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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

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LAIRA HALT (GWR)

Laira Halt was located at the bottom of Brandon Road, off Old Laira Road, on the Great Western Railway's main line.  It was adjacent to the Laira Locomotive Depot and Lipson Junction Signal Box, which can be seen in the distance benath the footbridge.

This picture was probably taken in 1922, at the same time as the one of  Lipson Vale Halt.

 Laira Halt adjacent to Laira Locomotive Depot, Plymouth

The Halt was opened from Wednesday June 1st 1904 for the Great Western Railway's new Railmotor Service from Plympton to Saltash.   It was also used by trains on the Tavistock and Launceston Branch.

Passengers boarding a railmotor at Laira Halt, Plymouth.

Passengers boarding a GWR railmotor at Laira Halt.
Note the narrowness of the platform.

On July 29th authorisation was given for the footbridge shown in the picture above to be replaced with a sub-way at an estimated cost of £620.   Was this because the footbridge was being blocked by trainspotters trying to get a good view of Laira Shed?  During the post-War years the sub-way gave access to an unofficial viewing area and back-door access to the Sheds.

Laira Halt was closed from Monday July 7th 1930 when the railmotor trains between Plympton and North Road Stations were taken off.

 

Copyright: Brian Moseley, Plymouth, UK

Page created: 12 November 2005

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