Devon and Somerset Railway
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The Devon and Somerset Railway ran from near Taunton in Somerset to Barnstaple in North Devon. It was operated from the outset by the Bristol and Exeter Railway which became part of the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876.
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[edit] History
The Act of Parliament that authorised the Devon and Somerset Railway received assent on 29 July 1864. The first small 7.25 miles (12 km) section of the branch was opened on 8 June 1871, from Watchet Junction at Norton Fitzwarren to Wiveliscombe on the edge of Exmoor. The 35.75 miles (58 km) extension to Barnstaple was not completed until 1 November 1873. Throughout its length the line was single track with passing loops at Wiveliscombe, Dulverton and South Molton. It featured steep gradients of up to 1 in 60, two large viaducts and three tunnels.
The line was originally 7 ft 0¼ in (2,140 mm) broad gauge. After the last train ran on 14 May 1881 the line was converted to 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) gauge and reopened on 18 May 1881. This paved the way for a connection to the London and South Western Railway at Barnstaple, which was opened on 1 June 1887, after which Great Western trains ran through to Ilfracombe along that company's Ilfracombe Branch Line. The Devon and Somerset Railway station was named Barnstaple Victoria Road from 1949 to distinguish it from Barnstaple Junction and Barnstaple Town railway stations, both originally built by the LSWR.
The Devon and Somerset Railway was finally purchased by the Great Western Railway in 1901.
With the increase in people taking holidays during the 1930s, the line carried heavy weekend traffic, including through expresses to Ilfracombe. Falling passenger numbers after World War II, blamed on the increase in car traffic, made the line uneconomical. Following the Beeching Report, during 1963 the decision was taken to route most trains via Exeter. The line closed after 1 October 1966. The section between Barnstaple Victoria Road and Barnstaple Junction was kept open until 30 May 1970 for freight.
The A361 North Devon Link Road was incorporated into sections of the former trackbed between the roundabout with the A39 road near Tescos in Barnstaple and the South Molton Station road junction, in 1989. However much of the former trackbed is largely intact with most of the station buildings now converted for use as private dwellings. Many relics still exist, for instance, the Filleigh station sign still may be found in the car park of the village hall, while at the former Venn Cross station there is a set of semaphore signals.
[edit] Stations
- Taunton – (Bristol and Exeter Railway)
- Norton Fitzwarren – (Bristol and Exeter Railway from 1873)
- Milverton – serving Milverton
- Wivelscombe – serving Wiveliscombe, now a road transport depot
- Venn Cross – serving Venn Cross, now a private dwelling
- Morebath – Morebath
- Morebath Junction Halt – junction for Exe Valley line to Tiverton and Exeter St Davids
- Dulverton – ternimus for the Exe Valley railway and serving the town of Dulverton
- East Anstey – serving East Anstey
- Yeo Mill Halt – serving Yeo Mill
- Bishops Nympton and Molland – serving Bishops Nympton and Molland
- South Molton – serving South Molton, now private dwellings
- Filleigh – serving Filleigh
- Swimbridge – serving Swimbridge
- Barnstaple Victoria Road
[edit] Engineering
- Tone Viaduct, Venn Cross, a wrought iron viaduct 162 yards long and 101 feet above the valley floor
- Castle Hill (or Filleigh) Viaduct, Filleigh, a wrought iron viaduct 232 yards long and 94 feet high
- Bathealton Tunnel, 440 yards long
- Venn Cross Tunnel, 246 yards long
- Nightcote Tunnel, a short tunnel near Dulverton
- Castle Hill Tunnel, 317 yards long
[edit] References
- Cooke, RA (1979). Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR, Section 15: North Devon. Harwell: RA Cooke.
- MacDermot, E T (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, volume II 1863-1921. London: Great Western Railway.
- Oakley, Mike (2002). Somerset Railway Stations. Wimbourne: The Dovecote Press. ISBN 1-90434-909-9.
- (1976) Pre-grouping Atlas and Gazetteer. Shepperton: Ian Allan Limited. ISBN 0-71100-320-3.
