Burrator and Sheepstor Halt railway station

Burrator and Sheepstor Halt railway station was located on the 10.5 mile long single track branch railway line in Devon, England, running from Yelverton to Princetown with eventually four intermediate stations.[1] The station was opened as Burrator Platform and became Burrator Halt when it was opened to the public, the name being changed again in 1929 to Burrator and Sheepstor Halt.[2]

Burrator and Sheepstor Halt
The remains of Burrator and Sheepstor Halt
LocationPrincetown, West Devon
England
Coordinates50.4935°N 4.0458°W / 50.4935; -4.0458
Grid referenceSX5498667972
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
4 February 1924Station opens as Burrator Platform for workmen
18 May 1925Station opened to the public as Burrator Halt
1929Renamed Burrator and Sheepstor Halt
3 March 1956Station closed to passengers
Princetown Railway
Overview
LocaleWest Devon
Dates of operation1883–1956
SuccessorGreat Western Railway
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Length10 1⁄2 miles (16.9 km)
 Princetown
Foggintor siding
 King Tor Halt
Swell Tor siding
 Ingra Tor Halt
Lowry Road Crossing
 Burrator & Sheepstor Halt
Prowse's Crossing
 Dousland
Yelverton

Opened as Burrator Platform[2] on Monday 4 February 1924 the station at first only catered for workmen employed on the raising of the Burrator and Sheepstor Dams when Burrator Reservoir was enlarged.[3] This service consisted of a morning train that left Princetown at 6:27 am for Dousland and Yelverton and then, after collecting workmen off the 6:20 am from Millbay Station, left Yelverton Station at 6:58 am, stopping at Burrator and Sheepstor Platform at 7:05 am to set them down. On Mondays to Fridays the 4:05 pm from Princetown called at Burrator at 4:30 pm to pick up workmen for the homeward journey. On Saturday mornings the 12:25 pm from Princetown called at 12:50 pm to collect workers and the later train would then not stop.[3]

From Thursday 6 November 1924 the early morning trains ran only on Monday mornings. The 4:05 pm from Princetown no longer called, but the return journey, the 4:55 pm from Yelverton did. For the remainder of the week the 7:38 am from Princetown conveyed the workmen to Burrator.[3] Burrator and Sheepstor Platform was opened to the general public as from Monday 18 May 1925 and was served by trains during daylight hours only.[2][3]

Its later traffic was almost entirely walkers and like Ingra Tor Halt it was retained in an attempt to counter competition from local bus services and encourage tourist traffic.[4]

History

The branch line was authorised in 1878 and opened on 11 August 1883. Yelverton was the junction for the line when the halt opened, three other stations had been added to the line in the 1920s, Ingra Tor Halt in 1936.[5] Much of the route followed the course of the old Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway.[4] King Tor Halt was opened almost on the site of the old Royal Oak Sidings.

The freight traffic on the branch line included granite from the rail served quarries[4] of Swelltor and Foggintor which were closed in 1906.

Owned by the Princetown Railway until 1 January 1922, the company then merged with the Great Western Railway (GWR). The line passed to British Railways (Western Region) in 1948 and closed on 3 March 1956.[4] The track was lifted in December 1956.[6]

Only the foundations of the station remain, together with the old steps up from the lane and a swing gate. Much of the old track formation now forms the route of the Dousland to Princetown Railway Track.[4]

Services
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Dousland
Line and station closed		   Great Western Railway
Princetown Railway		   Ingra Tor Halt
Line and station closed

References
Notes
  1. Moseley, Brian (October 2011). "The Route, 1947 [GWR Princetown Branch]". The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History. Plymouth Data. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  2. Butt, Page 135
  3. Moseley, Brian (December 2012). "Princetown Branch [GWR]". The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History. Plymouth Data. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  4. Mitchell, Page 114
  5. Atterbury, Page 34
  6. Moseley, Brian (August 2012). "Princetown Branch [BR]". The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History. Plymouth Data. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
Sources
  • Atterbury, Paul (2006). Branch Line Britain: A Nostalgic Journey Celebrating a Golden Age. Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. ISBN 9780-7153-2416-5. OCLC 70230042.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford, Somerset: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Mitchell, David (1994). British Railways Past and Present - Devon. Wadenhoe, Northants: Past and Present. ISBN 1-85895-058-9. OCLC 54046803.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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