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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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BRITISH RAILWAYS (WESTERN REGION) Following the Royal Assent of the Transport Act on August 6th 1947, the four major railway companies, together with the canal system, were nationalised from January 1st 1948 under the management of the British Transport Commission (BTC). What had been the Great Western Railway became British Railways (Western Region). On the Western Region the GWR's chocolate brown was chosen as the "corporate" colour, which presumably saved them repainting all the station name boards although they had to produce the new lozenge-shaped totems that also carried the station names. [1] 1948 During 1948 various "foreign" locomotives were exchanged with Western ones and used on services from Plymouth to Paddington. These included former London Midland & Scottish Railway number 46236 "City of Bradford"; ex-LMS 46162 "Queen's Westminster Rifleman" former Southern Railway 35019 "French Line CGT" and ex-London & North Eastern Railway number 60022 "Mallard". [2] A shunting locomotive was derailed at Marsh Mills on Friday May 7th 1948, causing delays of some 2½ hours to Up trains and those on the Tavistock and Launceston Branch. [42] 1949 During 1949 three of the GWR "King" Class locomotives, numbers 6000, 6011, and 6019, were painted in a light blue livery that was intended by British Railways to be used on all express passenger engines. [46] 1950 The Brown-Boveri Gas Turbine locomotive number 18000 made its first trial run into Plymouth North Road Station on February 22nd 1950. It returned to Swindon the same day. [3] On May 26th 1950 the 3.30pm from London Paddington had to be run in two parts. When Gas Turbine number 18000 arrived at Newton Abbot, an unidentified "Hall" class locomotive was attached as train engine to provide assistance to the 14-coach train over the Dainton and Hemerdon Banks. [3A] With the closure in November 1950 of the Southern Region Branch from Friary Station, the only access to Sutton Harbour was now via the Western Region line. [4] 1951 On Monday August 20th 1951 British Railway Standard Class 7, 4-6-2, number 70019 "Lightning" was noted as working the 4.50am from Plymouth North Road to Penzance; the up Cornish Riviera Express, 9.45am off Penzance; the down Cornish Riviera at 3.05pm; and finally the 7.20pm stopping train from Penzance, due at North Road at 10.40pm. The locomotive was based at Laira Shed (83D) at that time. [29] In the November of 1951 the old 'Star' class locomotive number 4054 was in regular use hauling Western Region traffic over the main Southern line between Friary and Exeter Central. It travelled Up on the 2.25pm from Plymouth and returned on the 6.47pm from Exeter. [5] 1952 As the 4.20pm train from Penzance was arriving at Platform 7 North Road Station at around 7pm on Tuesday February 19th 1952, the locomotive struck the rear of a porter's trolley being used to transfer five wooden boxes of coins to the Parcel's Office for onward transmission to the Barclay's Bank in Fore Street, Devonport. One of the boxes was smashed by the collision and silver coins were scattered over the tracks. Porters, bank clerks and other railway staff were forced to crawl around in the dark, only aided by hand lamps, to attempt to gather up the coins. The search delayed the departure of the 3.30pm from London Paddington to Cornwall for about an hour and the arrival of the 4.45pm from Penzance for a similar period. The search lasted for some two hours and all but £4 16s 6d out of a total of £2,500 was recovered. Luckily, said Mr K B Williams, assistant manager at Barclay's Bank, Devonport, the consignment was covered by insurance. The bullion had arrived at Plymouth by the 1pm Southern Region train from London Waterloo. [31][47] While all the above activity was going on other members of staff were re-railing a coach at the other end of North Road Station. [47] Metrovic (Metropolitan Vickers Ltd) Gas Turbine locomotive number 18100 made its first visit to Plymouth on Tuesday March 4th 1952. It had left Swindon at 6.45am with a 12-coach load of empty carriages for the first trial over the Dainton and Hemerdon banks. The journey was completed without incident and within the schedule set. The waiting crowd at North Road Station had little time to view the new locomotive, which was quickly despatched to Laira Shed (83D). In the afternoon it worked the train up from Millbay at 2.35pm before leaving North Road Station for Swindon at 2.50pm. [23] On Saturday March 8th 1952 number 18100 was seen going to Plymouth with one coach only. The following day it carried out a number of trial trips between Plymouth and Hemerdon Sidings, hauling 14, 17 and then 18 coaches. It was able to re-start all these trains on the 1 in 42 gradient and still had power to accelerate away. With the