The Southern’s Southern’s
Withered ArmWithered ArmWithered Withered
Alan C ButcherAlan C Butcher
Seaton Junction and Branch
Above: Strategically located at the mid way point between Yeovil and Exeter, Seaton Junction was significantly enlarged between 1925 and 1928. Being surrounded by cheap agricultural land a factor in the decision. Two central roads were added giving the a bility for express passenger services to run non stop through the station, passing stopping passenger tra ins and freight services. Maunsell ‘S15’ class No. 30823 heads out of the London-bound platform road on 11 th July 1959, at the head of a freight service. Opening as Colyton Town on 16 th March 1868 the station went through several name c hanges over a short period of time; finally becoming Seaton Junction on 1 st September 1869. R C Riley 10880.
Opposite top: A stopping passenger service pulls into Seaton Junction on 11 th July 1959. No. 34020 carries the name Seaton and, on 25 th June 1946, then carrying the number 21C120, was na med here by W. J. Newton (Chairman of Seaton UDC). Holiday makers bound for Seaton would have appreciated the cross platform interchange. For some however it would have been even easier as certain services had through carriages that would be shunted on to the branch train. R C Riley 13838.
Opposite bottom: There was substantial milk traffic from Seaton Junction, operated by Express Dairies. In 1934 the former goods shed was remodelled to inc orporate cooling equipment, though retaining access to fill milk tankers. A year later a five-mile pipe line was installed to bring fresh water from a spri ng near Honiton Tunnel. This, plus an electric supply, enabled output to be increased. The firm also established an egg packing operation on the same site. The milk de pot and associated sidings remained in use for a number of years following closure of the station, a nd branch line, on 7 th March 1966. Maunsell ‘S15’ class 4-6-0 No. 30823 is seen pulling out of the yard on 11 th June 1962 destined for the firms London terminal a t Vauxhall. P W Gray 2972.
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The Southern’s Withered Arm
Above: Something has caught the crew’s attention as Maunsell ‘S15’ Class No. 30841 pulls into the platform at Seaton Junction with the 1.10pm from Ex eter Central on 3 rd August 1963, bound for Salisbury. The through line has been re-laid with flat bottom rail with the loop retaining the more traditional, at this time, chaired bullhead. P W Gray 3338.
Opposite top: Drummond Class M7 0-4-4T No. 30046 arrives at the junction with the 4.27 from Seaton on 28 th June 1958. The usual two-coach train has been stre ngthened with an additional coach behind the locomotive, this being Maunsell Third No S1050S. This was a 1927 rebuild and the prototype for the incorporation of existing carriages into electric m ultiple unit stock. No. 30046 arrived at Exmouth Junction in 1937 and remained on the books until withdrawn i n February 1959. P W Gray 1389.
Opposite bottom: The branch train, a ‘64xx’ and pus h-pull coaches, waits in the siding whilst rebuilt Bulleid ‘West Country’ Pacific No. 34095 Brentor propels the 10.45am Waterloo-Seaton service into the branch platform on 3 rd August 1963. No 34095 was one of only six Bulleid Light Pacifics to be built at Eastleigh, entering traffic in October 1949. Twelve years later it was rebuilt there, in January 1961, and was destined to be in the final tranche of stea m engines withdrawn on 9 th July 1967 at the end of Southern steam. P W Gray 3336.
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Exeter Central to Ilfracombe
Above: Eight of these heavy Maunsell-designed ‘W’ c lass 2-6-4Ts were transferred to Exmouth Junction in late 1962 for banking duties between Exeter St Davi ds and Central. No. 31914 is banking a train load of ballast from Meldon Quarry over Bonhay Road on its way up the bank on 2nd July 1963. The class did not last long at Exmouth Junction; No 31914 went east to Feltham and was withdrawn in August 1964. R C Riley 17192.
Opposite top: A triple-header at the foot of the ba nk on 9 th August 1958. Drummond ‘700’ class 0-6-0 No. 30317 heads the pack, with an unidentified Maunsell ‘N’ class in the middle and ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34060 25 Squadron as the train engine. Sights such as this finished at dieselisation; although by then most eastbound freight traffic went via the Western Region route. The signal for the incline is letter ed SR, with the GWR through line lettered M. P W Gray 1489.
Opposite bottom: In Platform 3 at Exeter St Davids Bulleid ‘West Country’ No. 34002 Salisbury has charge of the Ilfracombe–Waterloo service, which will form part of the 4.30pm departure from Exeter Central on 3 rd March 1963. On the centre road ‘W’ class No. 31912 has coupled ahead of a GWR ‘Hall’ class 4-6-0, this is probably a transfer freight between the Western and Southern lines. Exeter St Davids was one of the few places in the country where London bound services could depart in both directions. P W Gray 3114.
