Tamar Valley Line

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Tamar Valley Line
miles from Plymouth
LUECKE
 Main Line to London 
BHF
0.00 Plymouth
eABZlf exABZ3rg exABZ3lg exBHFl
Plymouth (Millbay) (SDR & CR)
STR exSTR exSTRlf exHSTR exKDSl
Millbay Docks
BRÜCKE exSTR
Pennycomequick Viaduct
STRlf xABZlg
Cornwall Loop Junction
eABZlf exSTRlg
Devonport Junction (to LSWR)
eHST exSTR
Wingfield Villas Halt CR)
STR exABZlf exSTRlg
STR exHST exTUNNEL1
Devonport (Kings Road) (LSWR)
STR exSTR exKDSe
Stonehouse Pool Docks
BHF exSTR
1.25 Devonport (CR)
STR exHST
Albert Road Halt (LSWR)
exSTRrg eKRZo exSTRrf
exSTR TUNNEL1
Devonport Tunnel
exSTR BHF
1.50 Dockyard (CR)
exSTR BRÜCKE
Keyham Viaduct
exHST STR
Ford (LSWR)
exSTR eHST
Ford Platform (CR)
exSTR BHF
2.25 Keyham (CR)
exSTR ABZrg HSTR KDSl
Devonport Dockyard branch (goods)
exHST STR
Camels Head Halt (LSWR)
exBRÜCKE BRÜCKE
Weston Mill Viaduct
exSTR eABZrg exHSTR exKDSl
Bullpoint Siding
exHST ABZlf STRlg
Weston Mill Halt (LSWR)
exSTRlf eABZlg HST
St Budeaux Ferry Road (CR)
BHF STR
3.25 St Budeaux Victoria Road (LSWR)
STRlf KRZo STRlg
STRrg KRZo STRrf
STR WBRÜCKE
Royal Albert Bridge and River Tamar
STR LUECKE
 Penzance, Cornish Main Line (CR) 
KDSr ABZrf
Ernesettle (private siding)
WBRÜCKE
Tavy Bridge River Tavy
BHF
7.50 Bere Ferrers
ABZrg STRlg
xKBFe STR
9.50 Bere Alston
exLUECKE STR
 Exeter, West of England Main Line (LSWR) 
WBRÜCKE
Calstock Viaduct (River Tamar)
STR exKDSa
Calstock Quay
BHF exSTR
11.25 Calstock
eABZrg exSTRrf
Closed Cornwall Minerals Railway
xKBFe
14.00 Gunnislake
exLUECKE
 Callington ( PDSWJR) 

The Tamar Valley Line is a railway line from Devonport in Plymouth Devon, to Gunnislake in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The line follows the River Tamar for much of its route.

Contents

[edit] History

The line from St Budeaux to Bere Alston was opened for passenger traffic on 2 June 1890 by the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway (PDSWJ) as part of their line from Lydford to Devonport, which in effect was an extension of the London and South Western Railway's main line from London Waterloo station to Lydford, enabling the LSWR to reach Plymouth independently of the Great Western Railway.[1]

The branch to Gunnislake was opened by the PDSWJ on 2 March 1908.[2]

[edit] Motive power

The line used former LSWR O2 Class tank engines as the man form of motive power for many years but in the 1950s newer LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T engines took over. By 1964 steam had been ousted from the line and DMUs had taken over, working as two-car sets.

Today services are operated by First Great Western using Class 150 or Class 153 diesel multiple units.

[edit] Route

Communities served: Plymouth (including the suburbs of Devonport and St Budeaux) – Bere Ferrers – Bere Alston – Calstock – Gunnislake

The section between Calstock and Bere Ferrers is on the Bere peninsula, between the river Tamar, and the river Tavy. The most southerly road bridge (the A390) on the peninsula is at Gunnislake, crossing the river Tamar. This means the railway is the quickest way of getting into the city of Plymouth to the south. The line did face closure by the Beeching Axe, however the remaining section of line was saved due to the poor road transportation.

[edit] Community rail

The Tamar Valley Line is one of the railway lines supported by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership, an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking or visiting country pubs.

The Tamar Valley rail ale trail was launched in 2004 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line. Five are in Plymouth city centre and a further three in the suburbs of Devonport and St Budeaux. There are single pubs to visit at Bere Ferrers and Bere Alston, two in Calstock and six in Gunnislake. 6, 10 or 18 stamps collected in the Rail Ale Trail leaflet entitle the participant to claim special Tamar Valley Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.[3]

Wessex Trains covered Class 150 2-car DMU number 150240 in coloured pictures promoting the line and named The Tamar Kingfisher. It is now in service with Arriva Trains Wales and works throughout it's network.

The line was designated as a community rail line in September 2005, being one of seven pilots for the Department for Transport's Community Rail Development Strategy. This aims to establish the true costs and revenues for the line with an aim of improving them. It is also looking at simplifiying the reversal of trains, considering the costs and benefits should the line be "microfranchised" separately from the Great Western Franchise, and the potential for extending the line from Bere Alston to Tavistock.[4]

On 18 March 2008 Devon County Council backed a proposal by developers Kilbride Community Rail to construct 750 houses in Tavistock that includes reopening the 5.5 miles (9 km) line from Bere Alston to a new Tavistock railway station at a cost of £18.5million. [5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Cheesman, AJ (1967). The Plymouth, Devonport and South Wesetern Junction Railway. Blandford Forum: Oakwood Press. 
  2. ^ Crombleholme, Roger; Gibson, Bryan; Stickey, Douglas; Whetmath, CFD (1967). Callington Railways. Brackenll: Forge Books. DOI:1985. 
  3. ^ Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership (2006), Tamar Valley Line Rail Ale Trail
  4. ^ Department for Transport Rail Group (2005), Route prospectus for the … Looe Valley Line and … Tamar Valley Line
  5. ^ Harris, Nigel (2008). "Taking trains back to Tavistock". Rail (590): 40-45. Bauer. 

[edit] External links

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