Renewal of the road crossing and lifting barriers at Roskear Junction by Roger Winnen
The Orange Army has moved into Camborne, renewing both the road crossing and lifting barriers at Roskear Junction, and later in the year will be renewing the same at Camborne Station.
The Orange Army has moved into Camborne, renewing both the road crossing and lifting barriers at Roskear Junction, and later in the year will be renewing the same at Camborne Station.
160303a The orange army works at Roskear Junction. The Signal Box here is known locally as the cage. Copyright Roger Winnen
160303b Pedestrians please wait here for the crossing attendant! on the yellow sign to the left. No mention however is made of the footbridge to the right of the photograph which is still in use. Copyright Roger Winnen
160303c A large workforce of over 20 men at work on the lineside equipment. Copyright Roger Winnen
160303d Renewals of the lifting barriers and the road crossing are taking place at Roskear Jct. The 11.41 Penzance to Plymouth sprinter service passes. Copyright Roger Winnen
- Inverness at Exeter
Hi Keith,
37025 'Inverness T.M.D' has visited Devon again. Taken this morning working the 6C25 1030 Tavistock Junction to Westbury.
Dave Many thanks David
37025 'Inverness T.M.D' has visited Devon again. Taken this morning working the 6C25 1030 Tavistock Junction to Westbury.
Dave Many thanks David
37025 'Inverness T.M.D' has visits Devon again. Taken this morning working the 6C25 1030 Tavistock Junction to Westbury. 3rd March 2016. Copyright David Tozer
Okehampton
with Mike Morant
with Mike Morant
Today and for the next five days we feature more pictures from the vast Mike Morant collection (See his website) - this time in the Okehampton area. Many thanks Mike.
It's good to see the still familiar buildings of Okehampton station in the background in this view of Mike Morant's. Ivatt 2MT 'Mickey Mouse' 2-6-2T number 41291 berthed in the small Okehampton sub-shed in August 1964. Courtesy Mike Morant collection
60 years ago today
Princetown branch closes
Princetown branch closes
Remember the Princetown branch.
Sixty years ago today, Saturday 3rd March 1956 saw the last trains leave Yelverton to head out for Princetown, that lonely village high up on the moor. The train faced a steady climb away from Yelverton where the line started away from a sharply curved platform at first climbing amongst fields, the last section of this climb being alongside the main Yelverton to Princetown road to Dousland station at one mile forty seven chains from Yelverton. Dousland station did not have a passing loop being only a block post splitting the line into two sections. It had a goods yard and shed served by a loop, and a level crossing with gates on the Princetown end. The signal box near the level crossing was replaced by a signal box located on the platform in 1915 The signal box was renamed Dousland from Dousland Barn. After Dousland and the negotiation of the level crossing the branch turned away from the main Yelverton Road to head east, still climbing at a ruling gradient of one in forty. It was in open moorland by this time swinging to the north to come to the single platform Burrator Halt. This was of wooden construction and looked out across the deep waters of Burrator reservoir.
Leaving the halt line continued on a roughly northerly heading passing through a shallow cutting and over Lowry Road level crossing to emerge on an embankment. This section was the only downhill grade for Princetown bound trains. After crossing the main Yelverton to Princetown road by means of Peek Hill bridge the climb continued in earnest all the way to Princetown.
Some six miles and twenty chains from Yelverton lay Igra Tor Halt, this lay on the left hand side of the line. This halt was famous for its ‘Beware of snakes’ notice warning ramblers of the danger of stepping on a slumbering adder on a warm summers day.
Beyond Ingra Tor the metals passed under a stone bridge across the track before heading west to climb around the flanks of Kings Tor completing a long hundred and eighty degree bend before heading in an easterly direction to King Tor Halt. This halt was again on the left hand side to Princetown bound trains and some eight miles and 74 chains from Yelverton. Walks from here led towards Merivale Quarry, or in the opposite direction back down towards Ingra Tor Halt. Such were the gyrations of the rail route that only a quarter of a mile as the crow flies lay between the metals but the rail route was of the order of nearly two miles.
