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The changing face of Plymouth


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  • RMweb Gold

On a further tangent if you look at the Capn's last picture there are three rows of housing running up the picture towards the park, just above these in 1865 and again in 1872 the Great Western built temporary sidings to deliver goods to the Bath and West agricultural show

 

That immediately generates two questions - what alignment was used for the sidings (and is anything left to see today)? and what was the Bath & West Show doing in Plymouth?!

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... and what was the Bath & West Show doing in Plymouth?!

The Bath and West show went on tour before they had a permanent show ground. I remember going to one in Central Park (about where they later built the swimming pool) in 1958.

 

See - http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Bath_and_West_Show.html?id=6kSqLwEACAAJ&redir_esc=y

And reference to a fire in 1922 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Cricket_Club.

 

There are aerial images available from the plymouth image archive http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/archivescatalogue?criteria%3Dhamoaze%26operator%3Dundefined%26toNo%3D120

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That immediately generates two questions - what alignment was used for the sidings (and is anything left to see today)? and what was the Bath & West Show doing in Plymouth?!

 

The later B & W touring shows were as John says on the sitte where the (recently demolished) swimming pool and golf course are sighted. Indeed the very last touring show was here before the move too the permanent site at Shepton Mallett.

 

The earlier ones were at the other end of what then was a farm close behind the former Devonport Gaol. When you are next in Plymouth spend your lunchtime walking down under the bridge to Pennycomequick roundabout then walk beside the sorting office, the "castellated" building on the other side of the road is the remaiins of the prison. Progressing up one of the terraces you will find the ground at the top of the road forms a sort of shelf This is the site of the sidings! Now return to Stuart road and walk back under the Cornwall main line bridge ( if you look up at the underside of the arch you will see this is in fact two structures built into one) take the right fork and then turn right to pass under then railway bridge, the junction was on the cornish side of the bridge where the post war flats are and the track bed we think was incorporated into part of the alignment of Whittington Street

 

Readers with access to the various forms of Google earth/maps should be able to follow these instructions without travelling to then City although a warm welcomeb awaits any who do.

 

Some time ago I made the offer on here of gratis copies of some notes and maps that I put together for a mini bus tour of the historic parts of the plymouthian railways several years ago these are still available in PDF format if anyone wishes to PM me offline .

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  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Premium

does anyone have or know where is located a good scale drawing of the plymouth station layout (current) is available. for my next layout im looking to model plymouth (north road) station and although google images are helpful a more relevant source material would be of more help.

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does anyone have or know where is located a good scale drawing of the plymouth station layout (current) is available. for my next layout im looking to model plymouth (north road) station and although google images are helpful a more relevant source material would be of more help.

 

I know that this isn't a scale drawing, but if you have MSTS route Paddington to Penzeance 2.5 (distributed by http:// www.uktrainsim.com), you will see a version in the path editor or the station layout itself in the Sim.

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<<On a further tangent if you look at the Capn's last picture there are three rows of housing running up the picture towards the park, just above these in 1865 and again in 1872 the Great Western built temporary sidings to deliver goods to the Bath and West agricultural show>>

 

I have just noted the above. The streets are Wake St, Houldsworth St and another I cannot remember(need Google) from nearly 60 years ago.

 

I find it hard to believe that there were sidings down there in Pennycomequick! as I believe that the valley was a bit boggy around 1865, and if anyone knows the area, the hills are quite steep. More likely, if there were any sidings they would have been parallel with the outer platform on that side.

 

By the way I attended the Bath and West in Central park in 1958 and had a surreptitious half there whilst on a school trip.

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  • RMweb Gold

<<On a further tangent if you look at the Capn's last picture there are three rows of housing running up the picture towards the park, just above these in 1865 and again in 1872 the Great Western built temporary sidings to deliver goods to the Bath and West agricultural show>>

 

I have just noted the above. The streets are Wake St, Houldsworth St and another I cannot remember(need Google) from nearly 60 years ago.

 

I find it hard to believe that there were sidings down there in Pennycomequick! as I believe that the valley was a bit boggy around 1865, and if anyone knows the area, the hills are quite steep. More likely, if there were any sidings they would have been parallel with the outer platform on that side.

 

As you say - the difference in levels is quite considerable as can be seen in this picture of the underbridge at the western end of North Road station

http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/bonnets/troops1.jpg

There is a picture here of the exhibition fields http://plymouthlocalhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/exhibition-fields-at-pennycomequick.html

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<<On a further tangent if you look at the Capn's last picture there are three rows of housing running up the picture towards the park, just above these in 1865 and again in 1872 the Great Western built temporary sidings to deliver goods to the Bath and West agricultural show>>

 

I have just noted the above. The streets are Wake St, Houldsworth St and another I cannot remember(need Google) from nearly 60 years ago.

 

I find it hard to believe that there were sidings down there in Pennycomequick! as I believe that the valley was a bit boggy around 1865, and if anyone knows the area, the hills are quite steep. More likely, if there were any sidings they would have been parallel with the outer platform on that side.

 

By the way I attended the Bath and West in Central park in 1958 and had a surreptitious half there whilst on a school trip.

 

Mike has beaten me to it with his reply and picture, as you say the ground here was boggy at the time, in fact in the 1899 O S map it is still a tidal creek up to the site of the current sorting office.

 

I must admit that I have not come across this web site before and must examine it closer when time permits.

