Torquay railway station
Encyclopedia
Torquay railway station is on the Riviera Line
and serves the seaside resort
of Torquay
, Devon
, England
. The station is operated by First Great Western
. It is just a few yards from the sea at Abbey Sands.
South Devon Railway
on 18 December 1848, but this station
was on the hill distant from the harbour at the centre of the town. A new station near Abbey Sands was opened by the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
on 2 August 1859 when the original station was renamed "Torre". Goods traffic continued to be handled at the original station, the new one retaining a more genteel atmosphere with just passengers, their horse and carriages.
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was always operated by the South Devon Railway and was amalgamated with it on 1 January 1872. This was only short lived as the South Devon Railway was in turn amalgamated into the Great Western Railway
on 1 February 1876. A vastly improved station was opened on 1 September 1878 and the line, which had been a single track with a passing loop in the station, was doubled in 1882. A small signal box
was opened at each end of the station in 1878, that at the Newton Abbot end has been demolished but the one at the Paignton end is now rented out as an office.
The line was converted to standard gauge
on 20 May 1892. The line towards Paignton was doubled on 30 October 1910, the work for which meant the opening out of the 133 yards (122 m) Livermead Tunnel which was at the top of the gradient south of the station. At around the same time the signalling was all concentrated in the South signal box, although the North box was retained as a ground frame to work points for sidings at this end of the station.
The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways in 1948. The North ground frame was demolished in 1966 as the sidings had been taken out of use. The South signal box was closed on 1 November 1984, although it had only been opened on busy days since October 1968.
In connection with the doubling of the line Torquay Gas House Signal Box was opened here on 24 July 1910. In addition to controlling the entrance to the gas works was used to increase the capacity of the line on busy days until 4 December 1966.
The siding saw very heavy traffic of coal brought up from the quay at Kingswear. When a ship arrived ninety empty wagons were sent to Kingswear and, as they were loaded, they were tripped up to the Gas House Siding. Depending on the locomotive type available that day, the loaded trains might be restricted to as few as 10 wagons due to the severe gradients on the line. Each ship provided up to 160 wagon loads.
A similar problem happened on 16 August 1875 when a goods train failed to stop outside the station and ran into the main platform, which was occupied by a passenger train from Kingswear to Newton
at the time. The driver was checking over his locomotive when he saw the train coming towards him, so he jumped back onto the footplate but immediately ran off onto the platform. His fireman had taken the brakes off and put the locomotive in gear in order to reverse it out of the way and, when he saw the driver come back onto the footplate, jumped off without realising that the driver did not stay on the footplate. The goods train now collided with the driverless passenger train, which was now slowly moving back the way it had come. It ran backwards up the gradient through Livermead Tunnel, gathered speed as dropped down through Paignton station, passing over the two level crossing
s and a third one at Tanners Lane, and then chugged up the gradient towards Churston
. The guard had been left behind at Torquay, but two railway workers were on board and made their way along the footboards on the outside of the carriages, Robert Harley applying the brakes on each of the carriages while Edward Purcell made his way onto the locomotive to bring it to a stand. By the time they had done this the train was more than three miles from Torquay station. These two men were presented by the railway company with an inscribed silver watch and £25 each as a reward but the driver who ran away was dismissed and his fireman demoted.
On 25 August 1962, a busy holiday Saturday, a train hauled by a Warship Class diesel
stalled while climbing the gradient from Torquay towards Paignton. Although it was protected by signals, the following train – hauled by a Hall Class steam locomotive
– ran past these and collided with the rear of the stalled train.
The station has two ranges of buildings, each 244 feet (74.4 m) long, built in local grey rubble
stone on either platform
. Deep canopies on composite iron and wood girders cover the platforms; there are further canopies on the road side of both buildings. Only the building which faces the sea at Abbey Sands and the town is still used and this houses the ticket office and a cafe; the building on the other platform is locked out of use although the gate from this approach road is open when trains are running. The one remaining signal box (now rented out for commercial purposes) is situated at the south end of this platform near a decorative cast iron bridge across the tracks.
