Teign Valley Line

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The Teign Valley Line was a single line railway that ran from Heathfield, Devon to Exeter via the Teign Valley. It had main stations at Chudleigh, Christow and Ide before joining the South Devon main line at Exeter City Basin Junction. Other stations were at Ashton, Trusham, Heathfield and Longdown. The Teign Valley Railway Company was given Royal Assent in 1863 and opened in 1882 from the Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway's station at Heathfield, to Christow. In 1903 the line was extended to Exeter. It served mineral mines in the valley and also had a passenger service. For a brief time there was an engine shed at Ashton.

Ironically, the mineral traffic that had provided much of the line's revenues was also its downfall, as the quarries provided roadstone for Devon's expanding and improving road network. In the 1920s and 1930s, the new motor bus services meant that passenger traffic dwindled. The mineral traffic soon followed. Meanwhile, the Great Western Railway placed camp coaches in some of the stations, which appear to have provided popular holiday accommodation.

However, the line was kept open, seeing a resurgence of traffic during the restrictions and petrol rationing after the Second World War. But closure was inevitable, and came in June 1958 for passenger trains. In 1961 the line closed from Christow to Exeter due to flooding. Gradual withdrawal of freight saw the line finally close in 1967. The A38 road covers some of the route from Heathfield to Chudleigh. At Christow Station there is a preservation society.

[edit] References

• Pomroy, L W (1984). The Teign Valley Line. Poole: Oxford Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-86093-194-3. 
• Kay, Peter (1996). The Teign Valley Line. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 1-874103-28-3. 
• Jenkins, S C; Pomroy, L J (1989). The Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway. Oxford: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-389-3. 
• Fenton, Mike (1999). Camp Coach Holidays on the GWR. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 1-874103-53-4.