of Devon, in England, UK. It is located at , . In the 2001 census its population was recorded at 111,066. ...
Torontos Bloor Street Viaduct bridges the Don valley; road traffic uses the upper deck, rail traffic uses the lower deck. ...
Map sources for Dawlish Warren at grid reference SX979786 Dawlish Warren is a small seaside resort near Dawlish on the south coast of Devon, England. ...
Location within the British Isles Teignmouth sea front Teignmouth (pronounced Tinmouth) is a town on the east bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign in south Devon, United Kingdom. ...
The River Teign is a river in the county of Devon, England. ...
Location within the British Isles Newton Abbot is a market town in Devon , England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580 (2001 census). ...
Beyond Newton the line climbs up a steep gradient to Dainton Tunnel, then drops down to cross the River Dart at Totnes. It then climbs steeply up to Rattery and then skirts the southern edge of Dartmoor before dropping down a steep gradient at Hemerdon to terminate nearly back at sea level in Plymouth. The River Dart The River Dart is a river in Devon, UK. The river rises on Dartmoor, as two separate branches (the East Dart and West Dart), which join at Dartmeet. ...
Map sources for Totnes at grid reference SX805605 Arms of Totnes Town Council Totnes (TOTness — emphasis on the first syllable) is a market town in South Devon, England. ...
This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...
Plymouth is a city in the South West of England, or alternatively the Westcountry, and is situated within the traditional county of Devon. ...
Stations - Exeter to Plymouth (including those opened by the Great Western Railway after 1876)
- Torquay branch
- Kingskerswell (1853 - 1964)
- Torquay (later renamed Torre)
One of the mural art works to be seen at Exeter St Davids station Exeter St Davids station is the most important of three National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. ...
William Spreats print shows the original St Davids station, built by the Hoopers in Pennyroyal Fields in 1844. ...
Exeter St Thomas is a suburban station in Exeter. ...
Starcross station serves the village of Starcross in Devon. ...
Dawlish Warren station serves the holiday camps alongside Dawlish Warren. ...
Train approaching Dawlish station Dawlish station serves the town of Dawlish in Devon. ...
Teignmouth station serves the resort of Teignmouth in Devon. ...
Newton Abbot railway station is the railway station serving Newton Abbot in Devon, it is the junction for the branch to Paignton and the freight line to Heathfield (the remains of the lines to Mortonhampsted and Exeter via Ide). ...
Totnes railway station serves the towns of Totnes and Dartington in South Devon. ...
Ivybridge railway station serves the town of Ivybridge in South Devon. ...
The following railways or railroads are or were called the Southern Railway or Southern Railroad: // The world other than North America Southern Railway in southern England (1923-1948) Southern, a National Rail franchise operators in the United Kingdom Southern Railway of India Southern Railway of Austria North America Southern Railway...
The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1840 to 1923. ...
Plymouth station Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, UK. It is the largest of the six railway stations in the city, and the only one served by Intercity trains. ...
The London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1840 to 1923. ...
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway (7 feet 0. ...
Torre station is a suburban station in Torquay, Devon it is only served by the stopping service between Paignton and Exeter. ...
Locomotives Main article South Devon Railway locomotives
The company hired locomotives from the Great Western Railway to haul their trains until the atmospheric system was ready for operation. In the event, locomotives were needed on a more permanent basis and so a series of contracts were entered into with contractors to provide the power for the trains. From 1867 the company bought the locomotives and operated them. The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ...
1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
The South Devon Railway also operated all the connecting branches in Devon and so their locomotives operated on these. The Cornwall Railway also contracted their motive power from the same company as the South Devon Railway. From 1867 the South Devon Railway also bought the Cornwall Railway locomotives and operated them as a single fleet with their own, and also the ones now purchased for the West Cornwall Railway. 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...
Most of the locomotives were 4-4-0 tank engines for passenger trains and 0-6-0 tank engines for goods trains. Later some smaller locomotives were purchased for branch lines and the dock branches. A selection of early 20th century locomotive types according to their Whyte notation and their comparative size The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early 20th century. ...
A selection of early 20th century locomotive types according to their Whyte notation and their comparative size The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early 20th century. ...
Further reading - The South Devon Railway, R H Gregory, The Oakwood Press 1982, ISBN 0853612862
- Exeter - Newton Abbot: A Railway History, Peter Kay, Platform 5 Publishing 1991, ISBN 1872524427
- The Great Western in South Devon, Keith Beck and John Copsey, Wild Swan Publications 1990, ISBN 0906867908
- Records of the South Devon Railway and its successors can be consulted at The National Archives
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