North Devon Railway
Encyclopedia
The North Devon Railway was a British
railway company which operated a line from Cowley Bridge Junction, near Exeter
, to Bideford
in Devon, later becoming part of the London and South Western Railway
's system. Originally planned as a broad gauge
feeder to the Bristol & Exeter Railway, it became part of a battle between the broad gauge Great Western Railway
group and the (standard gauge
) railway interests.
The term "North Devon Railway" is often extended to include a number of other railways connected with that company, including the Exeter and Crediton Railway
which it leased, the Bideford Extension Railway which it operated, and the London & South Western Railway's later extension to Torrington.
The original construction in the middle of the nineteenth century was significant in giving rail connection to the important, but remote towns of North Devon that had hitherto relied on the packhorse and coastal shipping. The Exeter to Barnstaple
section followed the rivers Yeo and Taw
, passing through pleasing countryside, and meandered with the valleys, but passing only very small settlements. It remains open and passenger trains on the route are branded the Tarka Line
for marketing purposes.
The northern extremities, turning south to Bideford and Torrington followed the coast of the Bristol Channel before turning inland. Part of this section is now a cycleway.
authorising them to construct a railway from Penhill, at Fremington
, to Barnstaple, a distance of less than three miles. The company was called the "Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company". However they did not proceed with construction for some years, and the Taw Vale Extension Railway Company was authorised to purchase it and construct the line.
got its parliamentary Act to build a 5¾ mile broad gauge line from the Bristol & Exeter Railway main line at Cowley Bridge (a short distance north of Exeter
) to Crediton. By 1847 the line was substantially complete, excepting only the actual junction at Cowley Bridge. However, opening to traffic did not take place for some time.
. At this time the issue of a national rail network was still vague, and there was no assumption that purely local railways ought to be built to any particular standard. However as railway empires became larger, the issue of gauge polarised allegiances: a broad gauge railway was in the Great Western Railway camp; a narrow gauge railway was against it. The London & South Western Railway was still no closer than 90 miles away at Salisbury, but it wished to build a network in the West Country, and the track gauge was to become a key issue.
During the preparations for getting these parliamentary powers for other railways, the original Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company proprietors now realised that they might be able to sell their (unconstructed) line to the Taw Vale Extension, and this was authorised by parliamentary acts. The line was opened to goods traffic in August 1848.
The company bought up a majority shareholding in the Exeter & Crediton, which was not yet opened, and had the track gauge changed to the L&SWR's narrow gauge. They also gained considerable support among the Taw Vale Extension proprietors, and on 26 February 1847 they got agreement to lease the Taw Vale Extension line. The Exeter & Crediton line's act permitted its lease to any contiguous railway; the L&SWR was still no closer than Salisbury, but the Taw Vale Extension connected, so the L&SWR arranged for the TVE to conclude a lease of the Exeter & Crediton, finalised on 12 April 1847.
The LS&WR had assumed that operating these lines on their own gauge would be permitted, but on 8 February 1848 the Board of Trade's nominees announced that the Taw Vale Extension must be built as a broad-gauge line. With their plans to reach Barnstaple apparently frustrated, the L&SWR refused to allow the Exeter & Crediton to open at all for some time, but failing to get their way they eventually opened as a single line reconverted to the broad gauge; the other track was left narrow, and for the time being disused. The opening day was 12 May 1851 and the line was rented to and worked by the Bristol & Exeter.
As an isolated line, it leased operation to the railway contractor Thomas Brassey
, who hired rolling stock from the Bristol & Exeter company but provided his own locomotives.
on 2nd November 1855, worked by the North Devon company.
The Bideford station was at East the Water, somewhat north of the town bridge and on the opposite side of the River Torridge
from the town.