The forecourt in front of the main building is shaded by trees and is raised above the road by an arched retaining wall. The Grand Hotel is on the right of passengers leaving the station, and the sea front is just beyond. Buses to the harbour and town centre stop on the sea front by the road leading to the station.
The platform nearest the sea is served by trains towards , the opposite platform being used for trains towards . There is step-free access to both platforms and a wide footbridge links them.
local trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run between and Paignton; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids and Paignton. A few long distance trains also call at Torquay, especially during the summer months. First Great Western operate trains from London Paddington station, including the Torbay Express
. CrossCountry
services operate from the North of England. At other times passengers travelling change into main line trains at Newton Abbot
.
Mayoral Vision of 2007, it was proposed that this station is re-branded to become 'Torquay Seafront Station', and the current Torre Railway Station be renamed 'Torquay Central Station'.
Riviera Line
The Riviera Line is a local railway line that connects the city of Exeter to the "English Riviera" resorts of Torbay in Devon, England. It is closely linked with the Exeter to Plymouth Line with which it shares the route along the South Devon sea wall...
and serves the seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
of Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station is 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....
. It is just a few yards from the sea at Abbey Sands.
History
A railway station serving Torquay had been opened by the 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 :...
South Devon Railway
South 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 18 December 1848, but this station
Torre railway station
Torre station is a suburban station on the Riviera Line in Torquay, Devon, England. The station is operated by First Great Western but is not staffed; except for one evening train it is only served by local services.-History:...
was on the hill distant from the harbour at the centre of the town. A new station near Abbey Sands was opened by the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
Dartmouth and Torbay Railway
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, England. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway....
on 2 August 1859 when the original station was renamed "Torre". Goods traffic continued to be handled at the original station, the new one retaining a more genteel atmosphere with just passengers, their horse and carriages.
The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was always operated by the South Devon Railway and was amalgamated with it on 1 January 1872. This was only short lived as the South Devon Railway was in turn amalgamated into 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...
on 1 February 1876. A vastly improved station was opened on 1 September 1878 and the line, which had been a single track with a passing loop in the station, was doubled in 1882. A small 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 opened at each end of the station in 1878, that at the Newton Abbot end has been demolished but the one at the Paignton end is now rented out as an office.
The line was converted to 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...
on 20 May 1892. The line towards Paignton was doubled on 30 October 1910, the work for which meant the opening out of the 133 yards (122 m) Livermead Tunnel which was at the top of the gradient south of the station. At around the same time the signalling was all concentrated in the South signal box, although the North box was retained as a ground frame to work points for sidings at this end of the station.
The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways in 1948. The North ground frame was demolished in 1966 as the sidings had been taken out of use. The South signal box was closed on 1 November 1984, although it had only been opened on busy days since October 1968.
Torquay Gas Works
The local gas works are situated above the cliffs at Hollacombe, 1 miles (1.6 km) south of the station. During the Gas House Sidings' construction there was a potentially serious accident on 21 September 1866 when a train from Kingswear ran through an incomplete set of points and derailed.In connection with the doubling of the line Torquay Gas House Signal Box was opened here on 24 July 1910. In addition to controlling the entrance to the gas works was used to increase the capacity of the line on busy days until 4 December 1966.
The siding saw very heavy traffic of coal brought up from the quay at Kingswear. When a ship arrived ninety empty wagons were sent to Kingswear and, as they were loaded, they were tripped up to the Gas House Siding. Depending on the locomotive type available that day, the loaded trains might be restricted to as few as 10 wagons due to the severe gradients on the line. Each ship provided up to 160 wagon loads.
