Torre railway station
Encyclopedia
Torre station is a suburban station on the Riviera Line
in Torquay
, Devon
, England
. The station is operated by First Great Western
but is not staffed; except for one evening train it is only served by local services.
branch was opened by the South Devon Railway
from Newton Abbot on 18 December 1848, this station being the terminus and known as Torquay. This line was extended by the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
on 2 August 1859, which opened the present Torquay railway station
at Livermead so the original station was renamed "Torre".
The station had a small extension to the single platform
and a train shed
built in 1855 but with the opening of the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway, a new platform had to be provided. The original station can still be seen standing alongside the track just north of the platform.
Goods traffic was handled from October 1849. The goods yard was originally at the west end of the station. The original goods shed
was destroyed by fire in 1857 and eventually replaced in 1865 by a stone building alongside the railway on the Newton Abbot side of the station. A coal yard was built on the west side of the station.
The South Devon Railway amalgamated
with the Great Western Railway
on 1 February 1876. The railway had originally been just a single track, but on 26 March 1882 the line to the north was doubled and a second platform opened. On 20 May 1892 the line was converted to standard gauge
.
The first signal box was opened in 1883 at the London end of the northbound platform. This was replaced in 1921 by a new three-storey building on that platform. The original signalling used just 16 levers; the new box contained 42.
The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. The buildings on the second platform were demolished in the 1960s and replaced by a simple brick-built shelter. Goods traffic was withdrawn on 4 December 1967.
collided with the rear of a freight train that was stationary north of Torre station. The signalman had made an error in setting the line as clear and so the passenger train had been allowed to leave Kingskwerswell thinking the line was clear. Both lines were blocked and over 3,000 passengers had to be carried by bus between Newton Abbot and Torre.
Another collision happened on 26 April 1958 when a passenger train approaching from Newton Abbot passed through two danger signals and collided with a freight train that was shunting in the station.
, just above the traffic lights where Avenue Road joins it.
To the left of the station entrance is a Halfords store which is built on the cramped site of the first goods shed which burnt down in 1857. To the right is the original terminus building of the line from Newton Abbot which is now used by an electrical manufacturer and, beyond that, the 1865 stone goods shed is now a joinery workshop. The second station building is used by a furniture shop which has extended onto the platform by building a concrete block wall in line with the pillars of the canopy.
The entrance passageway through this building opens onto the platform for trains towards Paignton. Access to the opposite platform is by way of a covered footbridge and it is on this platform that the tall but disused signal box stands. Chapel Hill rises behind this platform .
local trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run between Exmouth
and Paignton
; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids
and Paignton.
The South Devon Railway was designed to be worked as an atmospheric railway
, the trains propelled by stationary engines
that created a vacuum in a pipe laid between the rails. An engine house was built a short distance to the north of the Torquay terminus that would have powered trains up the 1 in 75 (13%) gradient from the station, but it was never brought into use and conventional locomotives worked the trains instead.
The building still stands in Torquay Road near the Lidl supermarket (at 50.4854°N 3.5541°W). It was used for many years by the Longpark Pottery but is currently a fruit and vegetable warehouse. It can be glimpsed above the cutting on the right of trains approaching Torre from Newton Abbot.
Mayoral Vision, it is proposed that this station is re-branded to become 'Torquay Central Station', and the current Torquay Railway Station be renamed 'Torquay Seafront'.
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...
in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during 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
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...
. The station 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....
but is not staffed; except for one evening train it is only served by local services.
History
A broad gaugeBroad 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 :...
branch was opened 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...
from Newton Abbot on 18 December 1848, this station being the terminus and known as Torquay. This line was extended by the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
Dartmouth 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....
on 2 August 1859, which opened the present Torquay railway station
Torquay railway station
Torquay railway station is on the Riviera Line and serves the seaside resort of Torquay, Devon, England. The station is operated by First Great Western...
at Livermead so the original station was renamed "Torre".
The station had a small extension to the single 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...
and a train shed
Train shed
A train shed is an adjacent building to a railway station where the tracks and platforms are covered by a roof. It is also known as an overall roof...
built in 1855 but with the opening of the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway, a new platform had to be provided. The original station can still be seen standing alongside the track just north of the platform.
Goods traffic was handled from October 1849. The goods yard was originally at the west end of the station. The original 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...
was destroyed by fire in 1857 and eventually replaced in 1865 by a stone building alongside the railway on the Newton Abbot side of the station. A coal yard was built on the west side of the station.
The South Devon Railway amalgamated
Consolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
with 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 railway had originally been just a single track, but on 26 March 1882 the line to the north was doubled and a second platform opened. On 20 May 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 first signal box was opened in 1883 at the London end of the northbound platform. This was replaced in 1921 by a new three-storey building on that platform. The original signalling used just 16 levers; the new box contained 42.
The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. The buildings on the second platform were demolished in the 1960s and replaced by a simple brick-built shelter. Goods traffic was withdrawn on 4 December 1967.
Accidents
On the afternoon of 17 June 1946 a passenger train from London Paddington station to PaigntonPaignton railway station
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.-History:...
collided with the rear of a freight train that was stationary north of Torre station. The signalman had made an error in setting the line as clear and so the passenger train had been allowed to leave Kingskwerswell thinking the line was clear. Both lines were blocked and over 3,000 passengers had to be carried by bus between Newton Abbot and Torre.
Another collision happened on 26 April 1958 when a passenger train approaching from Newton Abbot passed through two danger signals and collided with a freight train that was shunting in the station.
Description
The station is situated in Newton Road (the road from Torquay to Newton AbbotNewton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
, just above the traffic lights where Avenue Road joins it.
To the left of the station entrance is a Halfords store which is built on the cramped site of the first goods shed which burnt down in 1857. To the right is the original terminus building of the line from Newton Abbot which is now used by an electrical manufacturer and, beyond that, the 1865 stone goods shed is now a joinery workshop. The second station building is used by a furniture shop which has extended onto the platform by building a concrete block wall in line with the pillars of the canopy.
The entrance passageway through this building opens onto the platform for trains towards Paignton. Access to the opposite platform is by way of a covered footbridge and it is on this platform that the tall but disused signal box stands. Chapel Hill rises behind this platform .
Services
Torre 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. Most trains run between 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...
and Paignton
Paignton railway station
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.-History:...
; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids
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 Paignton.
Torquay engine house
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...
, the trains propelled by stationary engines
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...
that created a vacuum in a pipe laid between the rails. An engine house was built a short distance to the north of the Torquay terminus that would have powered trains up the 1 in 75 (13%) gradient from the station, but it was never brought into use and conventional locomotives worked the trains instead.
The building still stands in Torquay Road near the Lidl supermarket (at 50.4854°N 3.5541°W). It was used for many years by the Longpark Pottery but is currently a fruit and vegetable warehouse. It can be glimpsed above the cutting on the right of trains approaching Torre from Newton Abbot.
Future
In the Torbay CouncilTorbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
Mayoral Vision, it is proposed that this station is re-branded to become 'Torquay Central Station', and the current Torquay Railway Station be renamed 'Torquay Seafront'.