. That station was much more convenient for the city than the Bristol & Exter company's St Davids station
, but the LS&WR saw itself now as the owner of the Exeter & Crediton and North Devon lines, it obtained parliamentary powers to extend its line from Queen Street to St Davids, and to provide mixed gauge
track along the B&ER from there to Cowley Bridge Junction. Brassey's lease of the Exeter & Crediton expired in July 1862; the L&SWR had taken over the E&C and laid mixed gauge on it. It ran narrow gauge passenger trains from Exeter to Crediton, from 1st February 1862, using the Bristol & Exeter line for the first part of the journey. The B&E continued to run broad gauge goods trains to Crediton until 20 May 1892.
Next the L&SWR took a lease of the North Devon Railway and from 1st March 1863 it started to run narrow gauge trains from Crediton to Bideford on mixed gauge track – in 1876 it was converted to narrow gauge only.
.
A new passenger station was built at Bideford, immediately south of the town bridge, and more convenient for the town. The goods handling area of the former terminus was retained, as Bideford Goods station.
, and on 1 November 1865 the first phase of this was launched, from a junction at Coleford
, a little to the west of Crediton, as far as North Tawton
. The constructing company was the Devon and Cornwall Railway, supported by the L&SWR and taken over but it in 1872. Plymouth was reached, by a circuitous route skirting the northern margins of Dartmoor, in 1876, and that destination effectively became the main line.
More closely integrated with the North Devon core route was an extension to Ilfracombe
, crossing the River Taw by a serpentine bridge there and providing a "Town
" station – the original station was on the south side of Barnstaple Bridge. The Ilfracombe line
was opened on 20 July 1874.
In 1873 the broad gauge interest had reached Barnstaple by the Devon and Somerset Railway
, (D&SR) from a junction near Taunton
to a separate station at Barnstaple, and for some years connecting road coaches conveyed passengers between the D&SR station and Ilfracombe, but on 1 June 1887 the GWR built a spur to connect their station with the original North Devon station, and ran through trains to Ilfracombe.
At Torrington the line met the Torrington and Marland Railway
, a narrow gauge line opened in 1880 to carry ball clay. In 1925 part of this line was converted to standard gauge and extended to Halwill Junction station
as the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway.
As the rural manufacturing and shipping importance of the area declined, the significance of Crediton, Fremington and Bideford waned also; ball clay
however gained importance at Torrington. Barnstaple became the most significant market town in the region, and Ilfracombe became the dominant holiday destination on the North Devon network
The train service in 1938 was eight trains each way daily, calling at all or most stations. In addition there were two through trains from London Waterloo, the Atlantic Coast Express
and an unnamed train. The local trains took 80 minutes or so for the journey from Exeter to Barnstaple. The expresses were in truth portions of multiple portion trains; the front portion was detached at Exeter Central and ran non-stop from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple Junction, dividing there with portions for Ilfracombe and Torrington. Journey time from Waterloo to Barnstaple was typically 4hrs 20 mins, for 211 miles (340 km). The best time from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple Junction in 1938 was 57 minutes for the 39 miles (63 km). On Sundays there were two local trains and the two expresses.
Barnstaple to Torrington had 13 daily trains calling at both intermediate stations, and 7 each way on Sundays.
In addition, the original Exeter & Crediton section and the short length to Coleford Junction, carried all the Plymouth traffic.
Economic stagnation in North Devon meant that the train service failed to develop, and the North Devon lines remained single track. The through London services disappeared with the rationalisation of West Country operations, and in 1964 there were ten stopping trains each way daily from Exeter to Ilfracombe. Barnstaple Junction to Bideford kept nine trains daily, and both routes retained a Sunday service. The Beeching Axe
started to impose its cuts, and in 1965 the Torrington branch closed to passengers, in 1970 the Ilfracombe line was closed, and the freight-only Barnstaple to Torrington and Meeth section in 1982.
Currently (2007) there are 11 daily trains each way between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple, calling at all or most stations and taking typically 60 - 70 minutes. There are six trains on Sundays.
Note: Barnstaple station was named Barnstaple Junction between 1874 and 1970, but Cobb dates the addition of "Junction" at 1855.
Barnstaple station was built by the Taw Vale Railway & Dock company for its Fremington line.