longest and heaviest train (18 carriages [3A]), which weighed 610 tons, it took 8 minutes to cover the 2½ miles between Plympton Signal Box and Hemerdon Sidings Signal Box. The minimum speed achieved was 15mph [3A]. The locomotive returned to Swindon on March 10th 1952. [47][3A] At 3.20am every morning a freight train left Tavistock Junction Yard for Truro. It shunted at Liskeard, Doublebois, Bodmin Road, Lostwithiel, Par, St Austell, Burngullow, Grampound Road and was due to arrive at Truro at 11.05am. It was nicknamed "The Snail". On April 4th 1952 number 9467 was first noted on that service and subsequently became the regular locomotive, apparently. [50] Gas Turbine locomotive 18100 hauled an empty train of 12 coaches plus an officers' restaurant and observation saloon at the rear from Paddington to Plymouth on April 16th 1952. It left Paddington Station at 9.30am and returned there at 7.33pm. It apparently repeated this run the following day. [48] Number 70019 took over the Down "Cornish Riviera" at North Road Station on April 26th 1952 for the remainder of the journey to Penzance. The train consisted of 8 coaches plus 2 restaurant cars. [49] Also on April 26th 1952 Gas Turbine loco number 18000 worked the 3.30pm Paddington to Plymouth train and returned to London on April 28th 1952 with the 7.15am from Plymouth. It arrived at Paddington five minutes ahead of schedule. [49a] The 4.25pm stopping train from Newton Abbot to Plymouth on June 13th 1952 was headed by number 3100, which was doing a running-in turn from Newton Abbot works. [50] St Budeaux West Signal Box was closed from June 22nd 1952 and the control of the access points to the Down Loop was passed to the Royal Albert Bridge Signal Box. The points were motorised as a result. At the same time the Electric Key Token system in use between the Royal Albert Bridge Signal Box and Saltash Signal Box was replaced by an Electric Train Staff. St Budeaux East Signal Box was renamed St Budeaux Ferry Road Signal Box. [6] As from June 30th 1952 all traffic to Launceston was diverted to the former Southern Railway Station and the GWR station was closed. [7] During the summer timetable of 1952 it was the practice on Saturdays to run the "Cornish Riviera" non-stop from Newton Abbot to Truro. As the train was hauled by locomotives of the "King" Class, which were prohibited beyond Keyham Station, it was necessary to change the engine at Newton Abbot. Normally the loco came off and was added to the second part of the Express as pilot over the heavily graded line to Plymouth. Sometimes, as on July 19th 1952, this resulted in two "Kings" heading the train, in this case 6019 piloting 6002, making a combined tractive effort of 80,600 lbs. [51] On August 9th 1952 the 8.15am from Newquay to Sheffield left Plymouth for Newton Abbot hauled by 2920 "Saint David" piloting 6973 "Bricklehampton Hall" [51]. On the same day the 11am Newquay to York train was formed with an LMS Tourist-twin articulated along with two LNER Tourist-twin articulated coaches, numbers E13178 and E13179, the latter still in their wartime khaki-green liveries. It is not known if these were part of the train when it passed through Plymouth North Road Station. [56] During August and early September 1952 the Gas Turbine loco number 18100 was recorded on the 11am London Paddington to Plymouth, Mondays to Fridays. It returned from Plymouth's Tavistock Junction Yard at 7.54pm heading the 3.45pm Penzance perishables, which arrived in London at 2am the following morning. [52] The 9.50pm from Paddington to Penzance was worked forward from Plymouth on Wednesday October 1st 1952 by number 70019. This locomotive had already failed in Cornwall during September and the driver had considerable steaming problems with her on this journey. She was booked to return to Plymouth heading the Up "Cornish Riviera" but the driver refused to take her and she was replaced by 4087 and a Penzance crew. [56] Owing to flooding of the main line between Tavistock Junction and Plympton in the early hours of October 23rd 1952, the line was closed between 12.30 and 4am and freight traffic suspended. The 9.50pm night sleeper train from Paddington to Penzance, the 10.30pm Travelling Post Office train and the 12.15am newspaper train were diverted over the Southern Region route between Exeter and Plymouth. This would have required reversing the trains at both Exeter St David's Station and Plymouth North Road Station. [54+54B] It was reported that on November 5th 1952 "Castle" class number 4085 had to relieve "King" class 6005 at Theale on the 5.30pm from Paddington to Plymouth. The locomotive ran out of steam after the climb up Rattery Bank and had to rest for 15 minutes at Rattery before it was able to continue its journey to Plymouth, where the train arrived 2¼ hours late. [54A] On November 7th 1952 when the main line was blocked by a derailment at Newton Abbot. The 3.30pm Paddington to Penzance