WESTERN TOTHECOAST
DAWLISH
Subsoil:redsandstone.Climate:coolinsummer,warminwinter.
EvenfromthetrainitiseasytorealisetheattractionsofDawlishasafamilyresortandcloser acquaintanceonlyheightensitscharm.ItliesonthesouthcoastofthetrueRedDevonwherethe colouringofthecliffsissobrilliantthatthesandsandeventheripplesoftheincomingtidehavea pinktinge.Itsshopsaresetwellbackaroundalongcentralgreenwhereastreamcascadesunder ornamentalbridgesinaprettygarden.
HeadingsouthwestoutofDawlishstationare abraceofHallClass4-6-0s,No.4930“Hagley Hall”,nowpreservedontheSevernValley Railway,andNo.4982“ActonHall”,arecent re-allocationtoPlymouthLairadepot,towards theendofthe1961summerseasonon9th September.Again,thestationwaswellsited forbothbeachandtownandpassengers enjoyedagrandstandviewofthecoastfrom thetrain,stretchingallthewayfromDawlish WarrentoTeignmouth. FW12-2
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TORQUAY
Parks,etc.:Over1,000acres.Marinespatreatmentforrheumatism, arthritis,sciatica,lumbagoandalliedailments.
AlthoughbyfarthelargestofthepurelyholidaytownsofDevon, Torquayisatownwhichhasapowerofcaptivatingeverybeholder instantly.Itsspecialcharmisanairofimmaculate,wellcaredfor beautyalliedtothenaturallovelinessofthemilesofcliff walksand drives.Terracedonwoodedhillsoverlookingnolessthaneight principalbeaches,Torquayprovidesall,andmorethanall,the entertainmentandsportsdemandedbymodernholidaymakersall throughtheyearwithhundredsofhotelstosuiteverypurse.The MarineSpaoffers37differentBritishandContinentaltreatments underqualifiedsupervision.Thecorporationhasnotonlypreserved milesofcliff walksfromMeadfootBaytoAnstey’sCove, BabbacombeandOddicombe,butin1934purchasedallthe coastlinefromOddicombetoLabradortosaveitfromunwise development.Thefloodlightingandilluminationsarecolourfuland popularandhavebeenextendedrecently.
The“TorbayExpress”isseeninitsspiritualhomeofTorquayand,ina viewbelievedtodatefrom1959,KingClassNo.6024“KingEdwardI” withreportingnumber520getsitsfivecoachload,thesmallamountof stockindicatingthatpossiblythisisawintertimeservice,underwayfor thesubsequentstopsofPaignton,Churston(forBrixham)andKingswear(forDartmouth).Thisfine locomotivewastobewithdrawninJune1962havingbythattimebeendisplacedbydieseltractionon suchprestigiousservices.However,itwassavedforposterityandcannowbefoundontheWest SomersetRailwaywhereitisundergoinganextensiveoverhaul. NS201117
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MARAZION
EarlyClosing:Wednesday
MaraziononMount’sBayhasmanyattractionsforaquietfamilyholidaybutitschiefgloryisSt. Michael’sMount,reachedatlowtidebyacauseway.
StMichael’sMountfeaturedononeofthebookmarksgivenawaywith“HolidayHaunts”.Theother bookmarksintheseriesfeaturedDevil’sBridge,GloucesterCathedral,TinternAbbey,TheValeof LlangollenandWarwickCastle.
