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Plymouth freight locations closure dates


pb_devon

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I'm seeking help from the excellent and knowledgeable team here for a project I'm working on.  Can anyone supply the final working/closure dates for rail operations at these locations:

  • Drake Carriers at Crabtree
  • Plymstock Cement line
  • Breakwater Gas Plant sidings
  • Tar Distillers at Cattedown

Many thanks in anticipation.

Paul B

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According to Bernard Mills book, Tar Distilleries was cut off in April 2008 and the rest of the branch was cut back to the existing buffer stops in late 2009. Drake Carriers probably sometime in the early Nineties and the Plymstock Cement line around 1987. Sorry its not precise but perhaps of use. Sounds an interesting project!

 

Brian.

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I don't know Plymouth very well and had never heard of Drake Carriers at Crabtree, what traffic was that?

as despite being interested in West Country freight I do not recall any from my time in Bristol TOPS.

 

The existence or otherwise of a TOPS location number does not indicate traffic was passing

but does probably show that the location was still connected.

The TOPS Location Handbooks for October 1977 and December 1978 both show

Location 84085 Marsh Mills Coypool                   MOD (Army)

Location 84087 Marsh Mills Crabtree Sidings     Mumfords

 

but nothing else for Drake Carriers.

 

cheers

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Rivercider, I'm grateful that you looked up some info. The siding at Crabtree was double ended, and seems to have served a number of users over time - all of whom have left a legacy of names for the same location! Mumfords, Bass, Alfred Bell, and Drakes Carriers.

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Rivercider, I'm grateful that you looked up some info. The siding at Crabtree was double ended, and seems to have served a number of users over time - all of whom have left a legacy of names for the same location! Mumfords, Bass, Alfred Bell, and Drakes Carriers.

What a pity that Sainsburys couldn't have also had rail deliveries there!

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Are there/were such facilities at Tavistock Junction yard?

 

Brian

Certainly there's space to do so. My memory might be failing me, but did Flexer Construction unload stone for their fibre-optic cabling job here, as they did at Keyham Yard (at the station)?

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Certainly there's space to do so. My memory might be failing me, but did Flexer Construction unload stone for their fibre-optic cabling job here, as they did at Keyham Yard (at the station)?

Quite right on both counts, Paul.

 

My comment about Sainsburys using Crabtree Siding was in jest, as that site is now the big Sainsburys, the one you can see from the A38 Marsh Mills flyover, with the funny sail-like roof.

 

On a more serious note, Tavistock Jct was the site under consideration for the previously-proposed supermarket traffic, which would have seen one train of minimum 26 boxes (on Megafret wagons) running each night from Avonmouth to Tavistock Jct, and a second train from Avonmouth to Truro. Some detailed plans were drawn up for Tavistock Jct and many meetings and site visits done, all this was approx 3 - 4 years ago. Sadly there wasn't quite enough interest from the various retailers and supermarkets to make the scheme financially viable, although I would say that it isn't quite completely dead, but would depend on the economics of the proposed operation becoming more favourable, if it was to see the light of day again.

 

In the meantime, there are no current plans for Tavistock Jct yard that would compromise any possible future use.

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As you may appreciate, my questions are a bit behind the times as are most of my answers, so it is interesting to read about my old railway haunts.  Tavistock Junction was beginning to lose its bustle when I left so apart from glimpses from passing trains, I have not seen it as it is now, except in pictures.  Hopefully there will be a need for it in the future.

 

Brian.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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If I may jump on the band wagon here, there is a photo in "GREAT WESTERN" steam in Devon by T Fairclough of a 45XX at Tavistock (South) in 1962 at 2:50pm with several conflats and 2 tankers on a Launceston -Plymouth freight has any one got any idea's as to what the traffic might be ?.

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The tankers were probably from Lifton creamery being the most likely source on the line.  Don't know of any other liquid  facility.  Have no idea about the Conflats; most goods trains were general merchandise as reflected by the predominance of vans and wagons with the occasional milk tanker.  Other may know more.

 

Brian.

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The tankers were probably from Lifton creamery being the most likely source on the line.  Don't know of any other liquid  facility.  Have no idea about the Conflats; most goods trains were general merchandise as reflected by the predominance of vans and wagons with the occasional milk tanker.  Other may know more.

 

Brian.

They might be full of rice pudding as that is one of the products from Ambrosia's Lifton factory.

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