Unknown Devon station

[carlwebus]

Hi all

Could some nice person please tell me the location of the station shown in the attached pic?

 

[D6130]

Could some nice person please tell me the location of the station shown in the attached pic?

The sign on the factory in the background reads 'The Devon Fire Clay Company', which I believe was located at Kingsteignton on the outskirts of Newton Abbot. The station serving the area was called 'Teigngrace' - on the Newton Abbot to Moretonhampstead and Exeter via Chudleigh lines - so I suspect that is your mystery location.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is it possibly 'Heathfield' (Devon), originally opened as 'Chudleigh Road'? And a few miles from Newton Abbot.

 

[D6130]

Is it possibly Heathfield (Devon)?

Yes....more likely. Further investigation reveals that Teigngrace was a single platform halt provided for the use of the local landowner, whereas Heathfield was a junction station with a considerable number of industrial sidings. Therefore I would now concur with @Mcr Warrior .

 

[carlwebus]

I'm pretty certain it isn't Teigngrace. I recently researched Newton Abbot to Moretonhampstead for a magazine article. Teigngrace was just a halt (a single platform, with a ticket office and waiting room) - see the attached pic of that station.

Heathfield might be a better bet - The large premises of Candy & Company (Great Western Pottery) a large-scale producer of tiles, glazed bricks, earthenware and other architectural and industrial ceramics, rivalling companies in the Staffordshire Potteries, was located beside the station served by its own siding. Candy & Co. was also the parent company of the Devon & Courtenay Clay Co. Ltd, one of Devon’s largest miners and suppliers of ball clay to the pottery industry. How ever, that doesn't look right either. See the second pic here. Signal box and factory buildings don't look right.

 

[randyrippley]

I think the sign on the building in the background reads "The Devon Fire ***" or similar.
The "Devon" fireplace was manufactured by Candy & Co Ltd, with a works address of
Heathfield Station, Newton Abbott

this page shows a photo of the grate giving the address

Original 1920s advertisement advertising THE DEVON FIRE GRATE, consumer magazine advert circa 1924 Stock Photo - Alamy

Download this stock image: Original 1920s advertisement advertising THE DEVON FIRE GRATE, consumer magazine advert circa 1924 - DEW240 from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors.

www.alamy.com

Wiki entry for Heathfield Station (Devon)

Heathfield railway station (Devon) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Photo from that page at bottom of post
Matching chimney stacks. Signal box in same location in both photos though different access. Factory building matches. However this only shows single track through the station, the original track shows double.
But from the wiki page:

The original station only had one platform serving the Moretonhampstead branch. In 1927 this platform was extended and a new passing loop and platform was provided for down trains came into use on 24 May 1927. Both platforms were signalled for reversible running until 1943 when the crossover was removed. The large pottery of Candy and Company was situated alongside the station and was served by its own siding.

So the photo in the OP is post-1927

 

[norbitonflyer]

Is it possibly 'Heathfield' (Devon), originally opened as 'Chudleigh Road'? And a few miles from Newton Abbot.

Certainly looks like it
http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/heathfield/index.shtml. Note the balustrade on the building above the carriage, which can be seen in the picture in the linked item

 

[D6130]

Fair enough....I admit defeat!

 

[30907]

Here's the signalling diagram for 1896 (consistent with the seond photo) and 1943 (which fits the first).

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/gwe/S902.htm
The photo must be post 1927, but the coach of the Moretonhampstead train is in GW livery so probably pre-war.

The 1927 rebuild allowed through working off the Teigh Valley branch, which was occasionally of use in emergencies. I am puzzled by the reference quoted to reversible working - the 1943 diagram still has a running signal allowing down TV trains into the down (ie from Newton!) platform. I can't work out what alteration was made then, unless the passing loop was extended.

 

[norbitonflyer]

But from the wiki page:


So the photo in the OP is pre-1927

View attachment 152212

TYhe picture on the wki page, without the passing loop, is captioned 1906.

The Disused station site (which is copied verbatim in Wikipedia) says the passing loop was added in 1927, so the picture in the OP is post 1927. A GWR crest can be made out on the - rather grimy - carriage (fifth compartment from the loco) so probably pre-1948

 

[randyrippley]

TYhe picture on the wki page, without the passing loop, is captioned 1906.

The Disused station site (which is copied verbatim in Wikipedia) says the passing loop was added in 1927, so the picture in the OP is post 1927. A GWR crest can be made out on the - rather grimy - carriage (fifth compartment from the loco) so probably pre-1948

Yes you're correct - I had a brain-fart and got the dates confused. I'll amend the post