PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICES IN AUGUST 1852 The following times are taken from the Plymouth and Devonport Weekly Journal and were correct as at August 11th 1852. It should be remembered that the only stations listed in the timetable at that time were Plympton, Ivybridge, Kingsbridge Road (which later became Wrangaton), Brent (which was not the junction for Kingsbridge until the branch railway opened), Totnes, Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Starcross, St Thomas, Exeter, Taunton, Bridgewater, Bristol, Bath, Swindon and London Paddington. All references to Plymouth Station refer to what later became Plymouth Millbay Station. Mondays to Saturdays Having left London's Paddington Station, on the Great Western Railway, at 8.55pm the night before, the first train to arrive at Plymouth Station was due to pull in at 6.25am. Once beyond Totnes this train had only stopped at Ivybridge and Plympton. It only conveyed 1st and 2nd class passengers. At 6.55am the first departure of the day left Plymouth Station. This conveyed 1st, 2nd and 3rd class passengers and called at Plympton (7.07am), Ivybridge (7.26am) and Kingsbridge Road Stations on its way to London, where it was due to arrive at 5pm. The next train to arrive at Plymouth was the 7.35am stopping train from Exeter. Having called at Brent, Kingsbridge Road, and Ivybridge, this train was due to leave Plympton Station at 10.03am and arrive at Plymouth at 10.20am. This train conveyed all classes of passengers and had passed the 6.55am to London at Newton Abbot. Hopefully, the local train had not been delayed because at 10.25am the only Express train of the day was due to depart. Its first scheduled stop was at Kingsbridge Road and it was due to arrive at Paddington Station at 5.25pm, only 25 minutes after the 6.55am from Plymouth. At 12 Midday the third train of the day was due to depart for London. This conveyed only 1st and 2nd class passengers and was due to leave Plympton at 12.15pm and Ivybridge at 12.35pm. Bristol was reached at 5.20pm and London at 10.25pm, all being well, of course. The 7.50am from Bristol was the next arrival, due at Plympton at 1.06pm and Plymouth at 1.25pm, having stopped at all stations on the way down. It conveyed only 1st and 2nd class passengers. This train returned to Bristol at 3pm, leaving Plympton twelve minutes later. Soon after 4.30pm Plymouth Station must have been a buzz of activity and anticipation as the arrival of the down Express was awaited. It had left Paddington at 9.45am, Bristol at 12.30pm and Exeter at 2.30pm, after which it called at Newton Abbot, Totnes and Kingsbridge Road, before leaving Plympton Station at 4.36pm. It was due to arrive at Plymouth at 4.50pm. At 4.55pm the train that had arrived from Exeter at 10.20 in the morning returned to Exeter, calling at all stations including Plympton (5.07pm). 3rd class passengers were conveyed by this train. The last up train of the day was due to depart from Plymouth at 6.25pm and Plympton at 6.41pm. Only 1st and 2nd class passengers were conveyed and the train was due to arrive at Bristol at around 11.40pm and London's Paddington Station at 4.15am the following morning. This left just two more arrivals at Plymouth. The 10.15am from Paddington was due to arrive at Plympton at 8.28pm and Plymouth at 8.45pm, while 3rd class passengers could use the 8.05pm from Exeter, which was due at Plympton at 10.30pm and Plymouth at 10.45pm. Sundays only Sunday mornings started in the same way that the other weekday mornings started, with the arrival, hopefully, at 6.25am on the 8.55pm overnight service from Paddington. As with the weekday service, beyond Totnes it called only at Ivybridge (5.50am) and Plympton (6.07am). This was followed by the 6.55am departure, which on Sundays ran only as far as Exeter St David's Station, where it was due at 9.35am. It still conveyed all classes of passengers. Next to arrive at Plymouth, hopefully at 10.25am, was the 7.35am from Exeter; 10.05am off Plympton. The first train for London departed at Midday and called at all stations except Brent. It was due to depart from Bristol at 5.20pm and arrive at Paddington at 10.15pm. Curiously, there were no further down trains from London on a Sunday, the next arrival being the 7.50am from Bristol. This carried 1st and 2nd class passengers and was due to depart from Plympton at 1.08pm and arrive in Plymouth at 1.25pm. On Sundays the 6.25pm train to Paddington ran as usual, leaving Plympton at 6.41pm and due arrive in London at around 4.15am on Monday morning. The last arrival on a Sunday was the 6.05pm from Exeter, which only conveyed 1st and 2nd class passengers. It stopped at all stations and was due at Plympton around 8.28pm and Plymouth at 8.45pm.
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