Passengers originally an afterthought
26 February 1965
A maid of all work17 February 1978
49 Years Service26 June 1964
Westward Ho! Railway20 January 1956
Westward Ho! Railway ConspiracyDid the engines sink or see service near the front line? Early in 1917, the line was commandeered by the Government and a temporary
Last train from Barnstaple to Torrington1965
Westward Ho! Railway FactsHunslet Engine Co. Ltd of Leeds built 2-4-2 tank engines called 'Grenville', 'Kingsley' and 'Torridge' which each weighed
Bideford, Westward Ho! & Appledore Railway Co.The train service on Sundays will be discontinued after October 10th 1915 and resumed
Traders protest 'district gets worst rail carriages 3rd February 1961Worst carriages for Bideford area 3.02.1961
Save railway - fight still goes on 22nd January 1965Southwestern railway 22 January 1965
Mr John Henry Sharley10 March 1950
Proud of his gold wristlet watch11 March 1960
200 passengers give the Halwill line a closure in style 5th March 1965Closure of Halwill line 5th March 1965
End of an era Bideford's last coal truck 17th September 1965Bideford railway goods yard 17th September 1965
Passengers originally an afterthought26 February 1965
Tomorrow the last passenger train
will make its way from Torrington to Halwill, closing the book on the West Country’s youngest branch line.
The last train leaving Torrington on the route will be at 3.55pm returning from Halwill at 6.20, to reach Torrington at 7.30.
As early as 1831 (writes a railway enthusiast) people around here were thinking of railways, but it was nearly 100 years before they could take a ride on the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway.
Passengers were only an afterthought, as the main reason for the railway was to carry clay, and many years ago one of the mining companies had built their own narrow gauge tramway to take it to Torrington. From there the main line trains could carry the clay to the docks at Freminton, Fowey or Avonmouth.
The men, who came from all over the country, often could not find lodgings, so they slept rough. Some had been on the dole for many years, and did not like this enforced hard work. Thinking trouble makers would be...
A maid of all work17 February 1978
But green light for freight
Although there seems no hope of the Bideford to Barnstaple line ever carrying passenger trains regularly, it is possibly unique in the economic role it plays.
Depending on circumstances one train make two trips daily, Monday to Friday, between Barnstaple and Peters Marland and Meeth, with stops at Torrington for the Unigate milk factory, before returning to Barnstaple and ending with a trip to Exeter.
Aptly it has been described as ‘a maid of all work.’
One man who refuses to believe that a regular passenger service is ‘not on’ is Mr Roger Joanes, of Filleigh, who has organised a number of trips from Bideford to London and now plans the most ambitious yet – in a reverse direction.
In May he is organising the first combined rail and sea trip from the Metropolis to Lundy.
The full Gazette article dated 17 February 1978
49 Years Service26 June 1964
Presentation of a power drill and attachments was made at Bideford station
on Monday on behalf of the station staffs at Bideford and Instow to Mr W J O Hatherell, who has retired after 49 years' railway service, the last 11 as stationmaster at Bideford (with Instow).
The gift was handed to him by the relief stationmaster, Mr F Barrow.
Among those present were Mr L Somerfield (stationmaster, Torrington), Mr H Braunton and Mr T Colwill.
Mr Hatherell, who lives at 9 Alverdiscott Road, retired earlier this month.
Gazette article dated 26 June 1964
Westward Ho! Railway20 January 1956
From Westward Ho! to Abbotsham Cliffs
New life of the Bideford-Westward Ho! railway track – disused since the middle of the first world war – is envisaged in a more proposal reported to Northam Urban Council.
The Clerk, Mr L B Galliford, told the Council a Birmingham firm, specialising in the operation of miniature railways had submitted proposals to use a stretch of the old Bideford-Westward Ho! railway track starting from near the Bath Hotel and running out to the Council’s boundary and Abbotsham Cliffs. The firm realised they would have to enter into agreements with various owners of lengths of the track for wayleaves, added the Clerk.
The Council, after discussion, decided to reply to the firm that the matter was being favourably considered.
In reply to the Rev A E Green, the Clerk said he understood the miniature railway would be such that passengers could sit inside the carriages.
Mr C R Mill thought when the Council acquired the Rocks Nose quarry area they had done so with the...
Westward Ho! Railway ConspiracyDid the engines sink or see service near the front line? Early in 1917, the line was commandeered by the Government and a temporary
Westward Ho! Railway Conspiracy
Bideford-Westward Ho!-Appledore Railway - Is there a conspiracy?
Did the engines sink or see service near the front line?
Early in 1917, the line was commandeered by the Government and a temporary line was laid from Bideford Quay across the bridge to a goods yard in East-the-Water.
Lieut-Colonel E V Thompson said that engines were loaded on to SS Gotterdammerung at Avonmouth and were destroyed when the ship was torpedoed by a U-boat off the Cornish coast. Hunslett Engine Co. and others claim that the engines were despatched to Pembrey in South Wales for shipment to the front.
Mr Sowden thought he saw one of the engines at Arras during the War.
Mr Philip Kelly of 6 Stanhope Terrace, Bideford, says he saw the engines with identification plates at Armentieres.
Mr Colin Eastman of Clovelly maintains that divers found, on a wreck, off the North Cornwall coast, 2 railway carriages 150ft beneath the Atlantic Ocean.
'Kingsley' survived the war and was sold by the...
Last train from Barnstaple to Torrington1965
The last train to carry passengers both ways on the Barnstaple-Torrington route will leave Torrington for Bideford at 7.45pm and Bideford for Barnstaple at 7.54pm tomorrow.
Although a train leaves Barnstaple at 9.40pm and Bideford for Torrington at 9.58, it returns from Torrington empty. The occasion will not pass unmarked.
