Plymouth railway station
Encyclopedia
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth
, Devon
, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout. It has the largest number of passengers starting and finishing their journeys at any station in the county
, and is the largest of the six surviving railway stations in the city, being the only one served by InterCity
train
s.
Originally named Plymouth North Road, it was opened in 1877 as a joint station for the Great Western Railway
(GWR) and the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR). It was expanded in 1908 but a major rebuilding scheme that started in 1938 was delayed by the Second World War and was not completed until 1962. John Betjeman
commented unfavourably on its new form in his introduction to The Book of the Great Western:
It is currently operated by First Great Western
, being located on their Exeter to Plymouth line
225.75 miles (363 km) from London Paddington station, but also sees trains operated by CrossCountry
. The Panel Signal Box
at the station controls all trains between in Devon, and in Cornwall
.
on 2 April 1849 at Millbay
, on the site now occupied by the Plymouth Pavilions
. This company amalgamated with the GWR in 1876, just as the LSWR was completing its rival route from London to Plymouth. North Road station was opened on 28 March 1877 to provide a joint facility for trains of both companies. It was just west of the earlier Mutley railway station, while at its west end a new junction allowed direct access to the Cornwall Railway
and the LSWR's Devonport Kings Road railway station
.
The station was built of wood and the platforms were fully covered by train shed
s. It originally had just two through platforms
but additional platforms were added in a scheme executed in 1908. Further major rebuilding work started in 1938; one signal box
was replaced and the second moved to make way for the new works, and Houndiscombe Road bridge at the east end of the station was rebuilt. Work was soon stopped due to the Second World War but on North Road was increased when Millbay station had to be closed to passengers in 1941 following an air raid.
The old LSWR Friary station
was closed from 15 September 1958, following which North Road was renamed as just 'Plymouth'. Further closures during the next few years of former LSWR stations and GWR branch lines has left just six stations in the city ' onMouseout='HidePop("56187")' href="/topics/St_Budeaux_Victoria_Road_railway_station">Victoria Road
and Ferry Road
) – although local passengers also come from stations a little further afield such as , , and .
The rebuilding work was resumed in 1956 and the new station with its large office block, 'Intercity House', was formally opened by Dr Richard Beeching
, the British Railways Chairman, on 26 March 1962. The office block was intended to be the northern point of Armada Way, counterbalancing the tower of the Civic Centre at the southern end, in the Abercrombie
/Paton-Watson 'Plan for Plymouth'. The station now had seven through platforms, although two of these were converted to terminal bay platform
s in 1974. One of these at the west end is usually used for the Tamar Valley Line
service but the longer east end bays were used for parcels and for Royal Mail
trains until the withdrawal of this traffic from the area in 2003. Outside the station a car park was provided, which was rebuilt in its current multistorey form in the 1970s.
The station was originally controlled from two signal box
es. 'North Road East' was situated on the north side of the line to the east of the station, while 'North Road West' was on the south side of the line at the west end of the station where it could control the junction of the original lines to Millbay with the new Cornwall Loop Line to Devonport. The adjacent signal boxes were at Mutley to the east, Cornwall Junction on the Millbay line, and Devonport Junction at the far end of the Cornwall Loop.
Both of the North Road boxes were closed in November 1908 and replaced by new ones with the same names. The West box was now situated on the north side of the line and had 59 levers, while the East box needed just 48. They were each 38 feet (11.6 m) long. Mutley box closed at the same time, the next box now being at Mannamead on the other side of Mutley Tunnel, which had opened about three years earlier.
The rebuilding work of 1938 meant more signalling alterations. On 22 January 1938 the timber West box was lifted up and moved to a new position clear of the proposed works, being brought back into use on 27 January 1938. At the other end of the station the East box was closed and a new 79 feet (24.1 m) structure built, again on the north side of the line, which was brought into use on 25 June 1939.
Both signal boxes were closed on 26 November 1960 when a new 'Plymouth Panel Signal Box' was opened on the west end of the new Platform 1; the West box was subsequently demolished. Multiple-aspect signals have controlled movements of trains throughout the Plymouth area since the opening of this new signal box in 1960. The adjacent boxes were initially at Laira Junction
in the east and Keyham
in the west. The area of control was extended westwards on 2 July] 1973 to meet the signal box at , which in closed in 1998 so the next signal box westwards is now at Liskeard railway station
. Towards the end of 1973 several more signal boxes were closed eastwards from Plymouth, which meant that Plymouth controlled trains until they reached the outer signal of Totnes Signal Box
. Totnes box closed on 9 November 1987 when a new panel signal box at Exeter
was opened.
