Teignmouth railway station
Encyclopedia
Teignmouth railway station is on the Exeter to Plymouth line
and serves the town of Teignmouth
, Devon
, England
. It is operated by First Great Western
.
. The line was extended to on 31 December 1846. The single platform was augmented by a second one late in 1848. At this time it was a broad gauge
railway.
Trains were worked from Exeter by atmospheric power
from 13 September 1847 and these were extended to Newton Abbot from 17 December 1847 until all the atmospheric trains were suspended on 9 September 1848. The atmospheric engine house
was situated adjacent to the platform on the side furthest from the town, the area then being used as permanent way
workshops until about 1876.
The South Devon Railway was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway
on 1 February 1876. When first built the station was situated between two tunnels but the West Tunnel was opened out by June 1881 and the Eastcliffe Tunnel leading to the Sea Wall
was removed by 1884, when the distinctive lattice girder bridge at the end of the Sea Wall was installed.
On May 20 1892 the line was converted to standard gauge
. The station was completely rebuilt soon after, the work being completed early in 1895. It now had a similar scale of facilities as those found at other big West Country resorts which had new stations during the last quarter of the century, and . To accommodate longer trains the westbound platform was extended in 1938 and could then handle 15 coach trains, but the opposite platform could not be extended due to the entrance to the goods yard.
The Great Western Railway in turn was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. General goods traffic at Teignmouth ceased on 14 June 1965 but coal traffic continued to be handled until 4 December 1967. This allowed the extension of the second platform to the length of Inter City trains, although this did not happen until 1981. The signal box
, which was built at the west end of the westbound platform in 1896, was closed on 14 November 1986 when the new Panel Signal Box at Exeter took over control of the line.
.
It is constructed out of dark grey rubble
stone. The main entrance and booking office is on the platform used by trains to Paignton. All the main facilities, including a café, are situated on this platform. When the booking office is closed access to the station is through the gates adjacent to the wide footbridge which links the main platform to the one used by trains towards and Exeter.
local trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day - more frequent at peak times. Most trains run between and ; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between and Paignton. The line from Exeter St Davids through Teignmouth to Paignton is marketed as the "Riviera Line
".
Two daily First Great Western trains from Bristol
(before 09:30) or from London Paddington station also call at Teignmouth, as do CrossCountry
services from the North of England. Most of these services, including the Torbay Express
to and from Paddington, continue to Paignton and only a few daily services run instead on the and line.
Exeter to Plymouth Line
The Exeter to Plymouth line is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter, to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line...
and serves the town of Teignmouth
Teignmouth
Teignmouth is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge in the English county of Devon, situated on the north bank of the estuary mouth of the River Teign about 14 miles south of Exeter. It has a population of 14,413. In 1690, it was the last place in England to be invaded by a foreign power...
, 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is operated by 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....
.
History
The station was opened by the South Devon Railway Company on 30 May 1846 as the terminus of its first section from ExeterExeter 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:...
. The line was extended to on 31 December 1846. The single platform was augmented by a second one late in 1848. At this time it was 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 :...
railway.
Trains were worked from Exeter by atmospheric power
Atmospheric railway
An atmospheric railway uses air pressure to provide power for propulsion. In one plan a pneumatic tube is laid between the rails, with a piston running in it suspended from the train through a sealable slot in the top of the tube. Alternatively, the whole tunnel may be the pneumatic tube with the...
from 13 September 1847 and these were extended to Newton Abbot from 17 December 1847 until all the atmospheric trains were suspended on 9 September 1848. The atmospheric engine house
South Devon Railway engine houses
The South Devon Railway engine houses were built in Devon, England, to power the atmospheric trains on the South Devon Railway between Exeter St Davids and Plymouth Millbay railway stations. They contained boilers that provided the power to pumps that created the vacuum to move the trains...
was situated adjacent to the platform on the side furthest from the town, the area then being used as permanent way
Permanent way
The permanent way is the elements of railway lines: generally the pairs of rails typically laid on the sleepers embedded in ballast, intended to carry the ordinary trains of a railway...
workshops until about 1876.
The South Devon Railway was 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. When first built the station was situated between two tunnels but the West Tunnel was opened out by June 1881 and the Eastcliffe Tunnel leading to the Sea Wall
South Devon Railway sea wall
The South Devon Railway sea wall is situated on the south coast of Devon in England. It is probably the most photographed section of railway in the United Kingdom as a footpath runs alongside the railway between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish, and another footpath forms a continuation to the sea front...
was removed by 1884, when the distinctive lattice girder bridge at the end of the Sea Wall was installed.
On May 20 1892 the line 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...
. The station was completely rebuilt soon after, the work being completed early in 1895. It now had a similar scale of facilities as those found at other big West Country resorts which had new stations during the last quarter of the century, and . To accommodate longer trains the westbound platform was extended in 1938 and could then handle 15 coach trains, but the opposite platform could not be extended due to the entrance to the goods yard.
The Great Western Railway in turn was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. General goods traffic at Teignmouth ceased on 14 June 1965 but coal traffic continued to be handled until 4 December 1967. This allowed the extension of the second platform to the length of Inter City trains, although this did not happen until 1981. The 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...
, which was built at the west end of the westbound platform in 1896, was closed on 14 November 1986 when the new Panel Signal Box at Exeter took over control of the line.
Description
The station is situated near the edge of the town centre and a short walk from the beach and South West Coast PathSouth West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
.
It is constructed out of dark grey rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
stone. The main entrance and booking office is on the platform used by trains to Paignton. All the main facilities, including a café, are situated on this platform. When the booking office is closed access to the station is through the gates adjacent to the wide footbridge which links the main platform to the one used by trains towards and Exeter.
Services
Teignmouth 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 in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day - more frequent at peak times. Most trains run between and ; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between and Paignton. The line from Exeter St Davids through Teignmouth to Paignton is marketed as 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...
".
Two daily First Great Western trains from Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
(before 09:30) or from London Paddington station also call at Teignmouth, as do CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services from the North of England. Most of these services, including the Torbay Express
Torbay Express
The Torbay Express is a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.-Great Western Railway:Historically, the Torbay Express name was applied to services operated by the Great Western Railway from London Paddington to Torquay and Paignton....
to and from Paddington, continue to Paignton and only a few daily services run instead on the and line.