NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 18
Tiverton Junction 03.10.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 16 I described how I travelled from Plymouth to Tiverton Junction on Saturday 3 October 1964. Tiverton Junction Station had a poor train service with a gap of several hours in the up direction through the morning. In 1964 one would have changed into a local train at Exeter St. Davids to reach Tiverton Junction. Sixty years later Tiverton Junction's replacement Tiverton Parkway has a wonderful train service and one can travel from Plymouth to Parkway twice an hour by direct train in as little as 73 minutes. TVP has the quite remarkable figure of 526 scheduled train services per week, with a daily average of 1,436 passengers starting or ending their journey there with an average of 19 passengers per service. These figures are quite remarkable for a station that 60 years ago was lucky to survive the withdrawal of the local train service on and from 5 October 1964.
Tiverton Parkway is actually on the site of the former Sampford Peverell Halt closed in October 1964. Tiverton Junction Station was 1¾ miles further south towards Exeter. Tiverton Junction was enlarged in 1932, when some of the stations between Taunton and Exeter received similar treatment, with four lines through each station – two for through trains and two to platform stopping trains. The station closed on and from 12 May 1986, to be replaced by Tiverton Parkway.
After arriving at the Junction from Halberton at 17.07 I made two complete return trips to Tiverton and back that evening. The last scheduled train out of Tiverton on a Saturday was at 20.50. The train departed 1½ minutes late and reached the Junction just half a minute late – quite amazing for a last train; but it was all low-key, as if the residents of Tiverton had already given up on their trains after the withdrawal of their direct trains to Exeter on the Exe Valley Line. There were about two dozen people at Tiverton Station to see the last advertised train depart. All this was hardly surprising when one sees the rotten connecting service from Tiverton Junction. There were no trains off the junction heading north from 7.53 to 13.40; and heading south from 10.21 to 16.55
I thought it would be interesting to look at the ease and expense of getting from Tiverton Town Centre to Paddington by train in Summer 1964; and by bus and train in Autumn 2024. In 1964 one could leave Tiverton Station at 7.05, change at the junction and again at Taunton and arrive in Paddington at 10.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 3 hours 15 mins. The next train off Tiverton with a main line connection was at 13.25 again changing at the junction and Taunton and arriving in Paddington at 16.45 on The Cornish Riviera Express, a journey time of 3 hours 20 mins. Fares from Tiverton were not given, but judging by Exeter and Taunton were about £2.00. In 2024 there is far more choice with a regular hourly bus to Tiverton Parkway Station. Leaving Tiverton Bus Station at 7.05 and changing at Parkway and Taunton one can arrive Paddington at 9.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 2 hours 50 mins for a cost of £121.50 Leaving Tiverton at 13.45 with 20 minutes at Parkway one can travel by direct train to Paddington arriving at 16.29, a journey time of 2 hours 44 mins for a cost of £54.00 The official inflation factor from 1964 to 2024 is 25.4 times so the current fare on some trains of £54 is comparable.
A word about the last image which shows a down express approaching the site of the later Tiverton Parkway Station under an original Bristol & Exeter Railway overbridge dating from 1843. The bridge has been replaced with a modern structure carrying the dual-carriageway North Devon Link Road from the adjacent Junction 27 on the M5 Motorway. The newer bridge can be seen from the platforms at Tiverton Parkway.
Tiverton Parkway is actually on the site of the former Sampford Peverell Halt closed in October 1964. Tiverton Junction Station was 1¾ miles further south towards Exeter. Tiverton Junction was enlarged in 1932, when some of the stations between Taunton and Exeter received similar treatment, with four lines through each station – two for through trains and two to platform stopping trains. The station closed on and from 12 May 1986, to be replaced by Tiverton Parkway.