The station has its entrance on the south side which gives access to the city centre. The west side of the station concourse
is the ticket office, while on the north and east sides are various retail outlets selling food and newspapers. There is also a small buffet outlet on platforms 7 and 8. The platform area is separated from the concourse by ticket gates.
The platforms that can be reached on the level from the concourse are numbered 1 to 4. Platforms 1 and 2 are east-facing bay platforms, not used by passenger trains. Platform 3 is a west-facing bay platform that is mainly used by local services to and sometimes .
The remaining platforms are reached by a subway immediately inside the ticket gates; there are lifts
to the subway on each of the groups of platforms. They are all through tracks and are signalled so that trains can arrive and depart in either direction. Platform 4 is used by most through services towards Penzance, but also for some trains towards London. Platforms 5 and 6 are either side of the middle island platform and are used by a variety of services, including First Great Western local trains and long distance CrossCountry
services. Platforms 7 and 8 are either side of a second island platform; there is a small coffee shop facing the subway steps on this platform. Most First Great Western High Speed Trains
to London Paddington station depart from platform 7, but both these platforms are used by a variety of services from Cornwall
towards London and the North as well as some local services.
Beyond Platform 8 are two tracks, known as Park Sidings, which are used for stabling trains between services, but most trains are nowadays kept on the platform tracks between arrival and departure. There are some more sidings adjacent to platform 1. There is an extra track between platforms 4 and 5 for through goods trains and shunting manoeuvres.
trains on the main line from London, some of which terminate at Plymouth but many continue over the Cornish Main Line
to Penzance
. A number of prestigious named trains operate on this route including the Cornish Riviera
, a fast London to Penzance service, and the overnight Night Riviera
service on the same route.
Most CrossCountry
trains from Scotland
and the North of England via Bristol
terminate at Plymouth, although three continue to Penzance in the evening and return the next morning. On summer weekends some trains from Paddington and some from the North continue into Cornwall
to serve Newquay
.
Local services are provided by First Great Western along the Cornish Main Line and also on the Tamar Valley Line
to . A number of these continue eastwards on the London route to destinations such as .
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout. It has the largest number of passengers starting and finishing their journeys at any station in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
, and is the largest of the six surviving railway stations in the city, being the only one served by InterCity
InterCity
InterCity is the classification applied to certain long-distance passenger train services in Europe...
train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s.
Originally named Plymouth North Road, it was opened in 1877 as a joint station for 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 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...
(LSWR). It was expanded in 1908 but a major rebuilding scheme that started in 1938 was delayed by the Second World War and was not completed until 1962. John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
commented unfavourably on its new form in his introduction to The Book of the Great Western:
-
- Plymouth (North Road) dullest of stations and no less dull now it has been rebuilt in copybook contemporary.
It is currently operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
, being located on their Exeter to Plymouth line
Exeter to Plymouth Line
The Exeter to Plymouth line is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter, to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line...
225.75 miles (363 km) from London Paddington station, but also sees trains operated by CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
. The Panel 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...
at the station controls all trains between in Devon, and in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
History
The first railway station in Plymouth was opened by the South Devon RailwaySouth Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
on 2 April 1849 at Millbay
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 :...
, on the site now occupied by the Plymouth Pavilions
Plymouth Pavilions
Plymouth Pavilions is an entertainment and sports complex in Plymouth, Devon, England. It has a Fun Pool, Ice Rink, Live Cafe and arena. The arena is used for corporate hire and as an entertainment venue....
. This company amalgamated with the GWR in 1876, just as the LSWR was completing its rival route from London to Plymouth. North Road station was opened on 28 March 1877 to provide a joint facility for trains of both companies. It was just west of the earlier Mutley railway station, while at its west end a new junction allowed direct access to the Cornwall Railway
Cornwall Railway
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
and the LSWR's Devonport Kings Road railway station
Devonport Kings Road railway station
Devonport Kings Road railway station was the London and South Western Railway station in Devonport, Devon, England. It opened in 1876 and closed in 1964...
.
