Tavistock South railway station

Tavistock South
General information
Location	Tavistock, West Devon United Kingdom
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Opened	22 June 1859 (1859-06-22)
Closed	31 December 1962 (1962-12-31)
Previous names	Tavistock
Original company	South Devon and Tavistock Railway
Pre-grouping	Great Western Railway
Post-grouping	Southern
Key dates
26 September 1949	Station renamed Tavistock South
7 September 1964	Goods traffic ceased
Location

v t e Launceston Branch Line
Legend
miles North Cornwall Railway to Padstow Launceston Steam Railway 35½ Launceston to Okehampton 30¾ Lifton 27½ Coryton 26¾ Liddaton Halt to Okehampton 23¼ Lydford Brentor (LSWR) 20¾ Mary Tavy and Blackdown Tavistock North (LSWR) 16½ Tavistock South (GWR) LSWR to Devonport 15½ Whitchurch Down Platform Grenofen Tunnel Walkham Viaduct Magpie Viaduct 12½ Horrabridge Yelverton Tunnel 11¾ Yelverton Princetown Railway 10¾ Clearbrook Halt Shaugh Tunnel 8¾ Shaugh Bridge Platform Ham Green Viaduct 7¾ Bickleigh 7¼ Bickleigh Viaduct Riverford Viaduct Cann Viaduct 5¾ Plym Bridge Platform Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway to Lee Moor Marsh Mills (Plym Valley Railway) 4¾ Marsh Mills 3¾ GWR to Exeter Laira TMD Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway to Cattedown Laira Halt to Plymouth Friary and Sutton Harbour   Lipson Vale Halt Mutley Tunnel 1¾ Mutley 0¾ Plymouth North Road Cornwall Railway to Truro Devonport (LSWR) LSWR to Tavistock North 0¾ Plymouth Millbay

Tavistock South was a railway station serving the town of Tavistock, operated by the South Devon and Tavistock Railway, forming part of the line between Plymouth Millbay and Launceston. ^[1]

History

As befitting the terminus of the South Devon and Tavistock Railway line from Plymouth Millbay, the station was provided with a large train shed that spanned the two platforms and three tracks. The station was situated on the hillside close to the town centre. The original buildings were of timber, but they were badly damaged by a fire in 1887 and were replaced by a stone structure.

The main buildings were on the side used by trains going towards Plymouth. A footbridge was eventually provided at the north end of the station beyond the train shed. A small engine shed was provided at the other end of the station, but this was no longer needed once the Launceston and South Devon Railway line to Launceston opened on 1 July 1865.

On 26 September 1949 the station was renamed Tavistock South to distinguish it from the Southern Region station on the Plymouth to London Waterloo route, which was then named "Tavistock North". Passenger services were withdrawn on 31 December 1962 but goods traffic continued until 7 September 1964. Passengers could still travel by train from Tavistock North until it closed in 1968.

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Whitchurch Down		British Rail Western Region Launceston Branch Line		Mary Tavy and Blackdown

See also

• Tavistock North railway station (On London and South Western Railway route)
• Tavistock railway station (proposed)

References

1. Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (1998). Branch Lines to Launceston and Princetown. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN   1-901706-19-2.

50°32′50″N4°08′39″W / 50.5471°N 4.1442°W / 50.5471; -4.1442