During the line's independent existence, Thomas Brassey
worked the line. Most of the locomotives were bought from the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
(B&GR), but a few were also built by him at his Canada Works in Birkenhead
. Brassey's locomotives continued to operate on the line after the London and South Western Railway bought the line, until it was converted to narrow gauge.
locomotives originally built by Stothert & Slaughter
for the B&GR. These had 6 ft 6 in driving wheels and 3 ft. 6 in. carrying wheels with cylinders of 15 in. dia. × 21 in. stroke.
with 5 ft. 0 in. driving wheels and cylinders of 15 in. dia. × 18 in. stroke.
goods locomotives built by the Vulcan Foundry
. They had 5 ft 0 in. wheels and cyliders 16 in. dia. × 21 in. stroke. Dreadnought was sold to Robert Sharp in 1863, it was moved to Cornwall
where he was building the Falmouth extension
of the Cornwall Railway
.
locomotive, built by Thomas Brassey
in his workshops at Birkenhead
. It was named after the local River Creedy
.
before 1840 as a standard gauge 2-2-2
and rebuilt for the broad gauge in 1855 by Stothert and Slaughter
. It was still running in 1859 but was not part of the stock listed for the London and South Western Railway in 1862. It was named after the River Taw
that flows to the sea through Barnstaple.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
railway company which operated a line from Cowley Bridge Junction, near Exeter
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 Bideford
Bideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
in Devon, later becoming part of the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
's system. Originally planned as a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
feeder to the Bristol & Exeter Railway, it became part of a battle between the broad gauge Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
group and the (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
) railway interests.
The term "North Devon Railway" is often extended to include a number of other railways connected with that company, including the Exeter and Crediton Railway
Exeter and Crediton Railway
The Exeter and Crediton Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked Exeter and Crediton, Devon, England.Although built in 1847, it was not opened until 12 May 1851 due to disagreement about the gauge to be used...
which it leased, the Bideford Extension Railway which it operated, and the London & South Western Railway's later extension to Torrington.
The original construction in the middle of the nineteenth century was significant in giving rail connection to the important, but remote towns of North Devon that had hitherto relied on the packhorse and coastal shipping. The Exeter to Barnstaple
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
section followed the rivers Yeo and Taw
River Taw
The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. It reaches the Bristol Channel away on the north coast of Devon at a joint estuary mouth which it shares with the River Torridge.-Watercourse:...
, passing through pleasing countryside, and meandered with the valleys, but passing only very small settlements. It remains open and passenger trains on the route are branded the Tarka Line
Tarka Line
The Tarka Line is a railway line from Exeter to Barnstaple in Devon, England. The line follows the River Creedy, River Yeo and River Taw for some of its route...
for marketing purposes.
The northern extremities, turning south to Bideford and Torrington followed the coast of the Bristol Channel before turning inland. Part of this section is now a cycleway.
Taw Vale Railway
In the early nineteenth century, Barnstaple was an important commercial town. Its position on the River Taw gave it a strategic advantage for coastal shipping, but the upper reaches of the river were difficult and hampered navigation. In 1838 a group of Barnstaple merchants obtained an Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
authorising them to construct a railway from Penhill, at Fremington
Fremington, Devon
Fremington is a village and civil parish in North Devon three miles west of Barnstaple. It was formerly a borough that sent members to Parliament in the reign of Edward III. The parish includes the neighbouring villages of Bickington and Yelland, the latter only asserting its identity as separate...
, to Barnstaple, a distance of less than three miles. The company was called the "Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company". However they did not proceed with construction for some years, and the Taw Vale Extension Railway Company was authorised to purchase it and construct the line.
Exeter & Crediton Railway
In 1845, a company called the Exeter and Crediton RailwayExeter and Crediton Railway
The Exeter and Crediton Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked Exeter and Crediton, Devon, England.Although built in 1847, it was not opened until 12 May 1851 due to disagreement about the gauge to be used...
got its parliamentary Act to build a 5¾ mile broad gauge line from the Bristol & Exeter Railway main line at Cowley Bridge (a short distance north of Exeter
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 Crediton. By 1847 the line was substantially complete, excepting only the actual junction at Cowley Bridge. However, opening to traffic did not take place for some time.
