PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
|
|
Devonport King's Road Station was located between Devonport Park tunnel and Devonport Junction on the Southern Railway main line. It was adjacent to King's Road, Devonport. Originally known as Devonport and Stonehouse Station, it was built by the London and South Western Railway as the terminus of its route from Lydford through Bickleigh, Marsh Mills and Mutley that it shared with the South Devon & Tavistock Railway and opened on Wednesday May 17th 1876.
The Southern Railway's Devonport
Station is They celebrated wildly with triumphal arches and church bells ringing continuously. No less than four regiments of foot trooped their colours at Mount Wise and a public dinner was given in the new goods shed. A refreshment room was provided on the Station. A new road was constructed from the Station to the bottom of Devonport Hill and Stonehouse Bridge. It was was later given the name King's Road. Public passenger trains started the following day, May 18th, with the first train out of Devonport and Stonehouse being hauled by a locomotive named "Gem". The Station buildings included stores, offices and apartments for the station master. The platforms were originally arrival and departure ones, when it was a terminal station. They were covered with a roof 400 feet long by 130 feet wide. There was also a goods shed of 200 feet in length by 100 feet wide. A branch line from the Station yard to Stonehouse Pool was constructed in 1876 but was not opened for goods traffic until March 1st 1886. Passenger-carrying came much later with the advent of the ocean terminal. When the new Plymouth, Devonport & South Western Junction Railway opened its route from Lydford via Tavistock and Bere Alston, the up and down lines were reversed and it became a through station. On the afternoon of Wednesday September 8th 1915 Devonport Station received a Royal Visit when the King and Queen arrived by Great Western train. They were greeted by the Mayor of Plymouth, Mr T Baker; Major-General A Penton, commander of the fortress and Admiral Sir George Egerton, commander of the naval station. It acquired the King's Road part of its title upon Nationalisation in 1948 when it became necessary to prevent confusion with the Western Region's Devonport Albert Road Station. Devonport King's Road Station was closed to passengers from Monday September 7th 1964, along with Ford Station, when the duplicate Southern Region line was closed. It remained open for goods traffic until Thursday January 4th 1971, accessed only from Devonport Junction. The site has now been used for an extension to the College for Further Education.
|
