Page 14 - Rail Express - September 2019

RETRO PASSENGER

When SaturdayCame

Paignton

The beaches and favourable climate around Torbaysaw it become apopular

tourist destination that brought in astream of long-distance loco-hauled workings
through to the early2000s.

HE area around TorbayinDevonhas this wasextendedtoa newTorquay insufficientfor the busiestperiods,
beeninhabitedsince prehistoric stationand Paigntoninsummer 1859, so some trainsworkedempty backto
Ttimes, and Paigntonitself completingathrough routebetween Newton Abbot, wheretherewerealso
wasmentioned in the11th century London and Torbay. The Dartmouth loco servicing facilities until1981.
DomesdayBook,remaininga small and TorbayRailway extended theroute The line to Kingswear wassold by
fishing town untilthe 19th century when even further, reachingKingswear (for BritishRailatthe end of 1972, to be
trips to theseaside began to become Dartmouth)insummer1864. reopened at the beginning of 1973
fashionable amongst those with time, as the Paignton &Dartmouth Steam
andmoney, on their hands. DIESEL WORKINGS Railway –althoughaconnectionremains
Like many coastaltowns,however, Main line dieselisation beganinthe late to thisday forthrough-railtoursand
it wasthe comingofthe railwaythat 1950swiththe introduction of Type 4 loco movements.
transformed theareaintothe tourist ‘Warships’ (Classes 41-43), andsteam Loco-hauled summerSaturday
destinationitistoday.The Great Western wascompletelyousted in the mid- servicestoTorquay and Paignton
Railway opened itslinefromLondon to 1960s. Passengertrafficonthe branch remained busythrough the1970s and
Bristolin1841, with the Bristol &Exeter wasstill heavy, however, especially on 1980s, with Classes 35,42, 43 45,46,
Railway opening throughout in 1844, summer Saturdays when therewas 47, 50 and52featuring –although
followedbythe South DevonRailway to almost aconstant stream of long- localservices were also in thehands
NewtonAbbot at theend of 1846 and distance trains from London, the North, ofClasses22, 25, 31 and33at
Plymouth in 1849. Scotlandand South Wales –including various times.
The branch from AllerJunction to overnightworkings. Summer1984 had20loco-hauled
Torre– the original Torquaystation– Carriage sidingswereavailableat arrivals anddeparturesfromPaignton,
wascompleted at theend of 1848, and Goodrington, as today,but these were whichbegan in theearlymorning ❯ 1

2

14 RAIL EXPRESS September 2019