After arriving at the Junction from Halberton at 17.07 I made two complete return trips to Tiverton and back that evening. The last scheduled train out of Tiverton on a Saturday was at 20.50. The train departed 1½ minutes late and reached the Junction just half a minute late – quite amazing for a last train; but it was all low-key, as if the residents of Tiverton had already given up on their trains after the withdrawal of their direct trains to Exeter on the Exe Valley Line. There were about two dozen people at Tiverton Station to see the last advertised train depart. All this was hardly surprising when one sees the rotten connecting service from Tiverton Junction. There were no trains off the junction heading north from 7.53 to 13.40; and heading south from 10.21 to 16.55
I thought it would be interesting to look at the ease and expense of getting from Tiverton Town Centre to Paddington by train in Summer 1964; and by bus and train in Autumn 2024. In 1964 one could leave Tiverton Station at 7.05, change at the junction and again at Taunton and arrive in Paddington at 10.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 3 hours 15 mins. The next train off Tiverton with a main line connection was at 13.25 again changing at the junction and Taunton and arriving in Paddington at 16.45 on The Cornish Riviera Express, a journey time of 3 hours 20 mins. Fares from Tiverton were not given, but judging by Exeter and Taunton were about £2.00. In 2024 there is far more choice with a regular hourly bus to Tiverton Parkway Station. Leaving Tiverton Bus Station at 7.05 and changing at Parkway and Taunton one can arrive Paddington at 9.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 2 hours 50 mins for a cost of £121.50 Leaving Tiverton at 13.45 with 20 minutes at Parkway one can travel by direct train to Paddington arriving at 16.29, a journey time of 2 hours 44 mins for a cost of £54.00 The official inflation factor from 1964 to 2024 is 25.4 times so the current fare on some trains of £54 is comparable.
A word about the last image which shows a down express approaching the site of the later Tiverton Parkway Station under an original Bristol & Exeter Railway overbridge dating from 1843. The bridge has been replaced with a modern structure carrying the dual-carriageway North Devon Link Road from the adjacent Junction 27 on the M5 Motorway. The newer bridge can be seen from the platforms at Tiverton Parkway.
1450 is seen at Tiverton Junction on 3 October 1964 soon after arriving from Tiverton at 4.49pm. It has left W228 in the platform and is going off to collect another auto-coach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 returns with the second autocoach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 propels W225 down towards W228. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking north at Tiverton Junction on 3 October 1964. The huge running in board previously read “Change for Exe Valley and Culm Valley Branches”. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The first train of two auto-coaches leaves for Tiverton at 5.07pm. I am standing behind the signal box. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Tiverton Junction looking north on 7 July 1984 two years before closure. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Note the unusual point rod cranking as an express speeds through on the up main line 7 July 1984. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Warship 814 Dragon on the 08.50 Liverpool to Plymouth express of 13 coaches approaches the later site of Tiverton Parkway Station at high speed at 14.34 on 29 November 1969, running about 10 late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Class 50 50010 Monarch
The Two Michaels
The Two Michaels
Hello Roger, Michael Adams sends this picture of class 50010 ‘Monarch’ approaching Basingstoke on a hazy 26 July 1980 with an unknown up service.Note the signal box still standing.There are EMU stabling sidings there now. Copyright Michael Adams
Roger, Now my own picture of 50010 storming through Newbury on a dull 28 June 1986 with the 11,35 Paddington to Paignton.(The former headcode box has D410 on the front). Copyright Michael Forward
Many Thanks to you both
Damage to the Newquay Branch
Tony Shore
The 'landslide' on the Newquay branch which has caused all services to be cancelled this week. This damage is the St. Blazey side of Prideaux Viaduct, near Ponts Mill. 02.12.2024, copyright Tony Shore.
Bare sleepers of the line where the granite blocks making up a retaining wall have washed out with the recent heavy rainfall. 02.12.2024, copyright Tony Shore.
On the walk from St. Blazey Gate to Ponts Mill, the footbridge on the route of the old tramway was washed out several months ago. A temporary scaffold footbridge has been very recently errected to reconnect the footpath. 02.12.2024, copyright Tony Shore.
The tramway tunnel (now a footpath) which goes beneath the Newquay Branchline near Ponts Mill. New footbridge in the background, through the tunnel. 02.12.2024, copyright Tony Shore.
Many thanks Tony - a shame after the engineering works at Newquay were completed on time.
Network Rail have issued a statement regarding this - click here.
Network Rail have issued a statement regarding this - click here.