The station was built of wood and the platforms were fully covered by train shed
Train shed
A train shed is an adjacent building to a railway station where the tracks and platforms are covered by a roof. It is also known as an overall roof...
s. It originally had just two through platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
but additional platforms were added in a scheme executed in 1908. Further major rebuilding work started in 1938; one 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...
was replaced and the second moved to make way for the new works, and Houndiscombe Road bridge at the east end of the station was rebuilt. Work was soon stopped due to the Second World War but on North Road was increased when Millbay station had to be closed to passengers in 1941 following an air raid.
The old LSWR Friary station
Plymouth Friary railway station
Plymouth Friary railway station was the London and South Western Railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England.-History:London and South Western Railway trains first arrived at Plymouth on 17 May 1876, entering the town from the east...
was closed from 15 September 1958, following which North Road was renamed as just 'Plymouth'. Further closures during the next few years of former LSWR stations and GWR branch lines has left just six stations in the city ' onMouseout='HidePop("56187")' href="/topics/St_Budeaux_Victoria_Road_railway_station">Victoria Road
St Budeaux Victoria Road railway station
St Budeaux Victoria Road railway station is a suburban station in St Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon, England. It is operated by First Great Western but is unstaffed.-History:...
and Ferry Road
St Budeaux Ferry Road railway station
St Budeaux Ferry Road station is a suburban rail station in St Budeaux, Plymouth, England. It is served by First Great Western services during the rush hour only - the vast majority of services pass through non stop due to the proximity of Victoria Road station...
) – although local passengers also come from stations a little further afield such as , , and .
The rebuilding work was resumed in 1956 and the new station with its large office block, 'Intercity House', was formally opened by Dr Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
, the British Railways Chairman, on 26 March 1962. The office block was intended to be the northern point of Armada Way, counterbalancing the tower of the Civic Centre at the southern end, in the Abercrombie
Patrick Abercrombie
Sir Leslie Patrick Abercrombie ) was an English town planner. Educated at Uppingham School, Rutland; brother of Lascelles Abercrombie, poet and literary critic.-Career:...
/Paton-Watson 'Plan for Plymouth'. The station now had seven through platforms, although two of these were converted to terminal bay platform
Bay platform
Bay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
s in 1974. One of these at the west end is usually used for the Tamar Valley Line
Tamar Valley Line
The Tamar Valley Line is a railway line from Devonport in Plymouth Devon, to Gunnislake in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The line follows the River Tamar for much of its route.-History:...
service but the longer east end bays were used for parcels and for Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
trains until the withdrawal of this traffic from the area in 2003. Outside the station a car park was provided, which was rebuilt in its current multistorey form in the 1970s.
Signalling
The station was originally controlled from two 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...
es. 'North Road East' was situated on the north side of the line to the east of the station, while 'North Road West' was on the south side of the line at the west end of the station where it could control the junction of the original lines to Millbay with the new Cornwall Loop Line to Devonport. The adjacent signal boxes were at Mutley to the east, Cornwall Junction on the Millbay line, and Devonport Junction at the far end of the Cornwall Loop.
Both of the North Road boxes were closed in November 1908 and replaced by new ones with the same names. The West box was now situated on the north side of the line and had 59 levers, while the East box needed just 48. They were each 38 feet (11.6 m) long. Mutley box closed at the same time, the next box now being at Mannamead on the other side of Mutley Tunnel, which had opened about three years earlier.
The rebuilding work of 1938 meant more signalling alterations. On 22 January 1938 the timber West box was lifted up and moved to a new position clear of the proposed works, being brought back into use on 27 January 1938. At the other end of the station the East box was closed and a new 79 feet (24.1 m) structure built, again on the north side of the line, which was brought into use on 25 June 1939.
Both signal boxes were closed on 26 November 1960 when a new 'Plymouth Panel Signal Box' was opened on the west end of the new Platform 1; the West box was subsequently demolished. Multiple-aspect signals have controlled movements of trains throughout the Plymouth area since the opening of this new signal box in 1960. The adjacent boxes were initially at Laira Junction
Laira TMD
Laira TMD is a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Plymouth, Devon, England. The depot is operated by First Great Western and is mainly concerned with the overhaul and daily servicing of their fleet of High Speed Trains and also the DMUs used on local services...
in the east and Keyham
Keyham railway station
Keyham railway station is a suburban rail station in the city of Plymouth, England. It is served by First Great Western services between Plymouth and Gunnislake and a very few on the Cornish Main Line to Saltash and beyond....
in the west. The area of control was extended westwards on 2 July] 1973 to meet the signal box at , which in closed in 1998 so the next signal box westwards is now at Liskeard railway station
Liskeard railway station
Liskeard station serves the town of Liskeard in Cornwall, England. The station is west of Plymouth on the Cornish Main Line and it is the junction for the Looe Valley Line.-History:-Cornwall Railway:...
