Launceston railway station
Encyclopedia
Launceston railway station was situated in Launceston, Cornwall, United Kingdom
. It was served by both the Great Western Railway
(GWR) and London and South Western Railway
(LSWR).
There were actually two stations adjacent to each other, the northern station serving the line to Plymouth, which was built by the Launceston and South Devon Railway (later GWR), and the southern station being on the North Cornwall Railway
(for the LSWR) which was operated by the London and South Western Railway
. The two stations unusually shared a "back to back" signal box from 1916, despite being operated by different railway companies. A connection between the two railways was provided in 1943. The GWR station closed to passengers in 1952, all trains then using the LSWR station.
The Launceston Steam Railway
now operates nearby.
line that connected with the South Devon and Tavistock Railway
to offer a service to Plymouth Millbay railway station
where connections could be made onto trains to London Paddington station. This line eventually became a part of the GWR. It was proposed in 1865 to extend the line to meet the Bude Canal
, but the scheme failed to raise its capital.
On 21 July 1886 a standard gauge
line was opened from Halwill Junction
, built by the North Cornwall Railway
, which gave a direct route over the LSWR
to London Waterloo station.
The two companies kept separate stations for many years but on 22 September 1943 a connection was established between the two lines to give flexibility should the railway lines around Plymouth be damaged by World War II
bombing. Other connections were installed at Lydford railway station
and at St Budeaux. Trains continued to use their own company's platforms but three years after nationalisation and the formation of British Railways, on 18 June 1951 the GWR station became "Launceston North" and the former LSWR station became "Launceston South". These names did not stay in use for long as from 30 June 1952 the passenger trains from Plymouth were routed into the LSWR platforms.
The two companies had, however, used a single signal box
from December 1916 when the GWR's box was closed and the LSWR's widened to take two sets of equipment, one facing each line. The former LSWR's locomotive facilities were closed in the 1940s and locomotives then made use of the adjacent GWR facilities.
Trains were withdrawn from the former GWR line on 31 December 1962, however from 8 September 1964 until 28 February 1966 the line was reopened as far as Lifton railway station for goods traffic. Trains were withdrawn from the former LSWR line on 3 October 1966.
The northernmost platform one was that used, until 1952, by the GWR trains to and from Plymouth. As well as the track alongside the platform, there were two sidings and the southern one was alongside a loading platform. South of this was the platform for LSWR trains towards London, and then that for LSWR trains towards Padstow. It was on this latter platform that the LSWR's offices were situated.
There were goods sheds for both lines, that for the GWR north of their platform; that for the LSWR south of theirs. Engine shed
s for both lines were situated at the east end of the station between the two lines.
has been built in a cutting slightly to the west of the old station site, using the canopy formerly at Tavistock North railway station
. The railway started operation in 1983.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was served by both the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) and London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(LSWR).
There were actually two stations adjacent to each other, the northern station serving the line to Plymouth, which was built by the Launceston and South Devon Railway (later GWR), and the southern station being on the North Cornwall Railway
North Cornwall Railway
The North Cornwall Railway was a railway line running from Halwill in Devon to Padstow in Cornwall via Launceston, Camelford and Wadebridge, a distance of 49 miles 67 chains. Opened in the last decade of the nineteenth century, it was part of a drive by the London and South Western Railway to...
(for the LSWR) which was operated by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
. The two stations unusually shared a "back to back" signal box from 1916, despite being operated by different railway companies. A connection between the two railways was provided in 1943. The GWR station closed to passengers in 1952, all trains then using the LSWR station.
The Launceston Steam Railway
Launceston Steam Railway
The Launceston Steam Railway is narrow gauge railway operating from the town of Launceston in Cornwall. The railway is built on the trackbed of the North Cornwall Railway to the gauge of and runs for 2½ miles to Newmills, where there is a farm park....
now operates nearby.
