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Yeoford to Bere Alston

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03_179

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Morning folks,,

I've googled but cannot see the stations stations between the thse two stations.

I know Stamford Courney, Tavistock and Okehampton.

Were there others .. what were the stations in order from Yeoford to Bere Alston please?

Thanks in advance.
 
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pdeaves

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I believe thus:
Bere Alston
Tavistock North
Brentor
Lydford
Bridestowe
Meldon Quarry
Okehampton
Sampford Courtenay
North Tawton
Bow
Yeoford
 

Calthrop

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To the best of my knowledge -- consulting the Ian Allan Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer, and Tony Dewick's Complete Atlas of Railway Station Names: your "missing" stations are as follows (in bold): after Yeoford, Bow, and North Tawton. Then Sampford Courtenay (correct spelling), then Okehampton. There follow Meldon (was in times of "ordinary regular passenger use of line", Meldon Quarry Halt, for rail staff use only), Bridestowe, Lydford (LSW / Southern), and Brentor. Next Tavistock (North / LSW / Southern); next Bere Alston.

ETA @pdeaves -- you "ninja'd" me, as they say.
 
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30907

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Meldon Quarry was shown as plain Quarry Halt in the (1960) working timetable.
I can't find any reference to a separate Meldon Station (there was of course a signalbox and sidings at the junction, but that's a different location) in timetables or the Nicholas and Reeve tome on the Okehampton Line - do you have more info?
 

03_179

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Thanks to all
Meldon Quarry was shown as plain Quarry Halt in the (1960) working timetable.
I can't find any reference to a separate Meldon Station (there was of course a signalbox and sidings at the junction, but that's a different location) in timetables or the Nicholas and Reeve tome on the Okehampton Line - do you have more info?

Would you be able to take a photo of a weekday page for middle of day of the Working Timetable if possible please ?
 

Calthrop

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Meldon matters: I was going by Dewick's Complete Atlas -- a bit of a rash thing to do -- the tome is information-crammed, but more than seldom, Mr. Dewick seems to suffer from a touch of the Grimms / Hans Andersens. My interpretation of that bit of his relevant map: is that he shows a nowadays passenger-open Meldon station -- which I assumed, a creation of the modern certain-days heritage-type workings in the direction of Okehampton and beyond -- with note that it was formerly, "Meldon Quarry Staff Halt, for use of railwaymen".
 

30907

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Would you be able to take a photo of a weekday page for middle of day of the Working Timetable if possible please ?
Sorry, haven't a paper copy, it's online. To access it you'd have to join the Southern Email Group via http://semgonline.com/

he shows a nowadays passenger-open Meldon station -- which I assumed, a creation of the modern certain-days heritage-type workings in the direction of Okehampton and beyond -- with note that it was formerly, "Meldon Quarry Staff Halt, for use of railwaymen".
So the same place (though I hope the platform is longer now than in in BR days).
 

341o2

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Between Tavistock and Lydford, there was also the GW branch to Launceston. for once, the two railways seemed to cooperate as the GW had Mary Tavy station and the Southern Brentor. Lydford was a joint station, then the two railways went their separate ways. Bridestowe also had its own branch in the form of the Rattlebrook Peat railway, closed in the 1930's, the trackbed had to be restored for motor lorries as with the outbreak of WW2, the peat was a valuable substitute for coal
 

geoffk

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The GWR and LSWR stations at Lydford were adjacent and in WW1 they were amalgamated as an economy measure. The separate signal boxes were abolished, control passing to a new box with lever frames for each route. A connection between the GWR and LSWR, removed in 1895, was reinstated in 1943 to give flexibility in case of bomb damage to the railways around Plymouth, which was of course a prime enemy target. This allowed trains to leave Plymouth over the GW Launceston branch and reach Exeter via Okehampton. there were also wartime connections at St. Budeaux (still in use) and at Launceston.
 

341o2

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Lydford's signalling also was of considerable interest, especially the "twin" signals, the SR up starter being duplicated - on the right side, a tall one high on the bank for expresses and a short one on the other side for trains having stopped at the station or yard
 
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Ash Bridge

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Sorry, haven't a paper copy, it's online. To access it you'd have to join the Southern Email Group via http://semgonline.com/


So the same place (though I hope the platform is longer now than in in BR days).

Definitely considerably lengthier than its SR predecessor, and situated it appears on top of the former up line formation.
 

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03_179

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Osme great info here thank you very much.

Can I ask if anyone know what the line speed was between Yeoford and Bere Alston please ?
 

30907

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Osme great info here thank you very much.

Can I ask if anyone know what the line speed was between Yeoford and Bere Alston please ?
Can check the 1960 sectional appendix in a couple of days.
From memory Okehampton to Yeoford was the SR standard 85 but Meldon to Bere Alston was downgraded post ww2 to 45. Obviously various shorter restrictions.
 

Cowley

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Can check the 1960 sectional appendix in a couple of days.
From memory Okehampton to Yeoford was the SR standard 85 but Meldon to Bere Alston was downgraded post ww2 to 45. Obviously various shorter restrictions.
Another question I’ve been wondering about recently is which types of diesel would have worked on that section of line (when it was still open through Tavistock)?
I’ve seen photographic evidence of classes 22, 42 and 47 but that’s it.
Obviously plenty of other classes have worked from Yeoford to Meldon, but what about beyond there?
I’d have expected Hymeks to have gone that way but again I can’t find any evidence of that.
 
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'Hymeks' were used on some of the Plymouth - Tavistock stopping services following the Western Region takeover in 1963, as they sought to rapidly eliminate ex-SR steam. These services became DMUs in Sept 1964 following the complete end of steam and withdrawal of the through Waterloo trains. 'Westerns' appeared fairly often on diverted Paddington - Plymouth / Cornwall services due to engineering work or 'issues' at Dawlish - sound familiar? The 'Brighton' (Plymouth to Brighton and v.v.) remained 'Warship' hauled to the end in March 1967.
 

Cowley

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'Hymeks' were used on some of the Plymouth - Tavistock stopping services following the Western Region takeover in 1963, as they sought to rapidly eliminate ex-SR steam. These services became DMUs in Sept 1964 following the complete end of steam and withdrawal of the through Waterloo trains. 'Westerns' appeared fairly often on diverted Paddington - Plymouth / Cornwall services due to engineering work or 'issues' at Dawlish - sound familiar? The 'Brighton' (Plymouth to Brighton and v.v.) remained 'Warship' hauled to the end in March 1967.
I think you’re probably right @Sir Felix Pole, but I can’t find any photographic evidence of them on the route.
It seems likely that they did though.
 
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