Taw Vale Extension Railway
Meanwhile on 7th August 1846 the Taw Vale Extension Railway obtained an Act of Parliament to build a 31 mile line from Crediton to Barnstaple, and a branch from Fremington to Bideford. The promoters were friendly to the broad gauge Bristol & Exeter Railway, but critically, the Extension line's Act left the question of the track gauge to be determined by the Board of TradeBoard of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
. At this time the issue of a national rail network was still vague, and there was no assumption that purely local railways ought to be built to any particular standard. However as railway empires became larger, the issue of gauge polarised allegiances: a broad gauge railway was in the Great Western Railway camp; a narrow gauge railway was against it. The London & South Western Railway was still no closer than 90 miles away at Salisbury, but it wished to build a network in the West Country, and the track gauge was to become a key issue.
During the preparations for getting these parliamentary powers for other railways, the original Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company proprietors now realised that they might be able to sell their (unconstructed) line to the Taw Vale Extension, and this was authorised by parliamentary acts. The line was opened to goods traffic in August 1848.
London & South Western Railway
The L&SWR saw that these local railways in Devon were useful to their own aspirations to penetrate into, and through, the district.The company bought up a majority shareholding in the Exeter & Crediton, which was not yet opened, and had the track gauge changed to the L&SWR's narrow gauge. They also gained considerable support among the Taw Vale Extension proprietors, and on 26 February 1847 they got agreement to lease the Taw Vale Extension line. The Exeter & Crediton line's act permitted its lease to any contiguous railway; the L&SWR was still no closer than Salisbury, but the Taw Vale Extension connected, so the L&SWR arranged for the TVE to conclude a lease of the Exeter & Crediton, finalised on 12 April 1847.
The LS&WR had assumed that operating these lines on their own gauge would be permitted, but on 8 February 1848 the Board of Trade's nominees announced that the Taw Vale Extension must be built as a broad-gauge line. With their plans to reach Barnstaple apparently frustrated, the L&SWR refused to allow the Exeter & Crediton to open at all for some time, but failing to get their way they eventually opened as a single line reconverted to the broad gauge; the other track was left narrow, and for the time being disused. The opening day was 12 May 1851 and the line was rented to and worked by the Bristol & Exeter.
North Devon Railway
The Taw Vale Extension Railway completed construction of its line on the broad gauge and on 1 August 1854 it opened its line from Crediton to Fremington, on the broad gauge. It also changed its name to the North Devon Railway and completed the take over of the original Taw Vale company.As an isolated line, it leased operation to the railway contractor Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
, who hired rolling stock from the Bristol & Exeter company but provided his own locomotives.
Bideford Extension Railway
The L&SWR was now reluctant to complete the line to Bideford that had been authorised in the TVE's act, and commercial interests at Bideford formed the Bideford Extension Railway themselves, getting powers on 4th August 1853 and opening on the broad gaugeon 2nd November 1855, worked by the North Devon company.
The Bideford station was at East the Water, somewhat north of the town bridge and on the opposite side of the River Torridge
River Torridge
The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book. The Torridge local government district is named after the river....
from the town.
Narrow gauge running
In 1860 the L&SWR reached Exeter with its main line from Yeovil, terminating at its own Queen Street stationExeter 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...
. That station was much more convenient for the city than the Bristol & Exter company's St Davids station
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
, but the LS&WR saw itself now as the owner of the Exeter & Crediton and North Devon lines, it obtained parliamentary powers to extend its line from Queen Street to St Davids, and to provide mixed gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
track along the B&ER from there to Cowley Bridge Junction. Brassey's lease of the Exeter & Crediton expired in July 1862; the L&SWR had taken over the E&C and laid mixed gauge on it. It ran narrow gauge passenger trains from Exeter to Crediton, from 1st February 1862, using the Bristol & Exeter line for the first part of the journey. The B&E continued to run broad gauge goods trains to Crediton until 20 May 1892.