and 6.40pm Penzance to Paddington trains were diverted over the Southern on that occasion. [54] Gas Turbine loco 18100 was noted hauling the 8.30am Plymouth to Paddington on Monday December 8th 1952. [37] An unusual cause of traffic delay occurred on Friday December 12th 1952 when an Jersey cow escaped while being unloaded at Saltash Station and dashed off across the Royal Albert Bridge. It got as far as St Budeaux Ferry Road Station before being recaptured some two hours later. All local trains were delayed as was the 11am Penzance to Paddington. [37] Keyham Station was the scene of much activity on Friday December 19th 1952 when a Naval Leave special departed from the Up Loop Platform at 10.05am for a non-stop run to Bristol Temple Meads. Sixty of the sailors continued to south Wales, 113 changed on to the London Midland Region and 151 continued their journey on the Penzance to Crewe service that followed the train to Bristol. [8] 1953 It was reported in March 1953 that the Sutton Harbour Branch was now been worked by loco number 1608. It had previously been worked by engines of the 2021 class. [38] Gas Turbine loco number 18100 was being used daily on the down newspaper train and the 7.15am train back to London. [38] On Wednesday March 18th 1953 HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was a passenger on the 4.10pm train from Plymouth North Road Station to London Paddington, which was hauled by "King" class locomotive 6002 "King William IV". [39] Ocean Liner Expresses run from Millbay Docks to London in connection with the arrival of French Line ships from New York usually included coaches from the W9111W to W9118W Coupés but by 1953 they had lost their Royal names. The remainder of the carriages were apparently all marked with the legend "Return to Plymouth Millbay" lest they stray too far. The specials were hauled by either a "King" or a "Castle". [41] Southern Region locomotive number 34026 caught fire at Totnes on June 5th 1953, while working the Western Region's 4.32pm from Plymouth North Road Station, one of the "foreign" crew familiarity services. [43] A notable visitor to Plymouth was Dean 0-6-0 number 2411, which was seen on July 30th 1953 hauling a goods train to Bristol. A month later, August 30th 1953, a Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0, number 46526, was seen passing through Totnes at 2.15pm on its way to Plymouth with a parcels train. [8a] During the summer months the Western region revived the practice of changing the "King" class locomotive of the Down "Cornish Riviera" on Saturdays at Newton Abbot and replacing it with a "Hal" class engine and a pilot. In many former years the replacement had been a "Castle". The "King" was then attached as pilot to the 10.35am relief "Riviera" from Paddington. The relief train was always formed of the stock normally used on the "Inter City" Express during the week, with its roof-boards reversed and two out of the three first-class carriages labelled for Third Class ticket holders. [58] Between Saturday October 24th and Monday October 26th 1953 Plymouth's Millbay Station had a visit from the British Transport Commission's travelling exhibition of Royal Train rolling stock and relics. The special train was headed by the preserved Caledonian Railway 4-2-2 locomotive number 123, although the engine had been brought to Plymouth out of steam. The oldest of the Royal Train carriages on show was one built for Queen Adelaide in 1842. [8b] An unusual situation was reported to have occurred on October 17th 1953, when the Up "Cornish Riviera Express" was hauled out of Plymouth by green-liveried "King" class number 6029 with the blue-liveried tender from 6025, which was at the time undergoing maintenance at Laira MPD. [55] On November 22nd 1953 some goods wagons broke away from a freight train on Dainton Bank near Newton Abbot and derailed, causing the Western Region main line to be blocked. One of the trains that had to be diverted over the Southern main line was the Up "Cornish Riviera", which was hauled by number 6319. [5] A similar exercise is known to have taken place on December 13th 1953, when the "Cornish Riviera" was hauled by number 7316 because anything heavier was not permitted to cross Meldon Viaduct at Okehampton. [9] Another train diverted in the same way on that day was a special train for Royal Naval personnel going on leave, which ran from the Royal Naval Barracks Platform at Keyham to Birmingham via the Southern route. This required it to use the old wartime link at St Budeaux Station. The train was recorded as being hauled by former GWR locomotive number 5339 piloted by a sister engine, number 6319. [9] On December 22nd 1953 it was recorded that the train engine of the 8am from Penzance between Plymouth and Newton Abbot was Standard Class 7 4-6-2 number 70017. It was also recorded that number 70022 was normally the pilot loco on this train over the South Devon