The Mayor of Bideford, Mrs Ethelwynne Brown, will be on the station to say farewell to the 7.54pm train. The occasion, she pointed to the Gazette, was certainly not one for celebration. ‘But the least I can do as Mayor is to thank the staff for past services for which we have been so glad for very many years’.
The closure of the line to passenger traffic means that at Bideford two booking clerks and four porters will lose their jobs. But an assurance has been given to Mr Peter Mills, MP, for Torrington, that they will be helped to find new situations. It has come from Mr C Hankins, divisional manager of British Rail’s Western Region. He says he is disappointed to hear...
Westward Ho! Railway FactsHunslet Engine Co. Ltd of Leeds built 2-4-2 tank engines called 'Grenville', 'Kingsley' and 'Torridge' which each weighed
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Bideford, Westward Ho! & Appledore Railway Co.The train service on Sundays will be discontinued after October 10th 1915 and resumed
Bideford, Westward Ho! & Appledore Railway Co.
The train service on Sundays will be discontinued after October 10th 1915 and resumed on May 7th 1916
Henry Sowden, General Manager
Traders protest 'district gets worst rail carriages 3rd February 1961Worst carriages for Bideford area 3.02.1961
Traders protest 'district gets worst rail carriages' 3rd February 1961
Holiday makers going on to the platform at Waterloo bound for the Westcountry invariably find the worst carriages earmarked for the Bideford-Barnstaple area, says a letter of protest sent to British Railways by Bideford and District Chamber of Trade. The secretary, Mr C C Prust said the MP for Torrington Division, Mr Percy Browne was also being asked to take the matter up.
Save railway - fight still goes on 22nd January 1965Southwestern railway 22 January 1965
'Save railway' fight still goes on 22nd January 1965
When local M.P.'s and South Western rail chiefs were lunching they were interupted by Mr Roger Crowther, chairman of the Torridge Railway Users' Action Committee.
M.P.s, Mr Peter Mills and Mr Jeremy Thorpe, were discussing with south west rail executives the future of the Barnstaple - Torrington and Barnstaple - Ilfracombe railway lines.
Discussion took place on the special inspection train of the general manager of British Railways Western Region, Mr G F Fiennes. In the photograph he is greeting Mr Mills. Other executives on board were Mr J Flynn; Mr G Phillip; Mr C Hawkins; Mr C Brindle; Mr W Hartnell; Brig-Gen W Abraham and Mr D Fletcher
Mr Thorpe stated that the railway officials had been given a number of complaints, including some about the lateness of trains arriving in North Devon, it had also been stressed that with further industrial development planned for the area it was essential that a railway service was available.
Mr John Henry Sharley10 March 1950
Believed to be the first Bidefordian to qualify for the Southern Railway Gold Medal for long service, Mr John Henry Sharley, 9 Chudleigh Avenue, Bideford, completed fifty years’ railway service on February 28th.
He hopes to retire on April 1st. Mr Sharley was Mayor of Bideford during the war years 1942-44.
He commenced work in the uniformed goods department at Bideford Railway station the same department to which he later returned as a higher grade clerk, on Ladysmith Day, 1900. In all he has served under ten station masters. Disappointed to find, on his return to Bideford, that interest in football was on the decline, Mr Sharley was prominent in successful moves to resuscitate the sport and was the first chairman of the Bideford United Football Club and afterwards its secretary. For a time he was also secretary of the Bideford Amateur Athletic Club. He is at present secretary of the Kingsley League and of the Hansen and Pickard Cup competitions. He is chairman of the Bideford and...
Proud of his gold wristlet watch11 March 1960
Torrington man’s 48 years on railway
It is nearly 40 years since Mr Herbert Steer first walked from his home in New Street, Torrington, down the hill to the railway station and thence along the track to the signal box.
That has since been his daily routine, but on March 13th he will leave the box for the last time. The next day he will begin a fortnight’s leave and will then retire after having served on the railway for 48 years.
It was on October 14th 1912 that Mr Steer began to work for the London and South West Railway as a carriage cleaner at Plymouth. Four years later he was transferred to Portsmouth Arms as a porter but 18 months from then he was in the Army.
The war over, he became a porter at Bideford but was soon transferred to his native Torrington.
He intends to devote more time to his hobby of decorating and to do some gardening.
The full Gazette article is dated 11 March 1960
200 passengers give the Halwill line a closure in style 5th March 1965Closure of Halwill line 5th March 1965
200 passengers give the Halwill line a closure in style
It is a long since the queue for tickets at Torrington railway station stretched from the booking office out and down the platform.
About 200 people filled the last public passenger train from Torrington on the Torrington-Halwill line, and there can be few, if any, occasions when more passengers have been carried since its opening as a full scale line in 1925.
Passengers included members of Plymouth, Exeter and Launceston Railway societies and a contingent of 32 boys from the Transport Society of Grenville College, Bideford, led by Mr D Whittington and Mr B D Hughes.
The school party were armed with cameras, cine camera and a tape recorder and Edward Harrison, son of the Vicar of Torrington (Rev P Harrison), a pupil of the school had brought a not-too-unkind caricature of Dr Beeching, which found its way into the farewell display.
Mr Jack A Parkhouse, has frequently driven on the route. Stationmaster Mr L Somerfield lifted his...
End of an era Bideford's last coal truck 17th September 1965 Bideford railway goods yard 17th September 1965
End of an era - Bideford's last coal truck 17th September 1965
This is a picture for the archives of the last coal truck to be unloaded at Bideford railway goods yard.
The occasion also marked the last trip to the railhead from the Westcombe yard of Messrs Littlejohns Bros. of the 'jumbo' crane, which has been making the journey since 1955.