Next the L&SWR took a lease of the North Devon Railway and from 1st March 1863 it started to run narrow gauge trains from Crediton to Bideford on mixed gauge track – in 1876 it was converted to narrow gauge only.
Clarification note
In the context of this article "narrow gauge" refers to , standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
.
Torrington
As part of the tactics of gaining control of parts of the West Country, the L&SWR had given a parliamentary undertaking to extend the line from Bideford to Torrington. It tried to evade this responsibility, calculating that the declining importance of the town of Great Torrington – the "Great" was never acknowledged by railway usage – did not justify the expense of the line, but it was forced to comply with its obligations and opened the Torrington extension on 18 July 1872.A new passenger station was built at Bideford, immediately south of the town bridge, and more convenient for the town. The goods handling area of the former terminus was retained, as Bideford Goods station.
Connecting lines
Having acquired the North Devon lines, the L&SWR did not use its energy to develop the lines much. It seemed to have its attention on further westward developments and battles with the broad gauge interests in South Devon. The south-eastern stem of the line provided the launching point for a move towards the hugely important city of PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, and on 1 November 1865 the first phase of this was launched, from a junction at Coleford
Coleford, Devon
Coleford is a small hamlet in Mid-Devon, England. It includes a chapel and a pub, and also has a park and a full set of public conveniences ....
, a little to the west of Crediton, as far as North Tawton
North Tawton
North Tawton is a small town in Devon, England, situated on the river Taw.-History:The Romans crossed the River Taw at what is now Newland Mill, a little outside the present town, and established a succession of military camps there over the years...
. The constructing company was the Devon and Cornwall Railway, supported by the L&SWR and taken over but it in 1872. Plymouth was reached, by a circuitous route skirting the northern margins of Dartmoor, in 1876, and that destination effectively became the main line.
More closely integrated with the North Devon core route was an extension to Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
, crossing the River Taw by a serpentine bridge there and providing a "Town
Barnstaple Town railway station
Barnstaple Town was an intermediate station on the L&SWR line to Ilfracombe. The station replaced Barnstaple Quay – opened in 1854, and renamed Barnstaple Town in 1886 – which had been located on the Junction side of the Commercial Road crossing, a short distance up-line...
" station – the original station was on the south side of Barnstaple Bridge. The Ilfracombe line
Ilfracombe Branch Line
The Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
was opened on 20 July 1874.
In 1873 the broad gauge interest had reached Barnstaple by the Devon and Somerset Railway
Devon and Somerset Railway
The Devon and Somerset Railway was a branch line from near in Somerset to in North Devon. It was operated from the outset by the Bristol and Exeter Railway which became part of the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876.-History:...
, (D&SR) from a junction near Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
to a separate station at Barnstaple, and for some years connecting road coaches conveyed passengers between the D&SR station and Ilfracombe, but on 1 June 1887 the GWR built a spur to connect their station with the original North Devon station, and ran through trains to Ilfracombe.
At Torrington the line met the Torrington and Marland Railway
Torrington and Marland Railway
The Torrington and Marland Railway was a narrow gauge railway built to carry clay from the quarries at Clay Moor to Torrington in north Devon.- History :...
, a narrow gauge line opened in 1880 to carry ball clay. In 1925 part of this line was converted to standard gauge and extended to Halwill Junction station
Halwill Junction railway station
Halwill Junction Railway Station was a railway station near the villages of Halwill and Beaworthy in Devon. It opened in 1879 and formed an important junction between the now-closed Bude Branch and North Cornwall line...
as the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway.