banks. [30] Another Class 7, number 70016, slipped to a standstill on the eastern climb approaching Dainton Tunnel, bringing the 9-coach 4.15pm from Paddington to Plymouth to a halt. It was 35 minutes before assistance arrived from Totnes. [30] 1954 In 1954 the Down "Devonian" did not carry a portion for Plymouth. This was a bit awkward as the Up "Devonian" did have a portion starting from Plymouth. This unbalanced working was overcome by the empty carriages, usually of LMS Region origin, being worked Down to Plymouth on the 7.15pm from Newton Abbot, restaurant car and roof-boards included. The train was hauled by a Southern Region Pacific loco, incidentally, as part of the exchanges. [59] The Up "Cornish Riviera" from Penzance normally pulled into platform 6 at North Road Station, where the locomotive came off so that the "Plymouth portion", which had been waiting at platform 7 headed by a King class locomotive, could move on to the front. On Thursday July 1st 1954 5058 "Earl of Clancarty", driven by Mr W Warne, of Efford, Plymouth, and fired by Mr E Cole, of Mannamead, brought the train from Penzance. At Plymouth, King class 6017, "King Edward IV", sporting a special headboard commemorating the "Jubilee of the Cornish Riviera Express 1904 - 1954", pulled over from platform 7 in readiness to take the train on its non-stop run to London. Aboard the locomotive were driver Mr John Friend, of St Jude's, and fireman Mr D Courtney, of Efford. while the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Alderman E W Perry, himself a former engine driver, along with nearly twenty other retired drivers, hitched a ride on the train as it transferred between the two platforms. As the local press recorded: 'Small boys swarmed around the engine ...' Those were the days!! [26] Loco number 4530 was seen working the Princetown Branch during November 1954. On December 16th 1954 number 4406, which had recently been transferred to Princetown from Tondu, South Wales, suffered a broken steam pipe and was replaced for five days by number 4524. [45] 1955 CLICK HERE to view the route of the Western Region main line in 1955.......... In January 1955 the Lee Moor Crossing Signal Box on the Launceston Branch was taken out of use [10]. It was not a block post and had been provided purely to allow the china clay trains cross over the main line. At around Midday on April 1st 1955 an Ocean Liner Express left Millbay Docks with number 4086 "Builth Castle" at its head. The train comprised of only six carriages: parcel van number 333; super saloon 9113; kitchen super saloon 9117 (formerly named "Princess Royal"); third diner saloon 9621; composite 7813; and composite brake 7363. [44] On May 10th 1955 the London Midland Region's locomotive number 46237, which was on loan for road tests, made its first visit to Plymouth. [5] 1956 The last trains over the Princetown Branch ran on March 3rd 1956. [10] On Wednesday May 23rd 1956 the Mannamead Signal Box was closed and replaced by intermediate block signals. At the time they were the only colour light signals in the Plymouth area. The Down signal was controlled from Lipson Junction Signal Box. [11] The electric train staff system on the Launceston Branch was replaced by electric key tokens during May 1956, first between Marsh Mills and Bickleigh and then between Bickleigh and Yelverton. [11] Members of the Plymouth Railway Circle toured the Royal Albert Bridge on May 26th 1956, including a walk across the top of the tubes. [2] The facing crossover from the Up main line to the Royal Dockyard was removed on December 23rd 1956 [8]. This was because most of the traffic was carried by the Western Region in the Down direction, which could be reversed into the Dockyard. This did, however, inconvenience the Southern Region because their one train a day into the Dockyard now had to go from St Budeaux in to Keyham Station Up Loop, where the locomotive changed ends and pulled the wagons out on to the Down main line. Once the train was ready to leave the Dockyard it could go straight to St Budeaux. [A] 1956 saw the recommencement of the rebuilding of Plymouth's North Road Station. This had started under the Great Western Railway but was postponed by the Second World War. [12] 1957
