8th November 2023

Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway
Celebrates 200 years
26th September 1823 to 26th September 2023
By Edward Hooper

​The trip was only 25 miles of cycling but with the early start, all the deviations and the ascent from sea level to 1361 feet this felt quite a tiring day.

Edward Hooper gives us a six part  detailed report, which makes very good reading, of a journey by bicycle tracing this ancient railway route which makes very good reading  by bicycle from start to finish giving the history of the line. It  is illustrated by over sixty maps, diagrams and photographs.

Sutton Harbour aerial view, showing ships being broken up. Sutton harbour Railway Station in the bottom righthand corner of the view adjacent to Johnson’s Quay. Date of photograph unknown but there are steam ships and various other clues, so maybe 1930s. Courtesy of the SHIPS project. https://www.shipsproject.org/Wrecks/Wk_Sutton.html

Before we depart Plymouth this is an interesting view of “Laira Wharf” (understood to be Martin’s Wharf), taken 01 September 1929, long after the P&DR ceased to carry stone from the moors in the 1880s. Granite setts are however visible and therefore likely to be survivors of the P&DR.. G.N. Southerden.

The Crabtree Inn, at Lower Crabtree, with the Lee Moor Tramway on the left. It is hard to imagine that the above twisty road constituted the main thoroughfare to London; it has now been obliterated by a six-lane Plymouth Road A374. Taken from “Old Plymouth Uncovered” Facebook page but also printed in “Plymouth River: A History of the Laira and Cattewater”, Crispin Gill, 1997.

Leigham tunnel - you can see straight through in this illustration.

The history summarised by a wayside board.

The Railway Hotel, Princetown. The stables for horses were located in the backyard here so it seemed only natural to stay here. Did the P&DR rails ever extend as far as this? The gradual curve of the approach road implies perhaps yes but I have not seen any photographs or maps to suggest so. There were also plans for a railway link to the jail, but these never materialised. Photo is an old Chapman Cards postcard, S/N 11780 https://oldprincetown.weebly.com/

We are sure that you'll want to read further - please click here - its the first item you will come to.  Well worth reading.

A County at Teignmouth
Michael Forward

I send a not very good picture of an Unknown County class rounding the curve at Teignmouth.Taken in ther Summer of 1959 on the old Box Brownie.We used to go to Torquay on holiday for a few years running and no doubt this was a day trip,my only visit there in steam days. If only I had a better camera. I have not cropped out the bystanders as I know some viewers like the human interest and it dates the scene, Summer shirt and grey flannels, no leisure wear then! Thanks, Michael Copyright Michael Forward

Many Thanks Michael watching the train at Teignmouth

Berkley 
Roger Geach

Berkley nr Westbury 1c89 on the 17.03 Paddington tp Penzance HST on Thursday 5th May 2016. Copyright Roger Geach

Many thanks Roger.

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