Twentieth century train service
As a rural railway, the North Devon group originally had the light train service that was normal. Development of the North Devon seaside towns as holiday resorts took place towards the end of the nineteenth century, although they remained far less important than their southern counterparts.As the rural manufacturing and shipping importance of the area declined, the significance of Crediton, Fremington and Bideford waned also; ball clay
Ball clay
Ball clays are kaolinitic sedimentary clays, that commonly consist of 20-80% kaolinite, 10-25% mica, 6-65% quartz. Localized seams in the same deposit have variations in composition, including the quantity of the major minerals, accessory minerals and carbonaceous materials such as lignite...
however gained importance at Torrington. Barnstaple became the most significant market town in the region, and Ilfracombe became the dominant holiday destination on the North Devon network
The train service in 1938 was eight trains each way daily, calling at all or most stations. In addition there were two through trains from London Waterloo, the Atlantic Coast Express
Atlantic Coast Express
The Atlantic Coast Express was an express passenger train in England between Waterloo station, London and seaside resorts in the south-west...
and an unnamed train. The local trains took 80 minutes or so for the journey from Exeter to Barnstaple. The expresses were in truth portions of multiple portion trains; the front portion was detached at Exeter Central and ran non-stop from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple Junction, dividing there with portions for Ilfracombe and Torrington. Journey time from Waterloo to Barnstaple was typically 4hrs 20 mins, for 211 miles (340 km). The best time from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple Junction in 1938 was 57 minutes for the 39 miles (63 km). On Sundays there were two local trains and the two expresses.
Barnstaple to Torrington had 13 daily trains calling at both intermediate stations, and 7 each way on Sundays.
In addition, the original Exeter & Crediton section and the short length to Coleford Junction, carried all the Plymouth traffic.
Economic stagnation in North Devon meant that the train service failed to develop, and the North Devon lines remained single track. The through London services disappeared with the rationalisation of West Country operations, and in 1964 there were ten stopping trains each way daily from Exeter to Ilfracombe. Barnstaple Junction to Bideford kept nine trains daily, and both routes retained a Sunday service. The Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
started to impose its cuts, and in 1965 the Torrington branch closed to passengers, in 1970 the Ilfracombe line was closed, and the freight-only Barnstaple to Torrington and Meeth section in 1982.
Currently (2007) there are 11 daily trains each way between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple, calling at all or most stations and taking typically 60 - 70 minutes. There are six trains on Sundays.
Exeter & Crediton Railway
- Cowley Bridge Junction (with the Bristol & Exeter Railway)
- St CyresNewton St Cyres railway stationNewton St Cyres railway station is a railway station serving the village of Newton St Cyres, Devon, England, UK. It is served and operated by First Great Western.-Services:...
; renamed Newton St Cyres 1913 - CreditonCrediton railway stationCrediton railway station is a railway station serving the town of Crediton in Devon, England.It is the current junction of the Tarka and Dartmoor lines, though the two lines run parallel until Coleford Junction at Penstone near Coleford .-History:The station, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel,...
North Devon Railway
- from E&CR Crediton station
- YeofordYeoford railway stationYeoford railway station is a rural station on the Tarka Line serving the village of Yeoford in Devon, England. It is served by trains between and Exeter.- History :...
- Coleford Junction; Okehampton line diverges
- CopplestoneCopplestone railway stationCopplestone railway station is on the Tarka Line serving the village of Copplestone in Devon, England. It is operated by First Great Western.-Description:...
- Morchard RoadMorchard Road railway stationMorchard Road railway station is located in the village of Down St Mary in Devon, England. It is named after the village of Morchard Bishop which lies a few miles to the north-east...
- LapfordLapford railway stationLapford railway station is a rural station on the Tarka Line in Devon, England, serving the village of Lapford. It is served by trains between Barnstaple and Exeter.-History:...
- EggesfordEggesford railway stationEggesford railway station is a rural station on the serving the village of Eggesford and surrounding villages in Devon, England. Despite its name, the station is actually in the neighbouring civil parish of Chawleigh...
- South Molton RoadKing's Nympton railway stationKing's Nympton railway station is a small station on the Tarka Line north west of Exeter St David's station on the way to Barnstaple. It serves a number of rural villages, including King's Nympton, but is located in the civil parish of Chulmleigh.-History:...
(Renamed Kings Nympton in 1951; South Molton was 9 miles (14.5 km) away and had a Devon & Somerset Railway station) - Portsmouth ArmsPortsmouth Arms railway stationPortsmouth Arms railway station is a small wayside station on the Tarka Line north of Exeter St. David's station and served by trains running between Exeter and Barnstaple...
