Dartmouth and Torbay Railway

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The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, United Kingdom. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway.

The line to Paignton is now part of First Great Western's Riviera Line, the remaining section is operated by the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.

1 Chronology
2 Stations
3 Dartmouth Ferry
4 References

[edit] Chronology

1848 South Devon Railway opened to Torre
1857 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway authorised by Act of Parliament
1859 Railway opened from Torre to Paignton
1861 Railway extended to Churston
1864 Railway completed to Kingswear
1866 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway leased to the South Devon Railway
1868 Torbay and Brixham Railway opened from a junction at Churston
1872 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway amalgamated with the South Devon Railway
1876 South Devon Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
1892 Converted to standard gauge
1948 Great Western Railway nationalised into British Railways
1963 Brixham branch closed
1972 Railway beyond Goodrington sold as a heritage railway

[edit] Stations

Torquay
Preston Platform (1911 - ????)
Paignton
Goodrington Sands (Opened 1928 as Goodrington, renamed in 1929)
Churston (Brixham Road until 1868)
Britannia Halt (1877 - ????)
Kingswear

[edit] Dartmouth Ferry

Early plans had been for the railway to reach the important harbour at Dartmouth, however this proved impossible, so the railway operated a ferry across the River Dart from their railway terminus at Kingswear to a "station" at Dartmouth. The ferry has passed with the railway the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.

[edit] References

Beck, Keith (1990). The Great Western in South Devon. Didcot: Wild Swan Publication. ISBN 0-906867-90-8.
Potts, C R (1998). The Newton Abbot to Kingswear Railway (1844 - 1988). Oxford: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-853613-87-7.
Railway company records can be consulted at The National Archives