Devon and Somerset Railway
Encyclopedia
The Devon and Somerset Railway was a branch line from near in Somerset
to in North Devon
. It was operated from the outset by the Bristol and Exeter Railway
which became part of the Great Western Railway
on 1 January 1876.
that authorised the Devon and Somerset Railway received assent on 29 July 1864. Engineered by Eugenius Birch
, the first small 7.25 miles (11.7 km) section of the branch was opened on 8 June 1871, from Watchet Junction at to on the edge of Exmoor
. (The line later diverged from the main Bristol and Exeter Railway
rather than the West Somerset Railway
.) The 35.75 miles (57.5 km) extension to Barnstaple
was not completed until 1 November 1873. Between Norton Fitzwarren and the line was double track. West of Milverton it was single track with passing loops at most stations, which were reduced in the years before closure. It featured steep gradients of up to 1 in 60, two large viaducts, over the River Tone
and the River Exe
whch were restricted to very slow speed when crossing, and three tunnels.
The line was originally broad gauge
. After the last broad gauge train ran on 14 May 1881 the line was converted to gauge and reopened on 18 May.
In 1884 the Tiverton and North Devon Railway to opened, creating a junction with the Devon and Somerset Railway at . T&NDR services ran over the D&SR between the junction and , where they terminated. In 1885 the T&NDR was extended to on the Bristol and Exeter Railway, giving the D&SR a direct link with .
In 1890 the GWR appointed a Mrs Towns as signalwoman
to operate Morebath Junction. She is the only recorded example of a signalwoman on any railway in Britain in 19th century. In October 1913 the Railway Magazine reported that she was "very proud" of her job after 23 years' service and hoped to continue indefinitely.
Conversion to broad gauge enabled a connection to the London and South Western Railway
at Barnstaple. This was was opened on 1 June 1887, after which Great Western trains ran through to along that company's Ilfracombe Branch Line
. The D&SR station was named from 1949 to distinguish it from Barnstaple Junction
and railway stations, both originally built by the LSWR.
The GWR bought the Devon and Somerset Railway in 1901. With the increase in people taking holidays during the 1930s the line carried heavy weekend traffic, including through expresses to .
Declining passenger numbers after the Second World War
, attributed to an increase in motor traffic, made the line uneconomical. Following The Reshaping of British Railways
report, in 1963 BR decided to route most trains via . Steam locomotives from the depot at Taunton worked the line until the end of 1964. Diesel multiple unit
s then took over for the final two years until BR closed the line on 1 October 1966. The section between Barnstaple Victoria Road and Barnstaple Junction remained open until 30 May 1970 for freight.
In 1989 the A361 North Devon Link Road
was built on sections of the former trackbed between the sites of Barnstaple Victoria Road station and the South Molton station road junction. However much of the former trackbed remains intact with most of the station buildings now converted for use as private homes. Many relics still exist, for instance, a station sign is now in the village hall
car park, and at the former station is a set of semaphore signals
. At Barnstaple Victoria Road, remains of the station platforms survive and the goods shed has been converted into an Evangelical church.
An Ordnance Survey
map from 1884 calls Nightcote Tunnel "Knackershole Tunnel". after the adjacent toponym
"Knacker's Hole". East and West Nightcott are on the diagonally opposite (north-east) side of the railway line.
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
to in North 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...
. It was operated from the outset by the Bristol and Exeter Railway
Bristol and Exeter Railway
The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter.The company's head office was situated outside their Bristol station...
which became part of 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 January 1876.
History
The Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
that authorised the Devon and Somerset Railway received assent on 29 July 1864. Engineered by Eugenius Birch
Eugenius Birch
Eugenius Birch was a 19th Century English naval architect, engineer and noted pier builder.-Biography:Both Eugenius and his brother were born in Gloucester Terrace, Shoreditch, to grain dealer John and wife Susanne...
, the first small 7.25 miles (11.7 km) section of the branch was opened on 8 June 1871, from Watchet Junction at to on the edge of Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
. (The line later diverged from the main Bristol and Exeter Railway
Bristol and Exeter Railway
The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter.The company's head office was situated outside their Bristol station...
rather than the West Somerset Railway
West Somerset Railway
The West Somerset Railway is a railway line that originally linked and in Somerset, England.It opened in 1862 and was extended from Watchet to by the Minehead Railway in 1874. Although just a single track, improvements were needed in the first half of the twentieth century to accommodate the...
