# Torrington Station 1982 / 1985



## jhluxton (Nov 30, 2010)

Some more photographs of my wanderings around the former Southern Railway lines in the west country in the early 1980s. This time it is Torrington Station on the line from Barnstaple Junction. 

The Station had opened as a terminus on the London and South Western Railway line from Barnstaple Junction on July 18, 1872. It remained a terminus until the opening of the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway which opened in July 1925. This line formed an end-on junction at Torrington and partly replaced a former mineral railway which had served clay pits in the Meeth and Marland area. However, the North Devon and Cornwall line continued across a sparse agricultural to make a junction with the LSWR line from Okehampton.

Though Torrington closed to regular passenger services on October 04, 1965, occasional excursion trains still called. The station remained open for freight traffic including milk and fertilizer. The original goods shed and one platform being replaced by a new rail served fertilizer depot in the 1970s. Unfortunately the milk, fertilizer and clay traffic which came through from the clay works further south switched to road transport and the station and line was finally closed on March 05, 1983. These photos show the station before and after final closure.







A view of Torrington station from the road overbridge. The then quite new rail served fertilizer depot can be see, but with its traffic switching to road a further nail was driven into the railway's coffin. For those interested in cars the white convertible in the station car park is a Hillman Super Minx - owned by my Grandfather and latterly my father from the early 60s to the early 1990s.




A monochrome track level view of Torrington Station. Looking back I wish I had taken many more photographs including ones from the north end of the platform, but for some reason I didn't!



One would expect to see a Southern Railway notice painted in green and picked oout in white. However, in the early 1960s the by then British Railways Southern Region (formerly Southern Railway) lines west of Exeter were transferred to the management of British Railways Western Region (the former Great Western Railway) who did some repainting hence the sign shows the WR chocolate and cream colour scheme.



Torrington photographed on May 16, 1985 two years after closure. The track remains in place but the scrap recovery contractors are at work elsewhere on the line and the track would not remain for much longer. The milk loading apparatus has already been removed. The station has been reopened as a pub and tea rooms - The Puffing Billy.



I hope you enjoy looking at these - more to follow!

My web sites:
www.irishseashipping.com
http://jhlphotography.smugmug.com/


----------



## Munchh (Nov 30, 2010)

Again, nice set of prints mate. What is going on with the track in the background in the last pic? Looks like the ground has sunk away beneath or the line has a kink in it.


----------



## Labb (Dec 1, 2010)

Very nice pictures. I really like the last picture witch also includes a red car. I just love the partly overgrown tracks.


----------



## Munchh (Dec 1, 2010)

Labb said:


> Very nice pictures. I really like the last picture witch also includes a red car. I just love the partly overgrown tracks.



And not just any old red car either. An Austin Allegro by the looks which in my youth we used to refer to as an Austin legover. Many a trist in one of those


----------



## Faing (Dec 1, 2010)

the austin alegro was known as the All AGRO here....


----------



## jhluxton (Dec 1, 2010)

Munchh said:


> Again, nice set of prints mate. What is going on with the track in the background in the last pic? Looks like the ground has sunk away beneath or the line has a kink in it.



That kink in the track has always been there. There are quite a few published photos of Torrington station taken from the bridge dating back to the early 20th century and the kink was there. The track just happens to be laid like that. 

John


----------



## jhluxton (Dec 1, 2010)

Faing said:


> the austin alegro was known as the All AGRO here....



Some of the early ones had "revolutionary" square steering wheels if I recall correctly!


----------



## hydealfred (Dec 2, 2010)

Munchh said:


> And not just any old red car either. An Austin Allegro by the looks which in my youth we used to refer to as an Austin legover. Many a trist in one of those



I used to have an Allegro  Nice shots JH.


----------



## ryedale rodent (Dec 3, 2010)

And I think the blue car next to the station building may possibly be a Reliant Scimitar. Great atmospheric shots, and good that the building found another use.


----------



## jhluxton (Dec 5, 2010)

Two photographs of an excursion train from Chester at Torrington. Trains travelled from all over the country in the late 70s early 80s to enable passengers to sample the last days of the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway and the SR line beyond Barnstaple Junction. I travelled on one of them - the Wirral Railway Circle's "Atlantic Coast Express"


Torrington Station - Class 25 - 25223 on the Wirral Railway Circle "Atlantic Coast Express" rail tour from Chester on October 27, 1979. The loco was about to reposition to the other end of the train prior to departure for Meeth





Torrington Station - Class 25 - 25248 on the Wirral Railway Circle "Atlantic Coast Express" rail tour from Chester on October 27, 1979. The loco its sister locomotive had repositioned to the other end of the train.


----------



## hydealfred (Dec 13, 2010)

Another of my old favourites the Class 25 - superb piece of kit. Cant beat the sound of a Sulzer


----------



## fluffy5518 (Dec 14, 2010)

hydealfred said:


> Another of my old favourites the Class 25 - superb piece of kit. Cant beat the sound of a Sulzer





.................except the sound of an English Electric !!!


----------



## hydealfred (Dec 14, 2010)

fluffy5518 said:


> .................except the sound of an English Electric !!!



Ah yes Fluffy but they are both very different beasts - straight 6 - 8 or 12 to V - whatever


----------



## jhluxton (Dec 15, 2010)

hydealfred said:


> Ah yes Fluffy but they are both very different beasts - straight 6 - 8 or 12 to V - whatever



But what about Maybach music on a genuine western region diesel hydraulic!


----------



## hydealfred (Dec 15, 2010)

Ah another true icon - I remember 52's coming round the sea wall at Teignmouth. Fantastic sound when on song  Dont leave out the 35's & 42's though.


----------