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The Ilfracombe line crossed the estuary of the Rive r Taw just downstream of Barnstaple Long Bridge on a distinctive curving bridge. There was a 15mph speed limit for the section between Barnstaple Town and Junction stations. ‘West Country’ No. 34027 Taw Valley crosses the river on its journey from Ilfracombe to Exeter. Built at Brighton in April 1946, the loc omotive survives in preservation in its rebuilt form. R E Vincent V278/3.
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Above: With the train crew posing for their photograph to be taken, Roy Vincent has captured BR Standard Class 3MT No. 82011 standing in the bay platform at Bude. No. 82011 will take its two-coac h train to Halwill. Bude was well equipped to cope wi th the expected traffic in the summer months, certainly the refreshment, waiting rooms and toilet faciliti es were well used. R E Vincent 404.
Opposite top: Holsworthy station was sandwiched between two viaducts, to the east Woolston viaduct was made from precast concrete blocks; to the west the 176yd long Derrington Viaduct crossed the River Deer on a structure of the same material. On the return section of the journey back to Exeter St Davi ds the Great Western Society special is seen running in from the Bude direction. The first Holsworthy station was a terminus for nearly 20 years, the line from Halwi ll arriving in 1879. The station was relocated slightly to the east when rebuilt in 1898 for the extension to Bude. P W Gray 4225
Opposite bottom: The station at Whitstone & Bridger ule was not completed in time for the line’s opening on 10 th August 1898, passengers having to wait until 1 st November. On 2 nd January 1965 BR Standard Class 3MT No. 82040 arrives with the 2.42pm Halwill -Bude service. Just to the front of the locomotive is a raised section of platform as, during World War 2 the platform was severed to allow access to additional War Department sidings; reinstatement of the platform coming in 1947. The westbound line has also been relayed with concrete sleepers. P W Gray 4020
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Coleford Junction to
Bude
Between Bere Ferres and Tamerton Foliot the line crosses the River Tavy on the Tavy viaduct. Adams ‘O2’ No. 30216 heads a local service north to Tavistock. The sign showing 700 is the structure number for maintenance purposes. With the bridge at virtually sea level the climb to Sourton, 23 miles away, averaged 1 in 130, with the steepest section at 1 in 73. R E Vincent 73/B/4/2 .
Maunsell ‘N’ class Mogul No. 31832 heads down the gradient from Bere Ferres with a freight train bound for Plymouth on 17th July 1956. Tamerton Foliot station closed to passengers on 10th September 1962, and the line was singled on 7th September 1970. This view is taken from an accommodation bridge that crosses the railway just to the north of the station building. R C Riley 7677.
Around Plymouth
The Southern’s terminus in Plymouth was Friary, ope ned by the LSWR on 1 st July 1891. It was closed on 15 th September 1958, when passenger facilities were sha red with the GWR at North Road, to become Plymouth’s main goods depot. When photographed by Roy Vincent the former station was being used for carriage stabling, when in operation the middle roa d between the platforms was used for locomotive release purposes for arriving services. R E Vincent V503 .
Left: On the 1 st October 1961 the Plymouth Railway Circle operated the ‘Last Train to Turnchapel’ rail tour. Drummond ‘M7’ class No. 30034 was in charge of the brake van special, that is seen here at Plymstock. By this date No. 30034 was one of only two left at Plymouth Friary, the other was No. 30036, both were transferred away in July 1962. P W Gray 2766.
Right: Adams ‘O2’ class No. 30182 has charge of the RCTS 'Brunel Centenarian & Plymouth District Rail Tours' special on the 2 nd May 1959 that operated as part of the Royal Albert Bridge centenary. Running from London Paddington, on reaching Plymouth the tour split into two parts. The ‘O2’ tour, hauling a twocoach LSWR 'gate' set (Nos. S6545S and S738S) first crossed the swing bridge over Hooey Lake; handoperated by the signalman who was marooned on the s pan while it was open. The tour is then seen having reached the end of the line at Turnchapel. The station here was situated in an old quarry and extremel y basic with just a platform shelter. A freight only line continued past the station to wharves on the River Plym. Additionally a spur led to underground storage chambers that the Admiralty used for storage. Passenger services on the line have already been wi thdrawn, with final closure coming on 2 nd October 1961 when goods traffic ceased. P W Gray 1788.
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Railway history is not always kind. With the phrase ‘Withered Arm’ being applied to the Southern Railway’s lines in the West Country, the immediate thought is of a run-down system fighting for survival. It was not always so. On summer Saturdays the network west of Exeter was almost worked to capacity, Wadebridge handling 16 arrivals a day from Bodmin alone. These, plus the long distance services from the east, along with the ageing Beattie Well Tanks made it a magnet for photographers. Halwill was another busy place to visit, with carriages being removed and added to through services. The occasional terminating service from Barnstaple added to the mix. You could travel from Bude, Torrington and Padstow, via Exeter to London without leaving your seat. Our photographic journey begins at Axminster, for the first of the Southern’s branch lines, and we travel around the counties of Devon and Cornwall before arriving at the end of the line in Plymouth.
Published by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd. £14.50