HawksworthCountyClassNo.1002“CountyofBerks”gathersspeedasitpassesthroughMarazion nonstopwithanupservicein1959.PassengerserviceswerewithdrawnfromhereinOctober1964and thisisnowoneofseventeenclosedstationsontheCornishmainlinebetweenPlymouthandPenzance. PH000223
Top: A yearearlierin1959thecrewofNo.4566taketheopportunitytochattothesignalmanwithtoken inhandbeforedepartingforthemainline.TheoccupantsoftheCampCoachseenparkedontheleft havetakenthechancetodrysomewashingonalinestrungfromthecarriagedoor.Ifyoudidnotmind theproximityofthestationthismusthavebeenanidyllicspotinwhichtospendaweek’sholidaywhich forafewpoundsaweek,plusatleastsixrailticketsfromyourhometothedestination,constituteda relativelyinexpensiveholiday.In1952,forexample,aweekoff season(MarchandOctober)wouldhave cost£7whilstinJulyandAugustthechargeroseto£10. NS201172A
Bottom:Itspassengershavingalighted,includingsomeschoolgirlswiththeobligatorysatchelsand dressedinthedemurefashionsofthedaywithskirtswellbelowtheknee–asdistinctfromtoday’sstyle–No.4570runsroundpriortoreturningwithNo.4566asdescribedabove.Thespecialoccasiongivingrise tothebuntinghungaboutthestationwasnotrecordedbythephotographer.
NEWQUAY
Population:11,500.Altitude:sealevelto300feet.Plentiful supplyofsoftwater Subsoil:slaterock.
Newquayissetalmostexactlyinthecentreofthenorthwest coastofCornwall,on300footcliffsoverlookingfivesandy bays,sohugetheyneverbecomeovercrowded,eveninthe heightoftheseason.NewquayisthelargestoftheNorth Cornwallresortsanddevotesitselfwholeheartedlyto organisingsports,excursionsandamusementsforits visitors.Theolderpartofthetowncatchesallthetonicsea breezes,butforthosewhopreferarathermilderclimate thereisanewerdistrictspreadingontheslopesofthe Trenancevalley,whichisshelteredtothenorthandopento thesouth.NewquayisoneofthechiefcentresinCornwallfor surfridersandisalsoahappyhuntinggroundforthe naturalistwhocanfindmanyrarebirdsandplantsinthe neighbourhood.
Below:Newquay,thepremierresortoftheNorthCornwallcoast andservedbytworoutes,wasanimpressivethreeplatform terminus.Ourfirstview,datingfrom1960,shows5100ClassNo. 4167abouttodepartforParbunkerfirst.Thelargebuilding adjacenttotheplatformwaspartofNewquaygasworkswhich ceasedproductionin1958.Todaymerelyasinglerunningline terminatingatatruncatedplatformservestheresort. NS201147
OppositeTop:The9:15amfromChacewaterhasjustarrived,hopefullyontimeexactlyanhourlater,with asprinklingofpassengerson31st May1960headedbyNo.5557.Thereweresomeeightornine departureseachwayonweekdaysonthisroutewithsomeservicesbeingextendedtoorfromFalmouth, afterreversalatTruro,onSundays. LRF4696
OppositeBottom:Departuretimeforthe10:40amservicetoParisfastapproachingaccordingtothe stationclockasNo.5557makesreadytoleave.Thislocomotivehadbroughtinapreviousservicefrom Chacewatertwenty-fiveminutesearlierasillustratedabove. LRF4699
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WESTON-SUPER-MARE
Beach:sandgenerally,pebblesatnorthend.Unlimitedsupplyofpurewater. AlthoughWeston-super-Maresufferedseverelyinairraids,theextensive damagehadlittleeffectonitsholidayamusementsandamenitiesandno resorthasbeenquickertoreturntothegaypleasureroundofapeacetime holidaycentre.Itisaplaceofmoreindividualityandcharmthanmightbe supposedfromitsclaimtobethelargestseasideresortbetweenLancashire andLand’sEnd.Weston’sfavouriteslogan“AirlikeWine”isnoidleboast. TheprogressiveWestonCorporation,beforetheWar,undertookmany schemesforbeautifyingthetownwhichhavemorethanjustifiedthe enormousexpenseincurred.TheKnightstoneMedicalBathsprovidehot seawater,seaweedandfoambathsforrheumatictreatment.Thereisanopen airfilteredseawaterbathtoaccommodate1,400bathersand5,000 spectators.