History
The station was opened on 1 June 1865 by the Launceston and South Devon Railway, a broad gaugeBroad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
line that connected with the South Devon and Tavistock Railway
South Devon and Tavistock Railway
The South Devon and Tavistock Railway was a broad gauge railway linking Plymouth with Tavistock in Devon, England. It opened in 1859, was extended by the Launceston and South Devon Railway to Launceston, Cornwall, in 1865, and was closed in 1962....
to offer a service to Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station was the original railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England. It was used for passenger trains from 1849 to 1941.- History :...
where connections could be made onto trains to London Paddington station. This line eventually became a part of the GWR. It was proposed in 1865 to extend the line to meet the Bude Canal
Bude Canal
The Bude Canal was a canal built to serve the hilly hinterland in the Devon and Cornwall border territory in the United Kingdom, chiefly to bring lime-bearing sand for agricultural fertiliser. The Bude Canal system was one of the most unusual in Britain....
, but the scheme failed to raise its capital.
On 21 July 1886 a standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
line was opened from Halwill Junction
Halwill Junction railway station
Halwill Junction Railway Station was a railway station near the villages of Halwill and Beaworthy in Devon. It opened in 1879 and formed an important junction between the now-closed Bude Branch and North Cornwall line...
, built by the North Cornwall Railway
North Cornwall Railway
The North Cornwall Railway was a railway line running from Halwill in Devon to Padstow in Cornwall via Launceston, Camelford and Wadebridge, a distance of 49 miles 67 chains. Opened in the last decade of the nineteenth century, it was part of a drive by the London and South Western Railway to...
, which gave a direct route over the LSWR
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
to London Waterloo station.
The two companies kept separate stations for many years but on 22 September 1943 a connection was established between the two lines to give flexibility should the railway lines around Plymouth be damaged by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bombing. Other connections were installed at Lydford railway station
Lydford railway station
Lydford railway station was a junction at Lydford between the Great Western Railway and London and South Western Railway situated in a remote part of north-west Dartmoor in Devon, England.-History:...
and at St Budeaux. Trains continued to use their own company's platforms but three years after nationalisation and the formation of British Railways, on 18 June 1951 the GWR station became "Launceston North" and the former LSWR station became "Launceston South". These names did not stay in use for long as from 30 June 1952 the passenger trains from Plymouth were routed into the LSWR platforms.
The two companies had, however, used a single signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
from December 1916 when the GWR's box was closed and the LSWR's widened to take two sets of equipment, one facing each line. The former LSWR's locomotive facilities were closed in the 1940s and locomotives then made use of the adjacent GWR facilities.
Trains were withdrawn from the former GWR line on 31 December 1962, however from 8 September 1964 until 28 February 1966 the line was reopened as far as Lifton railway station for goods traffic. Trains were withdrawn from the former LSWR line on 3 October 1966.
Description
The LSWR route passed over the GWR line east of the station and the 1943 connection was situated between this lattice girder bridge and the station.The northernmost platform one was that used, until 1952, by the GWR trains to and from Plymouth. As well as the track alongside the platform, there were two sidings and the southern one was alongside a loading platform. South of this was the platform for LSWR trains towards London, and then that for LSWR trains towards Padstow. It was on this latter platform that the LSWR's offices were situated.
There were goods sheds for both lines, that for the GWR north of their platform; that for the LSWR south of theirs. Engine shed
Engine shed
Engine shed may refer to:* Engine shed, also called a motive power depot or roundhouse, a structure used for the maintenance of railway locomotives.* Engine Shed , a music and entertainment venue on the University of Lincoln's campus....
s for both lines were situated at the east end of the station between the two lines.
Launceston Steam Railway
Today, the site of both original stations are covered by an industrial estate. A station for the Launceston Steam RailwayLaunceston Steam Railway
The Launceston Steam Railway is narrow gauge railway operating from the town of Launceston in Cornwall. The railway is built on the trackbed of the North Cornwall Railway to the gauge of and runs for 2½ miles to Newmills, where there is a farm park....
has been built in a cutting slightly to the west of the old station site, using the canopy formerly at Tavistock North railway station
Tavistock North railway station
Tavistock North was a railway station operated by the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway, serving the town of Tavistock. The station opened on 2 June 1890 and closed on 6 May 1968. The main station building has been completely restored by its current owners and converted in to 3...
. The railway started operation in 1983.