The locomotive "City of Truro" arrived in Plymouth on September 12th 1957, having piloted the 5.30am Paddington to Penzance train from Swindon onwards On Sunday September 15th 1957 she headed a special train of six carriages from Plymouth North Road Station to Penzance. The driver was Mr Percy Finch, of Channel Park Avenue, Plymouth, and the fireman was Mr Bill Hooper, of High Mowles, Plymouth. On board the Special were around 70 members of the Plymouth Railway Circle, with their families and friends. (The author watched the train shoot through Keyham Station). [13] 1958 On February 1st 1958 a transfer of territory saw the Southern Region west of Exeter become part of the Western Region. The Southern's locomotive depot at Friary, which had been quickly emptied of its four Bulleid Pacifics, was transferred on February 23rd 1958 and took the shed code of 83H. [5] The future suddenly hit Plymouth on Wednesday March 19th 1958 when the Western Region's 2,000 horse power diesel hydraulic locomotive number D600 "Active" made its first visit to the City. It hauled a 10-coach special train from Swindon and arrived at North Road Station 15 minutes ahead of schedule. During the journey the locomotive touched 90mph at one point and although it was driven by a Swindon man, a Laira driver, Mr L Parker, piloted it over the parts of the route not familiar to him. Mr Parker was to instruct other drivers at Laira in the operation of the new locomotives. After refuelling the 800 gallon tank, "Active" returned to Swindon later the same day, using about a gallon for every 1½ miles. [13a] On Monday April 21st 1958 D600 made its first journey from Plymouth to Penzance and in early May 1958 it was being regularly used to haul the 4.50am and 2.38pm from Plymouth and the Up "Cornish Riviera" and Up Postal in return. [57] 'Warship' class diesel hydraulic locomotive number D601 "Ark Royal" failed (railway parlance for 'broke down') while hauling the Up Cornish Riviera Express on June 14th 1958 and had to be towed back to Laira Motive Power Depot by a steam locomotive, number 6319. [9] In June 1958 the electric train staff system between Horrabridge and Tavistock South Signal Boxes was replaced with electric key tokens. Also in that month the opening of a new line for departures from the Up side of the Tavistock Junction Marshalling Yard meant changes to Plympton Signal Box. [11] From September 15th 1958 Plymouth North Road Station became simply Plymouth Station, following the closure of Friary Station. On September 20th 1958 the founding father of train spotting, Messrs Ian Allan Ltd, ran a special train from London Waterloo to Plymouth and back to London Paddington. Named "The Westcountryman", it travelled from from Exeter Central to Plymouth Station over the British Railways Southern Region line via Okehampton. Following its arrival at Plymouth at 2.33pm,, the two class T9 4-4-0 locomotives numbers 30712 and 30726 were taken off and replaced with Merchant Navy class 4-6-2 number 35023 "Holland-Afrika Line" for the 3.35pm return journey back over the Western Region's route to Exeter St David's and on to London's Paddington Station. The train took 13 minutes and 59 seconds to reach the top of Hemerdon Bank, hitting the bottom at 55mph and managing a fraction over 24mph at the top. The two T9s followed on the 4.32pm Western Region train to Exeter St David's Station. [25] On October 5th 1958 the new layout at Plymouth Station and a new Down Carriage line between the Station and Cornwall Junction were brought in to use. [6]. At the end of 1958 the Laira Marshalling Yard was closed. [5] 1959 Saturday February 28th 1959 saw the last trains call at Plympton Station, Ivybridge Station, Bittaford Platform and Wrangaton Station on the main line between Plymouth and Totnes. Only 23 passengers were on the 7.10pm from Plymouth, the last Up train, but there were around 50 people on the 7.40pm from Newton Abbot, which was the last Down train. Brent, Wrangaton, Ivybridge and Plympton Stations remained open for goods traffic. [14] From May 4th 1959 Yelverton Signal Box was closed and the block section became Bickleigh to Horrabridge. [11] During August 1959 some unusual locomotive working arrangements were noted. The 6am from Penzance to Crewe was regularly worked on a Saturday between Plymouth and Newton Abbot by two "Manor" class engines. On August 1st 1959 2-8-0 number 3802 took over the 12.42pm Newquay to Cardiff at Plymouth and worked the train right through to its destination and on August 8th 1959 2-10-0 number 92206 was noted heading the up "Mayflower" from Plymouth and was followed by another of the class, 92222, in charge of the 10.05am Penzance to Manchester, which it worked from Plymouth to Shrewsbury. Both the 2-10-0s were based at Laira. Another of the class, 92221, worked the 12.05pm Padding to Plymouth. On August 15th 1959 2-8-0 number 3801, piloted by "Hall" 4908, were seen on the 10.20am Penzance to Swansea train. [36] Derailments were rare at Plymouth Station but one of the worst happened to number 6860 on August 8th 1959. [5] The platforms at Millbay Station were removed during 1959 and additional carriage sidings laid in. The new layout came into use on September 29th 1959. [6] Friary Junction Signal Box was closed on September 29th 1959 and a new ground frame brought in to use for controlling the connection to the Sutton Harbour Branch. [11] On Monday October 19th 1959 the Great Western Travelling Post Office train that left London Paddington Station at 10.20pm and was due to arrive at Penzance Station at 6.35am the following morning included the first