Paignton railway station
Encyclopedia
Paignton railway station is the railway station serving Paignton
in Devon
, England. It is the terminus of the Riviera Line
from Exeter
and is also an interchange between National Rail
services and the preserved
Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
.
, opening to passengers on 2 August 1859 and extended to Brixham Road station
on 14 March 1861. Goods traffic was handled at Paignton from 1 April 1861. The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was always operated by the South Devon Railway
and was amalgamated with it on 1 January 1872. This was only short lived as the South Devon Railway was in turn amalgamated into the Great Western Railway
on 1 February 1876. The single-track line had been built using the broad gauge
, but on 20 May 1892 was converted to standard gauge
.
On 11 July 1904, GWR road motor services
started running from here to Torquay, in competition with new electric tram
ways; the land opposite the station is still used as a bus station
.
The line from was finally doubled in 1910 when the platforms were extended to accommodate longer trains. Further expansion came in 1924 with the opening of a larger booking office and new canopies were erected over the platforms. A few years later the double track was extended to Goodrington
, new carriage sidings opened behind the southbound platform. A new goods shed
opened on 1 June 1931 south of the station, which freed the original goods shed to deal with parcels traffic and passengers' luggage, and allowed the platforms to be further extended. Plans in 1937 to move the station onto a new site south near the goods shed, which would have allowed five platforms to be constructed, failed to materialise due to World War II
.
The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways in 1948. In 1956 further carriage sidings were opened at Goodrington, mainly used to handle the heavy traffic on summer Saturdays.
The line from Paignton to Kingswear was sold to the Dart Valley Light Railway plc on 30 December 1972, which operated another nearby heritage railway
at Buckfastleigh
. An independent station alongside the main platform, known as "Queens Park", was opened to serve the Kingswear trains on the site of the carriage sidings opened in 1930. This site includes a shed for the railway's operational engines and carriages. The line has since been transferred to the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
.
The main station building was demolished in 1993 when the booking office was moved into the old goods shed.
es were opened in 1889, the 13-lever North Signal Box by Torquay Road level crossing
, the 17-lever South Signal Box by Sands Road level crossing. Both were replaced in 1924 by two new boxes. The North box closed on 26 March 1988 when control of trains was transferred to the Panel Signal Box at Exeter
but the South box was retained to monitor the two level crossings. In 1990 this function was transferred to a panel in the station buildings and the signal box closed.
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The station is sandwiched between two level crossings. At the north (Torquay) end of the station is the busy crossing over Torbay Road. It has a footbridge to allow people to cross the line on foot when the crossing is closed for a train to pass. At the opposite end is the quieter Sands Road crossing, which is used when trains are running on to the carriage sidings or when the heritage line to Kingswear is in operation. Because of this the two lines over this crossing are operated as single tracks with trains running in either direction on both.
The main entrance is through the booking office – the old goods shed – which is constructed from local soft red sandstone. This is on the side furthest from the beach, opposite the bus station
, and most trains both arrive and depart from this track (Platform
2). At busy times trains may arrive at the opposite track (Platform 1) but must then continue over Sands Road Level Crossing into the carriage sidings and then return to Platform 2 as the signaling does not allow trains to start northwards from Platform 1. Both platforms have step-free access; passengers unable to use the footbridge are able to pass from one platform to the other over the Torbay Road level crossing which is situated at the north end of the platforms.
The Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway has its own independent platform and entrance on the south side of the station. Their locomotives are coaled in the shunting neck adjacent to the approach road, but the shed is at the far end of the station.
local trains on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run to and from Exmouth
; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run to and from Exeter St Davids. A few long-distance trains also run to Paignton. These include First Great Western
services to London Paddington station and CrossCountry
services to . At other times, passengers wishing to make long-distance journeys should change at .
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
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. It is the terminus of the Riviera Line
Riviera Line
The Riviera Line is a local railway line that connects the city of Exeter to the "English Riviera" resorts of Torbay in Devon, England. It is closely linked with the Exeter to Plymouth Line with which it shares the route along the South Devon sea wall...
from Exeter
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:...
and is also an interchange between National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
services and the preserved
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
The Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the former Kingswear branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Torbay, Devon, England....
.