. Towards the end of 1973 several more signal boxes were closed eastwards from Plymouth, which meant that Plymouth controlled trains until they reached the outer signal of Totnes Signal Box
Totnes railway station
Totnes railway station serves the towns of Totnes and Dartington in Devon, England. It is situated on the Exeter to Plymouth line and is operated by First Great Western...
. Totnes box closed on 9 November 1987 when a new panel signal box at Exeter
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
was opened.
Description
Concourse
A concourse is a place where pathways or roads meet, such as in a hotel, a convention center, a railway station, an airport terminal, a hall, or other space.-Examples:Examples of concourses include:* Meeting halls* Universities* Railway stations...
is the ticket office, while on the north and east sides are various retail outlets selling food and newspapers. There is also a small buffet outlet on platforms 7 and 8. The platform area is separated from the concourse by ticket gates.
The platforms that can be reached on the level from the concourse are numbered 1 to 4. Platforms 1 and 2 are east-facing bay platforms, not used by passenger trains. Platform 3 is a west-facing bay platform that is mainly used by local services to and sometimes .
The remaining platforms are reached by a subway immediately inside the ticket gates; there are lifts
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
to the subway on each of the groups of platforms. They are all through tracks and are signalled so that trains can arrive and depart in either direction. Platform 4 is used by most through services towards Penzance, but also for some trains towards London. Platforms 5 and 6 are either side of the middle island platform and are used by a variety of services, including First Great Western local trains and long distance CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services. Platforms 7 and 8 are either side of a second island platform; there is a small coffee shop facing the subway steps on this platform. Most First Great Western High Speed Trains
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
to London Paddington station depart from platform 7, but both these platforms are used by a variety of services from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
towards London and the North as well as some local services.
Beyond Platform 8 are two tracks, known as Park Sidings, which are used for stabling trains between services, but most trains are nowadays kept on the platform tracks between arrival and departure. There are some more sidings adjacent to platform 1. There is an extra track between platforms 4 and 5 for through goods trains and shunting manoeuvres.
Services
Plymouth is served by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
trains on the main line from London, some of which terminate at Plymouth but many continue over the Cornish Main Line
Cornish Main Line
The Cornish Main Line is a railway line in the United Kingdom, which forms the backbone for rail services in Cornwall, as well as providing a direct line to London.- History :...
to Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
. A number of prestigious named trains operate on this route including the Cornish Riviera
Cornish Riviera Express
The Cornish Riviera Express is a British express passenger train that has run between London and Penzance in Cornwall since 1904. Introduced by the Great Western Railway, the name Cornish Riviera Express has been applied to the late morning express train from London Paddington station to Penzance...
, a fast London to Penzance service, and the overnight Night Riviera
Night Riviera
The Night Riviera is a sleeper train service operated by First Great Western. It is one of only two remaining sleeper services on the railway in Great Britain...
service on the same route.
Most CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
trains from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the North of England via Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
terminate at Plymouth, although three continue to Penzance in the evening and return the next morning. On summer weekends some trains from Paddington and some from the North continue into Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
to serve Newquay
Newquay railway station
Newquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par railway station. It is operated by First Great Western and is situated close to the town centre and beaches in Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK.-History:...
.
Local services are provided by First Great Western along the Cornish Main Line and also on the Tamar Valley Line
Tamar Valley Line
The Tamar Valley Line is a railway line from Devonport in Plymouth Devon, to Gunnislake in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The line follows the River Tamar for much of its route.-History:...
to . A number of these continue eastwards on the London route to destinations such as .
Passenger volume
Plymouth sees a larger number of passengers starting or finishing their journey than any other station in Devon, although has more passengers due to a larger number changing trains there. Comparing the year from April 2008 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers increased by 97%.| 2002–03 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entries | 721,187 | 767,066 | 822,804 | 929,105 | 1,018,941 | 1,344,641 | 1,139,359 |
| Exits | 710,487 | 751,945 | 806,207 | 916,808 | 1,007,910 | 1,344,640 | 1,139,359 |
| Interchanges | unknown | 55,154 | 68,832 | 77,728 | 61,934 | 133,496 | 67,194 |
| Total | |1,585,165 | |1,923,686 | |2,822,777 | BBC archive films: Plymouth to Dartmoor train
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