of the new British Railways standard coaches. Constructed at the works at Wolverton, they were each built on 63 feet 5 inch underframes and bodies of 9 feet in width and were painted in the standard Royal Mail red livery. Each coach was equipped with the two batteries to provide main and emergency lighting and each coach could draw power off the adjacent ones if required, as a further emergency measure. They were well insulated against the cold and draughts and were heated by two overhead 2 inch steam pipes. A novel feature, at that time, were the corridor doors between coaches, which could be opened by using a shoulder to press a button and which closed automatically after seven seconds. This enabled postmen carrying sacks of mail to get between carriages effortlessly. Because the Western Region mail trains were not turned at each destination they included two coaches with with mail delivery and collection equipment, one for down traffic and the other for the up direction. The up TPO was due to leave Penzance at 7pm and arrive at Paddington at 3.55am the next morning. [35] 1960 The new Laira Diesel Depot came into operation in 1960 and the first diesel multiple unit (DMU) arrived in the February for staff training. [15] Members of the Plymouth Railway Circle enjoyed a special train composed entirely of goods brake vans on February 27th 1960 by way of a farewell to the Yealmpton Branch, which closed completely on that day [9]. The train was headed by former GWR tank locomotive number 4549 [16]. Commencing on Monday June 13th 1960 the Saltash Suburban Service was operated by diesel multiple units. The only remaining steam trains on Mondays to Fridays were the 12.40pm Plymouth to Saltash, which formed the 1.25pm Saltash to Tavistock South; this returned as the 4.30pm from Tavistock to Plymouth and continued to Doublebois Station. On Saturdays the 12.15pm from Saltash to Tavistock was worked by a steam locomotive. [17] Early on the morning of Friday July 1st 1960 the new marble-fronted booking office at Plymouth Station was opened for business. [27] At 4pm on Saturday November 26th 1960 work started on switching over from semaphore signalling to colour-light signalling at Plymouth Station. Trains were signalled by hand lamps while the old apparatus was being dismantled. When the work was completed on Monday November 28th 1960 and the new Plymouth Panel Box came in to operation, the signal boxes at Lipson Junction, North Road East, North Road West, Devonport Junction, Devonport Albert Road and Cornwall Junction were all closed. Thus Laira Junction Signal Box in the east and Keyham Signal Box in the west became the fringe boxes. Now eight signalmen could do the work previously done by twenty. Also, new colour light signals were brought into use at Mount Gould Junction. [24] 1961 That famous Great Western Railway locomotive "City of Truro" made another visit to Plymouth in April 1961 when it headed the Westward Television Exhibition Train on its tour of Devon and Cornwall. [2] On Saturday June 3rd 1961 the Plymouth Railway Circle organised a special train to traverse the normally freight only branch lines to Sutton Harbour and Millbay Docks. For 7s 6d the sixty or so passengers travelled in six guards' vans hauled by the last surviving steam locomotive in the West of England, 0-6-0 saddle-tank number 1363. Starting at Friary Station, which was itself closed to passenger traffic at that time, the train went towards Plympton and then reversed on to the Sutton Harbour Branch. It then travelled to North Road Station where, being a summer Saturday, it had to wait for a clear path in the busy schedule to access the line to Millbay Docks. It was the only known "through train" that ever ran from Sutton Harbour to Millbay Docks. The train was unable to pass over the hydraulic swing bridge at the entrance to the inner basin by parcel vans waiting to be loaded with French strawberries and as a result a diesel had to be pressed into service to pull the train back the way it had come. [17a] New interlocking levers were introduced at Royal Albert Bridge and Saltash Station Signal Boxes on July 10th 1961 and the electric key token system was withdrawn. This brought an end the exchange of tablets at the Royal Albert Bridge and on Saltash Station. [6] The line between Plymstock Station and Turnchapel was finally closed to all traffic from Monday October 1st 1961. Plymstock Station remained open for cement traffic. [10] 1962 The Up Refuge Siding at Plympton Station was abolished on December 16th 1962. [11] December 28th 1962 saw the last steam working on the Saltash Suburban Service, when pannier tank loco number 6438 worked the 12.40pm from Plymouth to Saltash and 1.25pm return. [17] The following day, December 29th 1962, loco 6400 headed the last steam railcar workings in the Plymouth area, the 7.40am Plymouth to Tavistock South and 8.45am return. As the Launceston Branch was due