Exeter city basin branch

[longylong]

Hi

Does anyone have any pictures of the old city basin line located just passed st Thomas station at the same point the teign valley line joined the main line.

Growing up in Exeter I clearly remember there being a set of buffers just off the main road near haven banks but never really understanding their relevance to the area. Now I'm older and have researched it I would love some information, stories or pictures of the line if anyone can please share. I have of course visited Cornwall railway society page which pulled up some interesting pics to arouse my curiosity.

 

[Cowley]

I've pm'd you Longylong. Got a few memories of the branch still being used.

 

[davetheguard]

Didn't there used to be a very strange semaphore signal visible from trains on the main line above? I seem to remember it looking like a distant complete with chevron, but with the colour (red) of a home signal.

I hope I've remembered it correctly, but I've no idea of the meaning of the unusual design.

 

[longylong]

Didn't there used to be a very strange semaphore signal visible from trains on the main line above? I seem to remember it looking like a distant complete with chevron, but with the colour (red) of a home signal.

I hope I've remembered it correctly, but I've no idea of the meaning of the unusual design.

Hi Dave I'm afraid I must be to young to remember the signal box although I have seen pictures of it since.

We used to travel fromSt Davids to anywhere between Dawlish Warren and Paignton back in the 90's for our beach days out so it's possible it was there I just never noticed?

 

[Cowley]

Didn't there used to be a very strange semaphore signal visible from trains on the main line above? I seem to remember it looking like a distant complete with chevron, but with the colour (red) of a home signal.

I hope I've remembered it correctly, but I've no idea of the meaning of the unusual design.

It did have a couple of unusual signals.
There's a few traces of the old branch still left now, the bridge under the main line and the trackbed leading up to the westbound mainline from the Exeter side. I remember seeing an 08 on it now and again in the 80s.
The quay still has one of the old wagon turntable pits in situ, the other one is now under a modern building although it is apparently protected.
I mentioned to Longylong that there used to be a graffiti covered warehouse on the Alphington side more or less where Aldi is now that was served by a spur off the Marsh Barton line. Does anyone remember it? Or have any photos of the area?

 

[longylong]

http://picssr.com/photos/110691393@N07/interesting/page22?nsid=110691393@N07

Hope that link works and that's the area your talking about? The image comes up on google by just searching Exeter canal basin railway.

I think in the distance is St Thomas with its cover still on.

 

[John Webb]

Didn't there used to be a very strange semaphore signal visible from trains on the main line above? I seem to remember it looking like a distant complete with chevron, but with the colour (red) of a home signal.

I hope I've remembered it correctly, but I've no idea of the meaning of the unusual design.

Have a look at this unusual signal - it's the last but one photo on the linked page:
https://signalbox.org/signals/gw.htm

 

[Ash Bridge]

I mentioned to Longylong that there used to be a graffiti covered warehouse on the Alphington side more or less where Aldi is now that was served by a spur off the Marsh Barton line. Does anyone remember it? Or have any photos of the area?

Looking at google satellite view it seems like that track is still connected to the former Teign Valley metals although now reduced to just a short stub ending at at buffer stop.

 

[Cowley]

http://picssr.com/photos/110691393@N07/interesting/page22?nsid=110691393@N07

Hope that link works and that's the area your talking about? The image comes up on google by just searching Exeter canal basin railway.

I think in the distance is St Thomas with its cover still on.

That photo is a bit of a gem, I hadn't seen it before. Well done for finding that.

 

[Cowley]

Have a look at this unusual signal - it's the last but one photo on the linked page:
https://signalbox.org/signals/gw.htm

That's the signal I'd seen photos of but I don't remember seeing it myself. Would it have gone when the area was resignalled in the mid 80s?

 

[Cowley]

Looking at google satellite view it seems like that track is still connected to the former Teign Valley metals although now reduced to just a short stub ending at at buffer stop.

That's right. It was removed some years ago now. Since then B&Q sprung up on the site but has since closed. The old warehouse was called the 'Hall of Fame' by the local yoofs at the time and was covered in graffiti which seemed to change every week (this was in the 80s). It had a little platform and had something of the downtown Chicago feel about it.
It was a very rarely photographed area but it was constantly passed by loco hauled trains.

 

[longylong]

https://signalbox.org/diagrams.php?id=423

Another link with original track layout

 

[davetheguard]

Have a look at this unusual signal - it's the last but one photo on the linked page:
https://signalbox.org/signals/gw.htm

Hello John,

I think that must have been the signal I was talking about. Clearly its not red, so my memory is probably playing tricks on me; unless there was a second unique style of signal on the same branch!

It was certainly visible from the main line; I had never been "on the ground" in that part of Exeter until about a year ago.

 

[longylong]

So what is it that made that signal unique? I don't really understand modern light or the old steam signals

 

[Ash Bridge]

So what is it that made that signal unique? I don't really understand modern light or the old steam signals

I think the uniqueness of this semaphore signal was the fact that normally a Distant type signal (that is the type which have a yellow background with a black v or fishtail) also have the V cut out at the left side end of the arm, but this one clearly doesn't have and is the same shape as a Home signal which has a red background with a white band towards the left side of the arm, sorry but that's the best way I can describe it as a non-expert.

 

[John Webb]

I think the uniqueness of this semaphore signal was the fact that normally a Distant type signal (that is the type which have a yellow background with a black v or fishtail) also have the V cut out at the left side end of the arm, but this one clearly doesn't have and is the same shape as a Home signal which has a red background with a white band towards the left side of the arm, sorry but that's the best way I can describe it as a non-expert.

Quite correct. To make life easy, here is a link to the main page about signals https://signalbox.org/signals.shtml which explains about semaphore signalling.