PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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The branch railway from Plymouth Friary Station to Turnchapel was in fact started by the old Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway as agents for the London & South Western Railway. One of their last acts, on November 30th 1882, was to deposit plans for this branch line. These proposals received the Royal Assent on August 2nd 1883. This was quickly followed on November 30th 1883 with the depositing of plans for another line leaving the Turnchapel branch at Plymstock Station and going to Yealmpton and Modbury. Firstly a bridge had to be constructed across the River Plym and this was duly completed in 1887. The line as far as Pomphlett was ready by June 25th 1888 so the London & South Western Railway started to operate freight traffic over it although it was not officially opened until July 1st 1892. Public trains were still not allowed to use the line until Monday September 5th due to the need for signalling standards to be improved. Eight passenger and trains and one goods train were run that day, many of the passengers then walking to Oreston and returning to Plymouth by the Oreston and Turnchapel Ferry. The remainder of the week brought crowds of people attending the Plymouth, Devonport and Stonehouse Races at Chelson Meadow, which was but a short walk from Plymstock Station. In the meantime, however, there were arguments going on between the London & South Western Railway and the Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway on the one side and the Great Western Railway on the other about the running of trains over the proposed line to Modbury. The LSWR finally conceded with an agreement dated July 19th 1894 that allowed the GWR to have running powers over the Turnchapel line as far as Plymstock Station and in order for them to access their line to Yealmpton. The section from there to Modbury was never constructed. The LSWR thus completed their branch to Turnchapel and this was opened for traffic on Friday January 1st 1897, with trains running from their main-line terminus at Friary. The contractors had been Messrs Pethick Brothers, of Plymouth. One of the features of the line was the swing-bridge across Hooe Lake. This was operated by hand and was supported at the centre by the pillar holding the swinging mechanism. The signalman based at Turnchapel Signal Box used to have to walk on to the bridge to hand-crank the mechanism and he would be marooned there until he closed the bridge at the end of the operation.
Train heading towards Turnchapel
across the Hooe Lake swing bridge Lucas Terrace Halt, between Friary and Plymstock Stations, was opened in 1905 to cater for traffic from the new housing estates on the eastern fringes of Plymouth. The adjacent Motive Power Depot was opened in 1908. The Halt was extended in 1923 to accommodate increased traffic. Turnchapel Station and Signal Box were completely destroyed by fire during the bombing of the adjacent Admiralty oil storage depot on November 27th 1940. The ensuing blaze was potentially disastrous and three firemen were killed trying to keep the oil tanks as cool as possible to avoid a catastrophic explosion. The fire was not put out until December 1st 1940, leaving twisted metal in place of rails and signals. However, the railways were not daunted by such experiences and by December 16th services were back to normal, supported by new temporary buildings which in fact remained until the line's closure. Plymstock Station's signal box was set a fire by incendiary bombs during the Plymouth Blitz in 1941 and a temporary replacement was opened on October 12th 1941. It ceased to be 'temporary' and lasted until the closure of the line. On January 1st 1948 the branch became part of BRITISH RAILWAYS SOUTHERN REGION. CLICK HERE for details of the route
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