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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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YELVERTON - DOUSLAND - PRINCETOWN
However, it was not until Wednesday November 22nd 1876 that Princetown saw the arrival of its first ever steam locomotive. There was still no railway: this was a traction engine. Driven by a Mr M Stephens, described as a contractor, it hauled a load of coal for the prison. It is not known if it travelled from Plymouth or Tavistock or the other side the Moor but it was claimed that 800 people turned out to welcome it to the village, including the school children and those who wanted a railway. It was not until March 6th 1877, at the half-yearly meeting of the new owners, the Great Western Railway, that this proposal was brought up for discussion. It came up with the idea that if the Government would use its convict labour to build the first three miles out of Princetown, then the Great Western would construct the rest of the line for £52,000. Although it was further discussed at a meeting at Princetown, again nothing seems to have come of it. In due course the Company withdrew this proposal in favour of an offer to purchase the PLYMOUTH & DARTMOOR RAILWAY from a point at Yelverton, in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, to Princetown, in return for 2,200 shares of £10 each in a new Princetown Railway Company. On November 30th 1877 plans were duly deposited for a line 10 miles 2 furlongs 2.8 chains long from a point at the north end of Yelverton Siding (there was still no station at this location). Its Bill received the Royal Assent on August 13th 1878. The line was opened without ceremony on August 11th 1883 and was of standard gauge. Trains ran to and from Horrabridge Station on the South Devon & Tavistock line until May 1st 1885 when a station was opened at Yelverton and this became the new terminus. Stations were provided at Dousland and Princetown. Because of the constraints of the site at Yelverton, it was not possible to put in a loop on the Princetown line for running the engines from one end of the train to the other so a novel approach was adopted. The engine would push the incoming train, now empty of passengers, back up the inclined branch and bring it to a stand. It would then be detached, run forward again and when the points had been changed, run back into a short siding that was linked to the turntable for the snowploughs. The Guard would release the handbrake on the carriage, which would then run down the line and into the station. Finally the engine would emerge from the siding, be coupled up and the train would be ready for departure to Princetown. The fastest time allowed for this procedure was eight minutes. Apart from the terminus at Princetown, the only other station on the line was at Dousland, where there was a level crossing under the watchful eye of Dousland Barn Signal Box. This provided the only block section post on the Branch. There was a small locomotive shed at Princetown and the main line continued beyond the Station platform in to a carriage shed, where the carriages were kept away from the ravages of the elements. Sidings were provided at Swell Tor, some 7 miles from Yelverton. These were initially operated by Messrs Pethick Brothers, of Plymouth, under a Private Siding Agreement dated September 12th 1883. The Princetown line suffered badly when it snowed, although as often as not it kept going when the local roads were blocked. However, on the evening of March 9th 1891 the last train from Princetown to Yelverton, hauled by saddle tank locomotive number 990, became stuck near Eggworthy Farm in the worst blizzard for years. The three crew and six passengers were forced to spend the night huddled in the single carriage. They were rescued the following morning by an astonished farmer who was out looking after his sheep. The line remained blocked for several weeks. The local shareholders of the Princetown Railway met at Plymouth on Monday October 13th 1902. Their names make interesting reading: Mr H Matthews was in the chair; others present were Messrs John Pethick, A S Harris, E M Russel Rendle, Doctor R Willis, E Pridham, W C James, H Maynard, J E Monk, R Rugg Monk, J Bruford, F E Bowden, G E Fox, A Bolt, A W Wright, Doctor Eccles and a Mr Steer. Apologies were received from Mr H B Bewes and Mr T W Wolferston. Mr Pethick had a considerable interest in the line and said he had done all he could to increase the traffic. He had suggested to the Great Western Railway that a stopping-place be provided at the Princetown Quarry and he had even offered to pay for the platform and waiting shed. The GWR had made life difficult by saying that he, as quarry owner, must pay the Railway a way-leave and the expense of watching and lighting and that use of the stopping-place would be restricted to the workmen in the employ of the Pethicks and not for those of Mr Duke's quarry or any member of the general public. They proposed to charge 1s 6d for a return ticket, which Mr Pethick considered prohibitive. Mr Pethick also highlighted the fact that the GWR took 70%o f the receipts, leaving only 30% for the Princetown Railway Company. Messrs Duke and Company had been told by the GWR that they intended to construct a siding at the point in question. The meeting resolved to form a committee to draw up a report on the subject for the shareholders to consider.
The distant smoke of the
Princetown train The Royal Oak Siding was installed in 1904 for the use of Messrs Pethick Brothers' Princetown and Foggintor Quarries. A scheme for a light railway between King Tor and Merrivale Quarry was discussed in 1909 and again in 1924 but nothing came of the plan. Dousland Barn Signal Box was reduced to ground frame status in 1915 when a more convenient signal box was opened on the station platform. In 1917 the small siding at Walkhampton Common, which served Eggworthy Farm, was removed in 1917. Its location remained identifiable in the 1960s. On June 24th 1920 the South Devon Granite Company signed a new Private Siding Agreement in respect of Swell Tor Sidings. Although the line was operated by the Great Western Railway, the Princetown Railway remained an independent Company until January 1st 1922 when, under the terms of the Railway Act 1921 and the Great Western Railway (Western Group) Preliminary Absorption Scheme, Number 1, dated May 19th 1922, it was absorbed into the Great Western Railway. Burrator and Sheepstor Platform was opened on Monday February 4th 1924 for the benefit of men working on the raising of the Burrator and Sheepstor Dams. In the morning the 6.58am departure from Yelverton called there to set down workmen who had travelled up to Yelverton on the 6.20am from Plymouth's Millbay Station. On Mondays to Fridays the 4.05pm from Princetown called at Burrator to pick them up again for the homeward journey. They also worked on Saturday mornings, when the 12.25pm from Princetown would stop to collect them and the later train would then not stop. It was opened to the general public as from Monday May 18th 1925 and was served by trains during daylight hours only. Plymouth Corporation opened a timber depot at Princetown under a Private Siding Agreement dated April 14th 1923. It did not last long and had been closed by 1928, although it was not apparently removed until 1933. In around 1923/24 the Royal Oak Siding was removed and King Tor Halt was opened almost on the site on Monday April 2nd 1928. Although it has always been claimed it was for the benefit of quarry workers living in the cottages nearby, it should be noted that it was opened a week before the Easter holidays. Unfortunately, the weather was not terribly good that weekend and passenger numbers travelling out from Plymouth to Yelverton was not as heavy as had been expected. Ingra Tor Halt was opened on Monday March 2nd 1936 in connection with the short-lived re-opening of the adjacent quarry. Its later traffic was entirely walkers and it was well known for its notice warning about snakes. On September 24th 1946 the Dartmoor Granite Company signed a new Private Siding Agreement for the Swell Tor Sidings. The line passed into the hands of British Railways (Western Region) from January 1st 1948, of course, but was sadly destined not to remain there very long. CLICK HERE for details of the route CLICK HERE for information about the passenger service in 1952 CLICK HERE for information about the closure
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