to close that day the remainder of the trains were strengthened with engine and carriages. [17] The last trains on the Tavistock and Launceston Branch were scheduled to run on December 29th 1962 but because of a blizzard, which knocked out most of the services on that day, the last train actually left the Branch on December 31st 1962. The part of the Branch between Tavistock and Lifton was kept open for goods traffic. [7] 1963 Owing to a shortage of motive power on January 23rd 1963, number 70052 "Firth of Tay" was used to haul the 12.05pm Manchester Piccadilly express right through to Plymouth. However, because the engine was not fitted with the Advanced Warning System 'the driver had to keep slacking off to read the signals as so much steam was leaking from the front end'. As a result the train was well over two hours late by the time it reached Exeter. [28] On February 8th 1963 the Southern line was blocked by snow near Meldon Junction, resulting in wagons for the Ambrosia Dairy at Lifton to be sent to Launceston instead of Okehampton for onward transmission. Thus Western region loco number 4666, then based at Wadebridge, was pressed into service to take the wagons between Launceston and Lifton. It was subjected to a speed restriction of 15mph and a pilotman had to be carried. [28] As there were very few tank locomotives now allocated to Laira MPD, standard class 2 tank number 41214 was taken out of storage on March 2nd 1963 to be used on the twice-daily freight service between Tavistock South and Lifton. It is presumed that it was temporarily sub-shedded at Launceston. [28] Wednesday March 27th 1963 was the day on which the notorious Beeching Report, "The Reshaping of British Railways", was published. The proposals required the closure of 266 lines, 2,300 stations and 800 freight handling depots and the major modification of 71 other services. Locally, in respect of the Western Region, the Plan required the closure of Brent Station and the branch to Kingsbridge and the modification of services between Plymouth and Penzance, with the closure of the stations at Menheniot and Doublebois. The Tavistock South and Launceston Branch, which was included in the proposals, had already been closed. [53] On March 31st 1963 the Railway Clearing House (RCH) was disbanded after 120 years and its functions and staff transferred to the Chief Accountant's Department of the British Railways Board. The RCH had been apportioning railway receipts between the British railway companies since 1842. [53] The signal box at Plymstock Station was closed on Wednesday May 1st 1963 and the layout remodelled for hand-operated points. [3] The locomotive depot at Friary was closed from Sunday May 5th 1963 and the staff transferred to Laira MPD. [28] Wrangaton and Saltash Stations were closed for goods traffic from September 9th 1963. [10] Cattewater Junction Signal Box was closed from October 1st 1963 [18] and a few days later, on October 7th, Plymstock Station was closed to goods traffic [10]. 1964 The curve from Cornwall Junction to Devonport Junction, originally built by the Cornwall Railway, was closed to traffic from Saturday January 13th 1964. [19] On May 3rd 1964 the Plymouth Railway Circle and the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society ran a special train named "The Cornubian" from Exeter St David's Station to Penzance to celebrate the end of steam traction in Devon and Cornwall. From Plymouth Station the train was headed by former Southern Region 'Westcountry' class Pacific number 34002 "Salisbury". This was the first time a Westcountry class locomotive had ever crossed the Royal Albert Bridge. [A] A few days later, on May 9th 1964, Messrs Ian Allan Ltd ran their "Great Western Limited" special train from London to Plymouth, headed by former GWR 'Hall' class number 7029 "Clun Castle". [A] Plympton Station was closed to goods traffic from June 1st 1964, thus bringing the complete closure of the Station. All remaining sidings and two ground frames were removed from September 6th 1964. [11] On June 15th 1964 the signal box at Tavistock South was reduced to the status of a ground frame. [11] With the closure of the Southern Region line between Devonport Junction and St Budeaux on September 7th 1964, all trains on the former Southern main line to Okehampton and Exeter now ran on Western metals via Keyham between Plymouth and St Budeaux Stations. This was now the only section of line within Plymouth that still had scheduled trains hauled by steam (SEE British Railways Southern Region webpage). [A] The branch line between Lydford and Lifton Stations was reopened on September 7th 1964 for the milk traffic to Lifton, which used the former Southern main line, while the section between Tavistock South Station and Lydford Station was closed entirely from September 25 1964. [12] 1965 The last steam locomotive under British Railways ownership to cross the Royal Albert Bridge