Accidents
In common with most railways at the time, the early days saw many small accidents and incidents at Torquay. Two significant collisions occurred when trains descending the gradient from Torre ran onto the wrong line. On 15 April 1868 a goods train ran away and collided with an empty passenger train that was standing on the middle siding between the two platform tracks, knocking the train back more than 100 yards (91.4 m). The driver and fireman on the passenger train jumped off their locomotive when they saw the goods train coming towards them, but the driver fell under the train and was killed.A similar problem happened on 16 August 1875 when a goods train failed to stop outside the station and ran into the main platform, which was occupied by a passenger train from Kingswear to Newton
Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is from London on the Exeter to Plymouth line via the Reading to Taunton line, at the junction for the branch to . For many years it was also the junction for Moretonhampstead and the site of a large locomotive...
at the time. The driver was checking over his locomotive when he saw the train coming towards him, so he jumped back onto the footplate but immediately ran off onto the platform. His fireman had taken the brakes off and put the locomotive in gear in order to reverse it out of the way and, when he saw the driver come back onto the footplate, jumped off without realising that the driver did not stay on the footplate. The goods train now collided with the driverless passenger train, which was now slowly moving back the way it had come. It ran backwards up the gradient through Livermead Tunnel, gathered speed as dropped down through Paignton station, passing over the two level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s and a third one at Tanners Lane, and then chugged up the gradient towards Churston
Churston railway station
Churston railway station is on the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Torbay, Devon, England. It is on the main road to Brixham and close to the villages of Galmpton and Churston Ferrers.-Before preservation:...
. The guard had been left behind at Torquay, but two railway workers were on board and made their way along the footboards on the outside of the carriages, Robert Harley applying the brakes on each of the carriages while Edward Purcell made his way onto the locomotive to bring it to a stand. By the time they had done this the train was more than three miles from Torquay station. These two men were presented by the railway company with an inscribed silver watch and £25 each as a reward but the driver who ran away was dismissed and his fireman demoted.
On 25 August 1962, a busy holiday Saturday, a train hauled by a Warship Class diesel
British Rail Class 42
British Railways' Type 4 Warship class diesel-hydraulic locomotives were introduced in 1958. It was apparent at that time that the largest centre of expertise on diesel-hydraulic locomotives was in Germany...
stalled while climbing the gradient from Torquay towards Paignton. Although it was protected by signals, the following train – hauled by a Hall Class steam locomotive
GWR 4900 Class
The Great Western Railway 4900 Class or Hall Class is a class of 4-6-0 mixed traffic steam locomotives designed by Charles Collett. A total of 259 were built, numbered 4900–4999, 5900–5999 and 6900–6958. The LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 and LNER Thompson Class B1 both drew heavily on design features...
– ran past these and collided with the rear of the stalled train.
Description
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
stone on either platform
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...
. Deep canopies on composite iron and wood girders cover the platforms; there are further canopies on the road side of both buildings. Only the building which faces the sea at Abbey Sands and the town is still used and this houses the ticket office and a cafe; the building on the other platform is locked out of use although the gate from this approach road is open when trains are running. The one remaining signal box (now rented out for commercial purposes) is situated at the south end of this platform near a decorative cast iron bridge across the tracks.
The forecourt in front of the main building is shaded by trees and is raised above the road by an arched retaining wall. The Grand Hotel is on the right of passengers leaving the station, and the sea front is just beyond. Buses to the harbour and town centre stop on the sea front by the road leading to the station.
The platform nearest the sea is served by trains towards , the opposite platform being used for trains towards . There is step-free access to both platforms and a wide footbridge links them.
Services
Torquay 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....
local trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run between and Paignton; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids and Paignton. A few long distance trains also call at Torquay, especially during the summer months. First Great Western operate trains from London Paddington station, including the Torbay Express
Torbay Express
The Torbay Express is a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.-Great Western Railway:Historically, the Torbay Express name was applied to services operated by the Great Western Railway from London Paddington to Torquay and Paignton....
. CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services operate from the North of England. At other times passengers travelling change into main line trains at Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is from London on the Exeter to Plymouth line via the Reading to Taunton line, at the junction for the branch to . For many years it was also the junction for Moretonhampstead and the site of a large locomotive...
.
Proposed name
In the Torbay CouncilTorbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
Mayoral Vision of 2007, it was proposed that this station is re-branded to become 'Torquay Seafront Station', and the current Torre Railway Station be renamed 'Torquay Central Station'.