- UmberleighUmberleigh railway stationUmberleigh railway station serves the village of Umberleigh in Devon, England. It is on the Tarka Line north west of Exeter St David's station on the way to Barnstaple.-Services:...
- ChapeltownChapelton railway stationChapelton railway station serves the village of Chapelton, part of the civil parish of Tawstock in the English county of Devon. It is a rural station on the Tarka Line north west of Exeter on the way to Barnstaple.-History:...
(Renamed Chapelton 1875) - BarnstapleBarnstaple railway stationBarnstaple railway station is the terminus of a long branch line, known as the Tarka Line, north west of Exeter St Davids, in Devon.It was known as Barnstaple Junction from 1874 to 1970 as it was the junction between lines to , , and Exeter-History:...
Note: Barnstaple station was named Barnstaple Junction between 1874 and 1970, but Cobb dates the addition of "Junction" at 1855.
Barnstaple station was built by the Taw Vale Railway & Dock company for its Fremington line.
Taw Vale Railway & Dock
- Barnstaple (see above)
- Fremington
Bideford Extension Railway
- starting from the TVR&D Fremington station
- Instow
- Bideford; The original terminus was north of the town, and it became "Bideford Goods" when the Torrington extension was opened
L&SWR Torrington extension
- BidefordBideford railway stationThe first Bideford railway station was opened on 2 November 1855 as the terminus of the Bideford Extension Railway from Barnstaple. This was taken over by the London and South Western Railway about ten years later....
A new passenger station was provided half a mile nearer the town. - TorringtonTorrington railway stationTorrington station was a west country railway station that dispatched trains to Bideford and Barnstaple, as well as being a terminus for the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway line to Halwill in North Devon. The station was closed for regular passenger services in 1965 but special...
; the terminus was awkwardly placed about a mile west of the town.
North Devon Railway locomotives
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
worked the line. Most of the locomotives were bought from the Bristol and Gloucester Railway
Bristol and Gloucester Railway
The Bristol and Gloucester Railway opened in 1844 between Bristol and Gloucester, meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. It is now part of the main line from the North-East of England through Derby and Birmingham to the South-West.-History:...
(B&GR), but a few were also built by him at his Canada Works in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
. Brassey's locomotives continued to operate on the line after the London and South Western Railway bought the line, until it was converted to narrow gauge.
Bristol and Gloucester 2-2-2
Five 2-2-22-2-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle two powered driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels on one axle. The wheel arrangement both provided more stability and enabled a larger firebox...
locomotives originally built by Stothert & Slaughter
Avonside Engine Company
The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company.-Origins:...
for the B&GR. These had 6 ft 6 in driving wheels and 3 ft. 6 in. carrying wheels with cylinders of 15 in. dia. × 21 in. stroke.
- Barum (1855 - 1870) Previously B&GR Berkeley, named after the local River Barum.
- Exe (1856 - 1870) Previously B&GR Bristol, named after the River ExeRiver ExeThe 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...
which follows the railway into Exeter. - Mole (1855 - 1870) Previously B&GR Stroud, named after the local River MoleRiver Mole, DevonThe River Mole a tributary of the River Taw in Devon which rises on the southwestern border of Exmoor. The river takes its name from the market towns of North and South Molton. The river was previously known as the Nymet....
. - Star (1855 - 1877) Previously B&GR Cheltenham.
- Tite (1856 - 1870) Previously B&GR Gloucester, named after the local River Tite.
Bristol and Gloucester 2-4-0
Another Stothert & Slaughter locomotive from the B&GR, where it was named Industry, this one was a 2-4-02-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
with 5 ft. 0 in. driving wheels and cylinders of 15 in. dia. × 18 in. stroke.
- Venus (1856 - 1870)
Bristol and Gloucester 0-6-0
The final two locomotives obtained from the B&GR were two 0-6-00-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
goods locomotives built by the Vulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry
Vulcan Foundry was a British locomotive builder sited at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire .-History:It was originally opened in 1832 as Charles Tayleur and Company to produce girders for bridges, switches and crossings, and other ironwork following the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway...