Below:Duetothevolumeofholidaytraffic,dedicatedexcursionplatformswere sometimesdeemednecessarytocaterforthis,examplesbeingSouthportChapel StreetandBridlington.Insomecasesthedecisionwastakentoprovidea completelyseparateexcursionstationsuchashappenedatScarboroughwheretheoriginalexcursion platformswerereplacedwithWashbeckexcursionstationwhichwasrenamedLondesboroughRoadin 1933.Weston-super-marewasoriginallytheterminusofabranchlinefromtheBristol&Exetermainline whichopenedinJune1841.Theconstructionofalooplinein1884ledtoWestongainingafurtherstation ontheloopwiththeoriginalterminusbeingrebuiltin1907andenlargedtofourplatformsin1914,known asLockingRoad.InthisundatedviewCastleClassNo.5076“Gladiator”isleavingLockingRoad,the Z76reportingnumberindicatingaspecialworkingwithintheWRoraninternalWRexcursion.Ascanbe seenaconsiderablenumberofsidingswereprovidedtocaterforcoachingstocktogetherwithaturntable andservicingfacilities.ThetracksontheleftledroundtothemainstationinWeston. MC20566
OppositeTop:On2ndSeptember1955thestationpilotatLockingRoad,whoselargerunninginboardis prominentinthebackground,wasNo.4595carryingan82A BristolBathRoadshedcodeandseenhere shuntingsomemotleylookingcoachingstock,oftentobefoundpressedintoserviceonholidayextras,in oneofthenumerouscarriagesidings.Afterlyingderelictforanumberofyears,aTescostoreandcar parknowoccupiesthesiteofthestation. ES3099
OppositeBottom:Although40,000passengershadinthepastbeenhandledatLockingRoadonbank holidayMondays,bytheearly1960sasharpdownturninexcursiontrafficwasexperiencedandthe decisionwastakentoclosetheexcursionstationattheendofthe1964holidayseason.Inthisundated viewModifiedHallClassNo.7908“HenshallHall”hasjustarrivedatLockingRoadwithanotherlengthy excursiontraincarryingreportingnumberZ77.ThiswasaTyseleybasedlocomotivefrom1955until condemnationtenyearslater. MS20482
PENYCHAIN
Penychainopenedasahaltin1933buttookonamoreimportantroleafter1940whentheRoyal NavyrequestedBillyButlintoconvertaholidaycampwhichhewasconstructingheretoa trainingfacilityinasimilarveintohisfacilitiesalreadyrequisitionedatFileybytheAdmiralty. AfterthecessationofhostilitiesthecampassumeditsintendedroleasButlin’sPwllheliholiday campfrom1947.RenamedStarcoastWorldin1990,the sitewastakenoverbyHavenHolidaysin1999andisnow predominantlyasiteforstaticcaravans.Trainscontinueto callbutonlyonrequest.
No.5510getsawayfromPenychainboundforBarmouthand thesouthwhilstontheoppositeplatformanumberof“happy campers”havejustarrivedandaremakingtheirwaytothe campforaweekorafortnight’sholiday,courtesyofBillyButlin, on18th June1960.Thestationhadopenedasahaltin1933 andledafairlyquietexistenceuntilButlin’scampwas constructednearby,originallyfortheAdmiraltytoservea nearbytrainingbase,butin1947itwasconvertedfor holidaymakersandthehaltwasupgradedtostationstatuswith staff beingprovidedinthesummermonths.Thetracksthrough thestationweresignalledforbi-directionalworkingandthe routewasdoubledasfarasAfonWenjunctionwherethe CaernarvonandBangorlinediverged.Butlinshadtheirown “PuffingBilly”road-goingtraintoferrycampersfromthestation tothecamp.Thesedays,muchreducedinsize,ithasreverted tohaltstatusandservestheHavenholidayandcaravanpark ontheformerButlinssite. JB000059
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