from Cornwall was 0-6-0 tank number 1369. This was on February 20th 1965 when the locomotive was on its way from Wadebridge to Totnes, where it was to be preserved by the Great Western Society. [2] Marsh Mills Signal Box closed on April 4th 1965, when the remaining points were converted to hand operation. [11] Ivybridge Station was finally closed to goods traffic from November 29th 1965. [10] 1966 The goods shed at Keyham Station was taken out of use from February 24th 1966. [8] On February 28th 1966 the remainder of the Launceston Branch, between Lydford and Launceston, was closed and with it Lifton Station. All milk traffic now went by road tankers. [12] With the lack of goods traffic it was no longer necessary to have a Down Goods line between Plympton and Tavistock Junction so this was closed from April 17th 1966. [11] Trains departing from Plymouth Station had continued to be made up at the old Millbay Station but this was finally closed from June 20th 1966. [10] 1967 Plympton Signal Box closed from June 25th 1967. [11] In December 1967 the Plymouth area's first diesel-hydraulic locomotives, D600 "Active", D601 "Ark Royal", D602 "Bulldog", D603 "Conquest" and D604 "Cossack", were standing at Laira MPD, all withdrawn from service. [32] 1968 As from January 1st 1968 the Bristol Division, which also looked after the already disbanded Plymouth Division, was renamed the West of England Division. The Divisional Manager was Mr Henry C Sanderson. [32] With virtually no rail traffic coming from Millbay Docks, the Plymouth Mill Bay Level Crossing Signal Box was reduced in status to a ground frame as from March 17th 1968. The Dock line ground frame was also closed. [33] It was reported that facilities for handling petrol and oil were to be installed at Ocean Quay and that the Stonehouse Pool Branch would then be re-opened to deal with the traffic. [33] The last passenger train to be seen at Devonport King's Road Station was a Royal Train on March 8th 1968. The train of four Royal saloons carrying HRH the Duke of Edinburgh arrived at Plymouth Station at 4.30am behind D1023 "Western Fusilier". The train was stabled at King's Road down platform, which was then in use as a siding, but as there were no run round facilities D821 "Greyhound" was put on the rear of the train to haul it back into Plymouth at 9.50am. It had to travel on the down line from Devonport Junction to Plymouth Station. [33] Long distance trains ceased to stop at Saltash Station from May 6th 1968, when the new timetable was introduced. The suburban trains ran at peak times only. [33] With the commencement of the winter timetable in 1968, the down side of Plymouth Station was closed on Sundays and all traffic used the up side, which was signalled for two-way operation. In addition, the line between Keyham Junction and St Budeaux, across the Weston Mill Viaduct, was singled to enable heavy engineering work to be undertaken on the Viaduct. The up trackwork was removed immediately and the down line slewed at the approach to the Viaduct at the Keyham end. The situation was expected to last for three months. [34] 1969 - British Rail At the start of 1969 British Railways was re-branded as British Rail. Plymouth Mill Bay Signal Box was closed from December 14th 1969. [6] 1970 The siding from Devonport (Albert Road) East Ground Frame to Devonport Goods Engineers Siding was taken out of use from September 20th 1970. [20] 1971 As from Monday January 4th 1971 the Tavistock Junction Marshalling Yard was closed and the work transferred to the yard at Friary Station. [21] On September 26th 1971 the line from Plymouth Station to Millbay Station was finally closed to all traffic, along with the Plymouth Mill Bay Level Crossing Ground Frame [6]. The ways now clear for the demolition of the road bridge over Union Street. 1972 The last day of the Saltash Suburban Service occurred on Saturday April 29th 1972. It had been killed off by the opening of the Tamar Road Bridge ten years earlier. [22] Former Great Western Railway locomotive number 6000 "King George V" was the star attraction at an Open Day at Laira Motive Power Depot on Saturday September 23rd 1972. [A] With the demise of coal traffic being brought by sea to Bayly's Wharf at Sutton Harbour, the section of the Sutton Harbour Branch between the Sutton Road Level Crossing and the Wharf was closed from December 18th 1972 [20]. The section from Turner's and Pearse's Sidings to North Quay was closed from January 1st 1973. [4] Tavistock Junction, Laira Junction and Mount Gould Signal Boxes were amalgamated into the Plymouth Panel Signal Box from November 10th 1973. Its coverage became even wider on December 17th 1973 when the Hemerdon Sidings Signal Box was closed. [11] The remainder of the Sutton Harbour Branch was closed on December 31st 1973. [4] DEVELOPMENTS SINCE
1974 ARE NOT AT PRESENT COVERED BY Sources:
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