Pinhoe railway station
Encyclopedia
Pinhoe railway station is a railway station on the eastern edge the city of Exeter
, Devon
, England, that serves the village of Pinhoe
. It was opened by the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR) in 1871 but is now operated by South West Trains
which provides services on the London Waterloo to Exeter
route.
on 19 July 1860 but no station was provided at Pinhoe at that time. The village’s station opened eleven years later on 30 October 1871. The original wooden footbridge was replaced by a concrete structure cast at nearby Exmouth Junction
works, the first such footbridge erected by the Southern Railway
, which had taken over from the LSWR in 1923.
Goods facilities were provided from 3 April 1882, and in 1943 a government food cold store was built to the west of the station that was served by its own siding. The passenger station was closed by on 7 March 1966 when the Western Region of British Railways
withdrew the local stopping services from the line. Goods facilities were withdrawn on 10 June 1967 and the cold store siding (now operated by a private company) closed in 1979.
The station re-opened on 16 May 1983. Instead of a country village it was now on the eastern edge of the city. The initial trial period for commuter services proved successful and a regular service now operates all day, seven days a week. Between 2003 and 2008 passenger numbers have increased by 530%.
of Pinn Lane. This was operated by the station staff until 1875 when a small signal box
was brought into use; it was situated on the north side of the line to the east of the road. The initial 11 levers were extended to 17 in 1943 when the cold store was built. On 11 June 1967 one of the two tracks between Pinhoe and was taken out of use and trains towards London would often wait in the closed station for a westbound train to clear the 14 miles (22.5 km) single track section. The level crossing gates were replaced with lifting barriers on 17 March 1968. The signal box was finally closed on 13 February 1988, the level crossing and signals now being controlled from Exmouth Junction
. The old signal box was dismantled and re-erected in the railway museum at on the Tamar Valley Line
.
is from this road; a footpath also links the eastbound platform with Main Road. A two-storey brick building between the road and the eastbound platform is the former station master’s house. The main station building used to be next to this but was demolished after the station closed in the 1960s. Passengers waiting at the reopened station have to make do with glass and metal shelters.
operate daily between and London Waterloo station, generally calling at Pinhoe every two hours. Only a few of these trains call at and , instead most run non-stop to .
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...
, 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, that serves the village of Pinhoe
Pinhoe
Pinhoe is a village on the north eastern outskirts of Exeter in the English county of Devon, which was incorporated into the city in 1966. The 2001 census recorded a population of 6,108 people resident within Pinhoe Ward , one of 18 wards comprising the City of Exeter...
. It was opened by 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...
(LSWR) in 1871 but is now operated by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
which provides services on the London Waterloo to Exeter
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
route.
History
The LSWR opened its Exeter Extension from to Exeter Queen StreetExeter 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...
on 19 July 1860 but no station was provided at Pinhoe at that time. The village’s station opened eleven years later on 30 October 1871. The original wooden footbridge was replaced by a concrete structure cast at nearby Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction is the railway junction where the Exmouth branch line diverges from the London Waterloo to Exeter main line in Exeter, Devon, England. It was for many years the location for one of the largest engine sheds in the former London and South Western Railway...
works, the first such footbridge erected by the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
, which had taken over from the LSWR in 1923.
Goods facilities were provided from 3 April 1882, and in 1943 a government food cold store was built to the west of the station that was served by its own siding. The passenger station was closed by on 7 March 1966 when the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
withdrew the local stopping services from the line. Goods facilities were withdrawn on 10 June 1967 and the cold store siding (now operated by a private company) closed in 1979.
The station re-opened on 16 May 1983. Instead of a country village it was now on the eastern edge of the city. The initial trial period for commuter services proved successful and a regular service now operates all day, seven days a week. Between 2003 and 2008 passenger numbers have increased by 530%.
Signalling
The station was built next to the level crossingLevel 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...
of Pinn Lane. This was operated by the station staff until 1875 when a small signal box
Signal 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...
was brought into use; it was situated on the north side of the line to the east of the road. The initial 11 levers were extended to 17 in 1943 when the cold store was built. On 11 June 1967 one of the two tracks between Pinhoe and was taken out of use and trains towards London would often wait in the closed station for a westbound train to clear the 14 miles (22.5 km) single track section. The level crossing gates were replaced with lifting barriers on 17 March 1968. The signal box was finally closed on 13 February 1988, the level crossing and signals now being controlled from Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction
Exmouth Junction is the railway junction where the Exmouth branch line diverges from the London Waterloo to Exeter main line in Exeter, Devon, England. It was for many years the location for one of the largest engine sheds in the former London and South Western Railway...
. The old signal box was dismantled and re-erected in the railway museum at on the Tamar Valley Line
Tamar Valley Line
The Tamar Valley Line is a railway line from Devonport in Plymouth Devon, to Gunnislake in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The line follows the River Tamar for much of its route.-History:...
.
Description
The station is just south of the village centre to the west of Station Road and access to the platformsRailway 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...
is from this road; a footpath also links the eastbound platform with Main Road. A two-storey brick building between the road and the eastbound platform is the former station master’s house. The main station building used to be next to this but was demolished after the station closed in the 1960s. Passengers waiting at the reopened station have to make do with glass and metal shelters.
Services
South West TrainsSouth West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
operate daily between and London Waterloo station, generally calling at Pinhoe every two hours. Only a few of these trains call at and , instead most run non-stop to .