Lympstone Commando railway station
Encyclopedia
Lympstone Commando railway station is a railway station on the branch line from Exeter
to Exmouth
in Devon
, England.
The station is a rare example of a passenger station not open to the general public: it is exclusively for the use of visitors to the Royal Marine
Commando Training Centre
at Lympstone
.
, but this has since been renamed "Lympstone Village". It was built using cast platform sections recovered from Weston Milton railway station
where the track had been singled and so one platform was no longer needed.
For many years troop trains were a feature of its operation about three times each year. The trains were operated with a locomotive at each end as there is no way to run around a train south of Topsham; the leading locomotive on arrival was dragged back to Exeter Central
where it was detached. The trains were considerably longer than the platform and loading the passengers was a slow operation as they had to make their way through the train from the centre coaches. A similar operation today is difficult to arrange as the regular timetabled passenger service is much more intensive than in the 1980s.
. It consists of a single platform, which is on the left of trains arriving from Exeter. In May 2010 a section of the Exe Estuary Trail opened between the commando base and the station meaning the platform is possible to be accessed by the public. Before this the only access to and from the platform used to be by way of an armed sentry post at the commando base meaning that the only other way of getting to the station was to alight at the station from the train.
from to call at Lympstone Commando – it is a request stop, this means that passengers alighting here must tell the conductor that they wish to do so, and those waiting to join must signal clearly to the driver as the train approaches.
Beyond Exeter St Davids they generally continue to either or . Connections are available at for and stations to Waterloo; passengers for other main line stations change at St Davids.
Note that only people having business at the commando base are allowed to board or alight at this station. Passengers for Lympstone itself must use Lympstone Village railway station
, or on the other side of the line, Exton
is a mere of a mile away and is only a twenty minute walk away from Commando station.
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
to Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England.
The station is a rare example of a passenger station not open to the general public: it is exclusively for the use of visitors to the Royal Marine
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
Commando Training Centre
Commando Training Centre Royal Marines
Commando Training Centre Royal Marines is the principal military training centre for the Royal Marines of the British Armed Forces. It is situated near the village of Lympstone, between the city of Exeter, and the town of Exmouth in Devon...
at Lympstone
Lympstone
Lympstone is a village and civil parish in East Devon in the English county of Devon. It has a population of 1,754. There is a harbour on the estuary of the River Exe, lying at the outlet of Wotton Brook between cliffs of red breccia...
.
History
The station was opened on 3 May 1976. This caused some confusion with the older Lympstone railway stationLympstone Village railway station
-History:Lympstone station was opened with the railway on 1 May 1861. It was renamed Lympstone Village in the 1990s to avoid confusion with the new Lympstone Commando railway station that had opened on 3 May 1976....
, but this has since been renamed "Lympstone Village". It was built using cast platform sections recovered from Weston Milton railway station
Weston Milton railway station
Weston Milton railway station serves the Milton and Locking Castle areas of Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset. It is situated on a loop off the Bristol to Taunton Line- History :...
where the track had been singled and so one platform was no longer needed.
For many years troop trains were a feature of its operation about three times each year. The trains were operated with a locomotive at each end as there is no way to run around a train south of Topsham; the leading locomotive on arrival was dragged back to Exeter Central
Exeter Central railway station
Exeter Central railway station is the most centrally located of the railway stations in Exeter, Devon, England. It is smaller than St Davids which is on the west side of the city but it is served by trains on the London Waterloo to Exeter main line, and is also by local services to , and . From...
where it was detached. The trains were considerably longer than the platform and loading the passengers was a slow operation as they had to make their way through the train from the centre coaches. A similar operation today is difficult to arrange as the regular timetabled passenger service is much more intensive than in the 1980s.
Description
The station is situated on the banks of the estuary of the River ExeRiver Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
. It consists of a single platform, which is on the left of trains arriving from Exeter. In May 2010 a section of the Exe Estuary Trail opened between the commando base and the station meaning the platform is possible to be accessed by the public. Before this the only access to and from the platform used to be by way of an armed sentry post at the commando base meaning that the only other way of getting to the station was to alight at the station from the train.
Services
About half the trains on the Avocet LineAvocet Line
The Avocet Line is the railway line in England connecting Exeter with Exmouth. It was originally built by the London and South Western Railway. The line follows the Exe Estuary for most of its route, giving views of the estuary...
from to call at Lympstone Commando – it is a request stop, this means that passengers alighting here must tell the conductor that they wish to do so, and those waiting to join must signal clearly to the driver as the train approaches.
Beyond Exeter St Davids they generally continue to either or . Connections are available at for and stations to Waterloo; passengers for other main line stations change at St Davids.
Note that only people having business at the commando base are allowed to board or alight at this station. Passengers for Lympstone itself must use Lympstone Village railway station
Lympstone Village railway station
-History:Lympstone station was opened with the railway on 1 May 1861. It was renamed Lympstone Village in the 1990s to avoid confusion with the new Lympstone Commando railway station that had opened on 3 May 1976....
, or on the other side of the line, Exton
Exton railway station
Exton railway station is a railway station serving the village of Exton in Devon, England. It is situated on the Avocet Line which runs between Exeter St Davids and Exmouth.-History:...
is a mere of a mile away and is only a twenty minute walk away from Commando station.