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RAILWAYS | SOUTHERN RAILWAY

SUTTON HARBOUR BRANCH

Updated: 28 February 2011

The Southern Railway's Sutton Harbour Branch ran from Plymouth Friary Station to Sutton Harbour under Exeter Street by means of a tunnel. It then crossed Sutton Road on the level before passing behind some warehouses on to North Quay.

It was opened on October 22nd 1879 as the London & South Western Railway Sutton Harbour Branch. [1]

SEE Southern Railway Sutton Harbour Branch - The Route, 1934.

From March 26th 1934 until further notice the special instruction for working this branch were as follows [2]:

This branch commences with the goods yard at Plymouth Friary, and when the points leading thereto are not in use they must be set for the goods siding and secured in that position by a padlock, the key of which must be kept at Plymouth Friary "A" box.

Trains must not be allowed to leave Plymouth Friary until an intimation is received by the exchange of bell signals, in accordance with the prescribed code, that the lines at Sutton Harbour are clear and ready to received them.

Trains proceeding to Sutton Harbour are propelled from Plymouth Friary and drawn on the return journey.

The loads of trains between Plymouth Friary and Sutton Harbour, in each direction, must not exceed equal to 8 loaded goods wagons and one brake van.

A signal post, carrying two arms, is provided near the junction with the GW line. The upper arm controls GWR trains and the lower arm controls SR trains.

When a GWR engine enters upon the harbour lines the GWR signal arm must be kept in the Clear position until the engine returns, and in like manner when a SR engine enters upon the harbour lines the SR signal must be kept in the Clear position until the engine returns.

While the GWR signal arm is in the Clear position no SR engine must pass the level crossing gates: in like manner when the SR signal arm is in the Clear position, no GWR engine must pass the level crossing gates on the GW line to enter upon the harbour lines.

The man at attendance at Sutton Harbour level crossing will be held responsible for seeing that the gates are closed across the roadway, when necessary, to permit of shunting operations being carried out.

Catch points, which are facing for down trains, are situated at a short distance the Plymouth Friary side of the level crossing. They stand normally open to a short dead-end catch siding, and are worked from the crossing box for the passing of trains to the harbour.

Wagons with a greater wheel base than 10 feet 6 inches must not be permitted to work to Sutton Harbour.

The following SR wagons with long wheel base are restricted from working over the Sutton Harbour Branch:

WELLS A .. 61009; 61011; 61012; 61013; 61019
WELLS B .. 61024; 61027; 61028; 61048 to 61059 inc.; 61086 to 61098 inc.
WELLS C .. 61039; 61040.
Engineer's department six-wheeled sleeper wagons.

Sutton Harbour was provided with wagon turntables, of which the Length of Rail was 12 feet 1 inch.

Engine whistle codes were also in use at Plymouth Friary in 1934 and they included [2]:

Goods departure road to branch siding .. 2 short
Goods arrival road to branch siding ....... 4

Until 1936 the Branch was double track but from November 23rd that year the northern section was singled. [3]

On January 1st 1948 the branch became the British Railways (Southern Region) Sutton Harbour Branch.

Sources:

[1] Thomas, David St John, "A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: Volume 1: The West Country", David & Charles (Holdings Ltd), Newton Abbot, Devon, 4th edition, 1973, ISBN 0-7153-6208-9.

[2] Southern Railway, "General and Western Appendices to the Working Timetables", Southern Railway, London, 26th March 1934 Until Further Notice.

[3] Cooke, R A, "Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BRWR, Section 12, Plymouth", R A Cooke, 1974.