During the climb around King Tor the railway served Swell Tor Quarry, the position of this quarry and the sidings which served it is easily discerned from the main trackbed.
Beyond King Tor Halt the unrelenting climb continues almost to Princetown station at ten miles forty three chains from Yelverton. Princetown station boasted a turntable, as did Yelverton, and an array of sidings, goods shed and a substantial station building. The station was some 423 feet above that starting point of the branch.
Although an obvious candidate for closure the train journey had it survived nowadays – it would have been almost like a trip up Snowdon.
R.I.P. Princetown branch – you will not be forgotten.
Sixty years ago today, Saturday 3rd March 1956 saw the last trains leave Yelverton to head out for Princetown, that lonely village high up on the moor. The train faced a steady climb away from Yelverton where the line started away from a sharply curved platform at first climbing amongst fields, the last section of this climb being alongside the main Yelverton to Princetown road to Dousland station at one mile forty seven chains from Yelverton. Dousland station did not have a passing loop being only a block post splitting the line into two sections. It had a goods yard and shed served by a loop, and a level crossing with gates on the Princetown end. The signal box near the level crossing was replaced by a signal box located on the platform in 1915 The signal box was renamed Dousland from Dousland Barn. After Dousland and the negotiation of the level crossing the branch turned away from the main Yelverton Road to head east, still climbing at a ruling gradient of one in forty. It was in open moorland by this time swinging to the north to come to the single platform Burrator Halt. This was of wooden construction and looked out across the deep waters of Burrator reservoir.
Leaving the halt line continued on a roughly northerly heading passing through a shallow cutting and over Lowry Road level crossing to emerge on an embankment. This section was the only downhill grade for Princetown bound trains. After crossing the main Yelverton to Princetown road by means of Peek Hill bridge the climb continued in earnest all the way to Princetown.
Some six miles and twenty chains from Yelverton lay Igra Tor Halt, this lay on the left hand side of the line. This halt was famous for its ‘Beware of snakes’ notice warning ramblers of the danger of stepping on a slumbering adder on a warm summers day.
Beyond Ingra Tor the metals passed under a stone bridge across the track before heading west to climb around the flanks of Kings Tor completing a long hundred and eighty degree bend before heading in an easterly direction to King Tor Halt. This halt was again on the left hand side to Princetown bound trains and some eight miles and 74 chains from Yelverton. Walks from here led towards Merivale Quarry, or in the opposite direction back down towards Ingra Tor Halt. Such were the gyrations of the rail route that only a quarter of a mile as the crow flies lay between the metals but the rail route was of the order of nearly two miles.
During the climb around King Tor the railway served Swell Tor Quarry, the position of this quarry and the sidings which served it is easily discerned from the main trackbed.
Beyond King Tor Halt the unrelenting climb continues almost to Princetown station at ten miles forty three chains from Yelverton. Princetown station boasted a turntable, as did Yelverton, and an array of sidings, goods shed and a substantial station building. The station was some 423 feet above that starting point of the branch.
Although an obvious candidate for closure the train journey had it survived nowadays – it would have been almost like a trip up Snowdon.
R.I.P. Princetown branch – you will not be forgotten.
Yelverton the last day. The 45xx from the 2.10pm Plymouth to Tavistock South transfers coaches from its train (on the right) to the 2.51pm Yelverton to Princetown in the branch platform. Permission and copyright Ian Lane
Note the large number of spectators on this bitterly cold day.
A view at Yelverton early 1956 Permission and copyright Ian Lane
Near Rotrundle. 4568 & 4583 head across open moor on their way to Princetown with 2.51 pm from Yelverton to Princetown on the last day Saturday 3rd March 1956 Permission & copyright Ian Lane
For more pictures please click here - Princetown Branch