PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Contributed by Paul Burkhalter, The first railways in the Dockyard were laid in Keyham (North) Yard in 1860, to connect the Boiler Shop in the Quadrangle, to No 2 Basin. These were extended to other areas of Keyham Yard up until 1865. In 1867 the branch railway was constructed to connect the new (opened 1859) Cornwall Railway near to Weston Mill Viaduct to the Dockyard. At that time the main-line was broad gauge, so were the tracks in the Yard. Standard Gauge took over in 1892. During 1876 rails were laid through the tunnel that connected Keyham and Devonport (South) Yard. The tunnel had been constructed by 1857 to connect the new Keyham Steam Yard with the old yard, under Devonport. It was of very small bore, and when the railway was laid in it, it forever caused a great restriction on the size of trucks that could use it. The first locomotive arrived at the yard in 1869, of a traction engine type. Later more conventional engines were used. Once the Barracks had been opened in 1888, and the massive Extension Yard in 1907, the extent of the Yard required an efficient mode of transport. The passenger train service commenced at the turn of the nineteenth century, to move the large numbers of Naval and Dockyard workers between the Yards. The train eventually comprised a number of converted goods wagons, bought second-hand from the main-line railways, and modified in the Joiners Shop. Each train had carriages for six classes of compartments. These were for the Dockyard worker (no windows and a wooden bench, through Chargemen, CPO’s & PO’s, Subordinate Officers, Superior & Commissioned Officers, to the most sumptuous for the Admiral Superintendent. The train last ran in May 1966. Principally the railway was for freight, and much of the steel plate for ship-building, and timber for the sawmills arrived by rail. Stores for the ships and food for the waterfront cold-store, as well as other general goods came this way. The branch also saw special passenger trains for the movement of Naval personnel to other bases, and long leave specials at holiday time. Steam engines provided all the motive power until 1956, when the Admiralty bought it’s first diesel locomotives. The last steam usage was at the time of the last passenger train in 1966. Two dockyard steam engines have been preserved, one (No 19) is at Bodmin Steam Railway, and the other (No.2; the Green Goddess) is under restoration in the Forest of Dean. Many goods wagons used in the Yard are at the Plym Valley Railway, here in Plymouth. The tunnel connection was closed in 1982, but the railway is still in use in North Yard, and has been extended in 2001 with two new locomotives built in that year.
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