.) The 35.75 miles (57.5 km) extension to Barnstaple
Barnstaple Victoria Road railway station
Barnstaple Victoria Road railway station was the terminus of the Devon and Somerset Railway line from Taunton railway station. It served the town of Barnstaple in Devon, England and was opened when the Devon and Somerset line was extended from Wiveliscombe to Barnstaple on 1 November...
was not completed until 1 November 1873. Between Norton Fitzwarren and the line was double track. West of Milverton it was single track with passing loops at most stations, which were reduced in the years before closure. It featured steep gradients of up to 1 in 60, two large viaducts, over the River Tone
River Tone
The River Tone is a river in Somerset, England, which is about long. It rises at Beverton Pond near Huish Champflower in the Brendon Hills, and is dammed at Clatworthy Reservoir. The reservoir outfall continues through Taunton and Curry and Hay Moors, which are designated as a Site of Special...
and the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
whch were restricted to very slow speed when crossing, and three tunnels.
The line was originally broad gauge
Broad 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 :...
. After the last broad gauge train ran on 14 May 1881 the line was converted to gauge and reopened on 18 May.
In 1884 the Tiverton and North Devon Railway to opened, creating a junction with the Devon and Somerset Railway at . T&NDR services ran over the D&SR between the junction and , where they terminated. In 1885 the T&NDR was extended to on the Bristol and Exeter Railway, giving the D&SR a direct link with .
In 1890 the GWR appointed a Mrs Towns as signalwoman
Signalman (rail)
A signalman or signaller is an employee of a railway transport network who operates the points and signals from a signal box in order to control the movement of trains.- History :...
to operate Morebath Junction. She is the only recorded example of a signalwoman on any railway in Britain in 19th century. In October 1913 the Railway Magazine reported that she was "very proud" of her job after 23 years' service and hoped to continue indefinitely.
Conversion to broad gauge enabled a connection to the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
at Barnstaple. This was was opened on 1 June 1887, after which Great Western trains ran through to along that company's Ilfracombe Branch Line
Ilfracombe Branch Line
The Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
. The D&SR station was named from 1949 to distinguish it from Barnstaple Junction
Barnstaple railway station
Barnstaple railway station is the terminus of a long branch line, known as the Tarka Line, north west of Exeter St Davids, in Devon.It was known as Barnstaple Junction from 1874 to 1970 as it was the junction between lines to , , and Exeter-History:...
and railway stations, both originally built by the LSWR.
The GWR bought the Devon and Somerset Railway in 1901. With the increase in people taking holidays during the 1930s the line carried heavy weekend traffic, including through expresses to .
Declining passenger numbers after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, attributed to an increase in motor traffic, made the line uneconomical. Following The Reshaping of British Railways
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
report, in 1963 BR decided to route most trains via . Steam locomotives from the depot at Taunton worked the line until the end of 1964. Diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s then took over for the final two years until BR closed the line on 1 October 1966. The section between Barnstaple Victoria Road and Barnstaple Junction remained open until 30 May 1970 for freight.
In 1989 the A361 North Devon Link Road
A361 road
The A361 is a major road in England and at is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street and Glastonbury, past Frome and then...
was built on sections of the former trackbed between the sites of Barnstaple Victoria Road station and the South Molton station road junction. However much of the former trackbed remains intact with most of the station buildings now converted for use as private homes. Many relics still exist, for instance, a station sign is now in the village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
car park, and at the former station is a set of semaphore signals
Railway semaphore signal
One of the earliest forms of fixed railway signal is the semaphore. These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing the angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arm'. Semaphore signals were patented in the early 1840s by Joseph James Stevens, and soon became the most...
. At Barnstaple Victoria Road, remains of the station platforms survive and the goods shed has been converted into an Evangelical church.
Engineering
- Tone Viaduct, Venn Cross, a wrought ironWrought ironthumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
viaduct 162 yards (148.1 m) long and 101 feet (30.8 m) above the valley floor - Castle Hill (or Filleigh) Viaduct, Filleigh, a stone-pillared cast-iron viaductViaductA viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
232 yards long and 94 feet (28.7 m) high - Bathealton Tunnel, 440 yards (402.3 m) long
- Venn Cross Tunnel, 246 yards (224.9 m) long
- Nightcote Tunnel, 44 yards (40.2 m) long, near Dulverton
- Castle Hill Tunnel, 317 yards (289.9 m) long
An Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map from 1884 calls Nightcote Tunnel "Knackershole Tunnel". after the adjacent toponym
Toponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
"Knacker's Hole". East and West Nightcott are on the diagonally opposite (north-east) side of the railway line.