. They had 5 ft 0 in. wheels and cyliders 16 in. dia. × 21 in. stroke. Dreadnought was sold to Robert Sharp in 1863, it was moved to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
where he was building the Falmouth extension
Maritime Line
The Maritime Line is a railway line that runs in the valley of the River Fal from Truro to Falmouth on the south coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom.-History:...
of the Cornwall Railway
Cornwall Railway
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
.
- Defiance (1857 - 1867)
- Dreadnought (1856 - 1863)
Creedy
Built at the Thomas Brassey's Canada Works, this 2-4-0 featured 5 ft. 0 in. and 3 ft. 0 in. wheels with 20 in. dia. × 15¼ in. cylinders.. It worked the first train to Bideford on 2 November 1855. It was a 2-4-02-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels....
locomotive, built by Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
in his workshops at Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
. It was named after the local River Creedy
River Creedy
The River Creedy is a small river in Devon, England. It gives its name to the local town or ton of Crediton, which is on its west bank. Just below the town, the river merges with the River Yeo and it ends where it meets the River Exe at Cowley Bridge....
.
- Creedy (1855 - 1877)
Dart and Yeo
Two express locomotives were provided from the Canada Works with 6 ft. 0 in. driving wheels and 3 ft. 6 in. carrying wheels. with a total wheelbase of 14 ft. 2 in. They had cylinders of 20 in. dia. × 15¼ in. stroke.- Dart (1855 - 1877) Built in 1855 as a 2-2-2 but rebuilt in 1868 as a 2-4-0. It was named after the River DartRiver DartThe River Dart is a river in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Its valley and surrounding area is a place of great natural beauty.-Watercourse:...
which gives its name to DartmoorDartmoorDartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
. - Yeo (1857 - 1877) A 2-2-2 locomotive. There are three River YeoRiver YeoThere are several rivers called the Yeo in the West Country of England. Yeo is from a Saxon word ēa, meaning simply "river", "stream", or "water" district , but the South Somerset Yeo is derived from a Celtic word gifl, meaning 'forked river'.-Somerset:* The River Yeo , which joins the River...
s in the area served by the railway, two flowing into the River Taw, the other into the River Creedy.
Taw
This locomotive was built by Robert Stephenson and CompanyRobert Stephenson and Company
Robert Stephenson and Company was a locomotive manufacturing company founded in 1823. It was the first company set up specifically to build railway engines.- Foundation and early success :...
before 1840 as a standard gauge 2-2-2
2-2-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-2-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle two powered driving wheels on one axle, and two trailing wheels on one axle. The wheel arrangement both provided more stability and enabled a larger firebox...
and rebuilt for the broad gauge in 1855 by Stothert and Slaughter
Avonside Engine Company
The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company.-Origins:...
. It was still running in 1859 but was not part of the stock listed for the London and South Western Railway in 1862. It was named after the River Taw
River Taw
The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. It reaches the Bristol Channel away on the north coast of Devon at a joint estuary mouth which it shares with the River Torridge.-Watercourse:...
that flows to the sea through Barnstaple.
- Taw (1855 - c.1860)
See also
- Bideford and Instow RailwayBideford and Instow RailwayThe Bideford Railway Heritage Centre CIC in Devon, England, is responsible for the management of the Bideford station site....
- InstowInstowInstow is a village in north Devon, England. It is on the estuary where the rivers Taw and Torridge meet, between the villages of Westleigh and Yelland and on the opposite bank of Appledore....
signal box
- Southern Railway routes west of SalisburySouthern Railway routes west of SalisburyThis article describes the history and operation of the railway routes west of Salisbury that ultimately became part of the Southern Railway in the United Kingdom...
- Tarka TrailTarka TrailThe Tarka Trail is a series of footpaths and cyclepaths around north Devon, England that follow the route taken by Tarka the Otter in the book of that name. It is a figure-of-eight route, based on Barnstaple, and covers some of path....
– which follows the course of the railway in places