Dartmouth and Torbay Railway

The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was a broad gauge railway linking the South Devon Railway branch at Torquay with Kingswear in Devon, England. It was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway.

The line to Paignton is now part of First Great Western's Riviera Line, the remaining section is operated by the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.

Chronology

• 1848 South Devon Railway opened to Torre
• 1857 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway authorised by Act of Parliament
• 1859 Railway opened from Torre to Paignton
• 1861 Railway extended to Churston
• 1864 Railway completed to Kingswear
• 1866 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway leased to the South Devon Railway
• 1868 Torbay and Brixham Railway opened from a junction at Churston
• 1872 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway amalgamated with the South Devon Railway
• 1876 South Devon Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
• 1892 Converted to standard gauge
• 1948 Great Western Railway nationalised into British Railways
• 1963 Brixham branch closed
• 1972 Railway beyond Goodrington sold as a heritage railway

Stations

• Torquay
• Preston Platform (1911 - ????)
• Paignton
• Goodrington Sands (Opened 1928 as Goodrington, renamed in 1929)
• Churston (Brixham Road until 1868)
• Britannia Halt (1877 - ????)
• Kingswear

via Ferry

• Dartmouth

Dartmouth Ferry

Early plans had been for the railway to reach the important harbour at Dartmouth. This proved impossible, however, so the railway operated a ferry across the River Dart from their railway terminus at Kingswear to a station at Dartmouth. This ferry has passed with the railway to the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.

References

• Beck, Keith; Copsey, John (1990). The Great Western in South Devon. Didcot: Wild Swan Publication. ISBN 0-906867-90-8. 
• Potts, C R (1998). The Newton Abbot to Kingswear Railway (1844 - 1988). Oxford: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-387-7. 
• Railway company records can be consulted at The National Archives.