 

I have previously tried to recreate the picture with this result -

post-5286-0-52167600-1351356087.jpg

 

The two yellow lines show the aproximate alignment of the sidings which are further up the hill than I believe you imagined. My photo was taken from the pedestrian bridge over the main road whereas the original photographer would have been standing on what is now Power Signal Box or B T C police office.

 

It may be worth noting that the "tents" in the lower portion of the old photo are described in other sources as being the perimeter of the exercise yard of the Gaol and nothing to do with the visiting shows which were held higher up the hill where the fields were more level. I E the other side of the sidings.

 

Wally

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  • 2 weeks later...

With reference to the comments about the name 'North Road', can you still see the outline of the old 'North Road' lettering following the word 'Plymouth' on the buildings on platforms 7/8? You could certainly see it fairly recently if you looked closely.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

A few snaps taken about 10 years ago of the track near the entrance area of the Cattewater bitumen depot.

 

The tanks were usually shunted down the branch with an 08 and collected by the bitumen loco at the gates. I understand that class 66s made a few appearances on this dodgy track. It would have been interesting to see that.

 

The depot has closed and I believe that the track has now been removed.

 

I have a few more of the depot and locos if anyone would like to see them.

 

I would love to create some 4mm trackwork like this but would no doubt be a disaster!

 

post-6728-0-43753500-1353572049_thumb.jpg

 

Note the tie bars to keep it to gauge.

post-6728-0-68575500-1353572095_thumb.jpg

 

Looking towards the tunnel.

post-6728-0-88709200-1353572123_thumb.jpg

 

Check out the checkrail gap. Definitely not to P4 standard!

post-6728-0-38109600-1353572238_thumb.jpg

 

post-6728-0-57257100-1353572312_thumb.jpg

 

.John.

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  • RMweb Premium

Interesting shots of some track geometry which re-creates in reality what I've seen on a couple of layouts!

 

I too recall trials of a 66 down there; I suspect the modern engineering of the bogies allowed more leeway for the wheelsets to "give" than if it had been a 37.

 

And for any uninitiated present it really is "Cat Water". I've heard one or two "anoraks" referring to "Catter Wotter" or "Catter Waiter" at times. Which I suppose goes into the same file as "Okker Hampton" or Plie Mooth" ;)

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  • RMweb Gold

Some more...

 

post-6728-0-07148500-1353589543_thumb.jpg

 

post-6728-0-01930000-1353589566_thumb.jpg

 

Looking NE near Faraday Rd scrapyard. I believe that this part of the branch is still in situ and sees occasional scrap traffic use. (I stand to be corrected on that)

post-6728-0-67176900-1353589593_thumb.jpg

 

Long disused quayside track

post-6728-0-91472300-1353589684_thumb.jpg

 

post-6728-0-60183700-1353589749_thumb.jpg

The disused quayside track is at the RHS back of the snap

post-6728-0-36035800-1353589790_thumb.jpg

 

More to come after I've scanned them.

 

One to be going on with!

 

post-6728-0-85897900-1353590426_thumb.jpg

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The track has been cut back to the EMR? scrapyard but the track remains in all the level crossings.

 

I dont think that 66s made it all the way down because the bitumen traffic had been lost by then, and they only went as far as the scrapyard. The 66s did look rather heavy for the bridge over the embankment.

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The scrap trains do not run at the moment although the track remains in place but the level crossing adjacent to the B O C depot was removed when the road to the wharf was recently improved cutting everything else off.

 

Both diesels which were used on the wharf have been donated by Esso to the diesel group at Cranmore on the E S R and therefore preserved Unfortunately no one ever had the chance to save the fireless loco which previously worked the fuel depot.

 

Wally

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The scrap trains do not run at the moment.

 

Wally

 

They haven't run since 2008(?). Plymouth lost it's 3 major freight flows almost in one go when Marsh Mills clayworks and the Esso Bitumen depot closed. The remaining scrap traffic from Cattewater presumably wasn't enough to sustain the overheads of staff/08/trip workings via friary etc. Tavistock Junction Depot remains but only as stabling sidings for the weekly fuel tanks and occasional engineering train use. It's possible it could be used as an intermodal depot.

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  • RMweb Gold

Have a feeling the scrap traffic is not running at present, but as Royal Oak says the track is retained that far in case it restarts.

That statement is so accurate, I just cannot add anything more to it! :D

 

Tavistock Junction Depot remains but only as stabling sidings for the weekly fuel tanks and occasional engineering train use. It's possible it could be used as an intermodal depot.

:sungum: :sungum:

 

Actually, the engineering train use is somewhat seasonal in nature, in that the bigger jobs in the SW, which need engineering trains, tend to be during the forthcoming part of the winter...

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  • 2 months later...

Some more of Plymouths railways about to go? Part of the tracks at Millbay have been fenced off and developers are moving in. Anyone know what plans there are for the tracks? Perhaps some Ocean Liner Super Saloons parked on the quayside track to create one of Plymouths best eating experiences? I suspect not as there is nothing to promote any of Plymouths heritage anywhere else. They couldn't even be proud enough to keep the dome museum going. Few young people have any idea that Plymouth is connected with so much history so I guess that the story of the Ocean Liner Specials is about to be trashed to make way for money making apartments. Sorry about the rant but I feel Plymouth suffers enough without finishing off what little original locations are left by short term profit making!

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  • RMweb Gold

Some more of Plymouths railways about to go? Part of the tracks at Millbay have been fenced off and developers are moving in. Anyone know what plans there are for the tracks?

??? There haven't been any railway tracks at Millbay for many years???

 

 

Edit - I should have said connected and operational tracks...

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