History
The railway to Paignton was built by the Dartmouth and Torbay RailwayDartmouth and Torbay Railway
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, England. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway....
, opening to passengers on 2 August 1859 and extended to Brixham Road station
Churston railway station
Churston railway station is on the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Torbay, Devon, England. It is on the main road to Brixham and close to the villages of Galmpton and Churston Ferrers.-Before preservation:...
on 14 March 1861. Goods traffic was handled at Paignton from 1 April 1861. The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was always operated by the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
and was amalgamated with it on 1 January 1872. This was only short lived as the South Devon Railway was in turn amalgamated into the 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...
on 1 February 1876. The single-track line had been built using the 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 :...
, but on 20 May 1892 was converted to 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...
.
On 11 July 1904, GWR road motor services
GWR road motor services
The Great Western Railway road motor services operated from 1903 to 1933, both as a feeder to their train services, and as a cheaper alternative to building new railways in rural areas...
started running from here to Torquay, in competition with new electric tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
ways; the land opposite the station is still used as a bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
.
The line from was finally doubled in 1910 when the platforms were extended to accommodate longer trains. Further expansion came in 1924 with the opening of a larger booking office and new canopies were erected over the platforms. A few years later the double track was extended to Goodrington
Goodrington Sands railway station
Goodrington Sands railway station is on the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It is close to Goodrington beach and the Quay West Water Park in Paignton.-History:...
, new carriage sidings opened behind the southbound platform. A new goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
opened on 1 June 1931 south of the station, which freed the original goods shed to deal with parcels traffic and passengers' luggage, and allowed the platforms to be further extended. Plans in 1937 to move the station onto a new site south near the goods shed, which would have allowed five platforms to be constructed, failed to materialise due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways in 1948. In 1956 further carriage sidings were opened at Goodrington, mainly used to handle the heavy traffic on summer Saturdays.
The line from Paignton to Kingswear was sold to the Dart Valley Light Railway plc on 30 December 1972, which operated another nearby heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
at Buckfastleigh
Buckfastleigh railway station
Buckfastleigh railway station is situated on the South Devon Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It serves the town of Buckfastleigh.-History:The station was opened by the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway on 1 May 1872...
. An independent station alongside the main platform, known as "Queens Park", was opened to serve the Kingswear trains on the site of the carriage sidings opened in 1930. This site includes a shed for the railway's operational engines and carriages. The line has since been transferred to the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway
The Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway is a heritage railway on the former Kingswear branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Torbay, Devon, England....
.
The main station building was demolished in 1993 when the booking office was moved into the old goods shed.
Signalling
Two signal boxSignal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
es were opened in 1889, the 13-lever North Signal Box by Torquay Road level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
, the 17-lever South Signal Box by Sands Road level crossing. Both were replaced in 1924 by two new boxes. The North box closed on 26 March 1988 when control of trains was transferred to the Panel Signal Box at Exeter
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 South box was retained to monitor the two level crossings. In 1990 this function was transferred to a panel in the station buildings and the signal box closed.
Description
The main entrance is through the booking office – the old goods shed – which is constructed from local soft red sandstone. This is on the side furthest from the beach, opposite the bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
, and most trains both arrive and depart from this track (Platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
2). At busy times trains may arrive at the opposite track (Platform 1) but must then continue over Sands Road Level Crossing into the carriage sidings and then return to Platform 2 as the signaling does not allow trains to start northwards from Platform 1. Both platforms have step-free access; passengers unable to use the footbridge are able to pass from one platform to the other over the Torbay Road level crossing which is situated at the north end of the platforms.
The Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway has its own independent platform and entrance on the south side of the station. Their locomotives are coaled in the shunting neck adjacent to the approach road, but the shed is at the far end of the station.
Services
Paignton is served by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
local trains on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run to and from Exmouth
Exmouth railway station
Exmouth station serves the town of Exmouth in Devon, England and is south east of -History:The railway to Exmouth was opened on 1 May 1861. New docks designed by Eugenius Birch were opened in 1868 and a short branch was laid to connect them to the goods yard.A branch line with a junction...
; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run to and from Exeter St Davids. A few long-distance trains also run to Paignton. These include First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
services to London Paddington station and CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services to . At other times, passengers wishing to make long-distance journeys should change at .