Dartmouth Steam Railway General Discusssion

I remember talk in the mid 70's of handing the line over as far as Newton Abbott to what was then the DVR

I wonder if there might have been an element of 'Hum the DVR have the money to take this over if we plan closure so lets float it and see what happens?'

 

Fortunately much cheaper in Devon…



Simon

 

I believe it was, and back in pre-preservation days it used to completely ruin the branch line atmosphere and realism by regularly playing host to big chuffers ...

https://railphotoprints.uk/p457612214/hE3E9F5D5#he3e9f5d5 (not one, but two Castles, I am sure someone can find a photo of a King).

Tom

 

How inauthentic! Not naming any names, but certain historic railway companies could do with taking a closer look at the bottom line and take a less starry-eyed gricer-ish approach. I bet they ran long trains with buffet cars too in some poor attempt to justify the big engines. Probably even tried to poorly excuse it by pointing at "passenger numbers"....

 

In "The Newton Abbott to Kingswear Railway by C.R.Potts " there is picture of 6023 at Churston in 1931, and one of a King ( no name or number given) on Goodrington Bank in 1935

 

Most heritage lines would not be remotely viable without large amounts of donations and volunteer labour.

 

Exactly my point and they can run their trains according to the season.

 

Does anybody know if BSK 34550 is just on hire to the SDR or is it a permanent move/swap?

 

Arguably, the line was a main line as it took long-distance passenger trains. The branch line was Churston to Brixham, originally built for the fish trade.

 

The best description I heard for Kingswear was it's a branch of the mainline, rather than a branch off the mainline.

 

Yes, I was being slightly sarcastic given the contention (in some quarters ) that large express locos and single line railways are historically inappropriate.

There was a notable difference between the GWR and SR networks west of Exeter, in that the GWR line had the character of a herringbone, with a single defined mainline axis (Exeter - Penzance) with a series of branch lines radiating from either side. At the branch stations, the mainline train would go through and be met by a branch line set at each junction. By contrast, the SR network was more like a tree, with lines splitting and splitting again to the various destinations, but it is hard to definitively say what was the "main" line and which were "branch" lines. The service pattern was also different: instead of a main train met at junctions by a branch line train; you had trains which split into more or less equal parts at junctions; or joined in the opposite direction.

In that regard, Kingswear in some ways had more in common operationally with the SR network than with the rest of the GWR network - in my eyes.

Tom

 

However the DSR is possibly unique as it is run on a commercial basis without volunteers or a supporting membership group. Much of its trade is combined with river cruises

 

There has been is a small group of volunteers maintaining Churston station since the DVR took over the line.

 

Didn’t know that. Last time i was there I got talking to the legendary Geoff Kitchenside (former MR editor ) who was working as the Kingswear booking clerk and he said there wasn’t any volunteer input, so maybe it’s changed? Still not aware of a society as such

 

The website at https://www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk/visitor-info/faqs says "yes" in answer to the question "Do you have volunteers?" and provides a telephone contact number. No further details are provided.