Plymouth, Railways | Southern Railway | Stonehouse Pool Branch

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RAILWAYS | SOUTHERN RAILWAY

STONEHOUSE POOL BRANCH

Updated: 01 March 2011

The London & South Western Railway's Stonehouse Pool Branch, which they had opened in 1878, was taken over by the Southern Railway on January 1st 1923.

A return submitted on November 17th 1927 to the Company by the station master at Devonport indicated that the signalling was removed at the time of closure to passenger traffic. By 1927 the station buildings were being used for general storage and other buildings were being let for the curing and packing of herrings. The station master reckoned that about forty wagons could be held at the quayside; any more would have been impracticable.

Freight traffic continued and the signal box at the level crossing over Richmond Walk was still manned until Wednesday February 1st 1928.

From March 25th 1934 until further notice the special instruction for working this branch were as follows:

This line, which is worked as a siding, connects with Devonport goods yard by means of hand points which lie normally for the goods yard. These points must be secured by padlock when not in use, and the key kept in the signal box at Devonport.

A Shunter, or Shunters, as necessary, must accompany all trains passing over the line, and the Enginemen and Shunters must exercise extreme care when working on the branch to ensure that the line or sidings over which they require to pass are clear for their use.

The gates at Richmond Walk level crossing are maintained normally across the railway, secured in this position by hand bolts and padlocks, and trains proceeding from Devonport to Stonehouse Pool must be brought to a stand well clear of the level crossing gates and the brakes applied.

The man in charge of the movement must then unlock the gates and place them across the roadway for the engine or train to pass on to the quay lines.

When the train has passed on to the Stonehouse Pool quay lines, clear of the level crossing, the gates must be again opened to the public and secured and padlocked in this position.

When the work at Stonehouse Pool has been completed, and the train is ready to leave for Devonport, the man in charge must again place the crossing gates across the roadway, after which the train should be drawn forward clear of the crossing on the Devonport side, where it must be brought to a stand, and the brakes applied.

The man in charge of the operation must then advise the Signalman at Devonport by means of the telephone which is provided at the crossing, that the train is ready to leave, and after having obtained the Signalman's permission for the departure of the train for Devonport he must replace the crossing gates across the railway, re-lock them in position, and proceed with the train to Devonport.

Certain types of engine cannot be passed safely over the quay lines at Stonehouse Pool, and the staff must ascertain before leaving Devonport to what extent the engine in their charge may be used on the quay.

"N" and "N 1" class engines may be permitted to work over the Stonehouse Pool line as between Devonport station and a point 100 yards on the wharf side of Richmond Walk level crossing, at which notice boards are fixed.

The load of a goods train from Stonehouse Pool to Devonport, hauled by one engine, must not exceed equal to 12 loaded goods wagons with one brake van at the rear, in which a man must ride.

A 3-ton crane, purchased in 1926, was provided at Stonehouse Pool, with a maximum lift of 20 foot.

The station buildings were completely destroyed during the Second World War, when the manager of Messrs J Lyons & Company's store was killed while fire watching.

On January 1st 1948 the line became the British Railways' Stonehouse Pool Branch, operated by the Southern Region.

Sources:

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