The Devon Line that never was: Exeter, Teign Valley, and Chagford Railway (Part three)

by Colin Burbidge

In the prospectus of August 1894, published in the Western Times of August 2nd, an agreement was outlined between the Great Western Railway and the directors of Exeter, Teign Valley & Chagford Railway. The GWR would agree to operate its rolling stock over the line between Exeter and Lea Cross for which it would charge 50% of the gross receipts of that line for both goods and passenger traffic. The GWR would give a ticket rebate of 10% between Bristol and Plymouth and 5% on the remainder of the GWR network. They would also allow free use of their Exeter station to the ETV&C railway.

Moretonhampstead in 2018

The GWR were not willing to operate on the Chagford branch of the line, because they argued, they already carried passengers to Chagford via their horse drawn GWR bus service between Moretonhampstead station and Chagford, and they were not prepared to jeopardise that arrangement.

The GWR were also making demands of both the Board of Directors and the contractors - Dicksons of London. The line from Exeter to Lea Cross was to be initially single track, however the GWR insisted that it be prepared as for double track running. The Board were required to purchase extra land to allow for a double track bed, any road bridge would need extra spans to cover a double track layout and the tunnels would need to be wider and higher, all of which would take Dicksons longer to accomplish.

 Exeter Chamber of Commerce took a close interest in the progress of the project, and on 5th December 1895 the Chairman, Mr.C.B. B. Sanders and Mr Mallett reported in the Western Times, on their visit to the site of the works.

“The line is proceeding very slowly, and the men working there considered that there was no need to think of a fresh job in their lifetime. Nothing more was required than the tangible support of the moneyed classes of Exeter”.

  In August 1896 Engineer Mr. Lidstone reported progress to the Board, part of which appeared on August 4th in the Western Times.

“At the Leigh Cross end about a mile and a half of heavy work has been completed. Considering the amount of work to be done at the Perridge tunnel, the Contractors deemed it advisable to concentrate on the completion of that part of the work.

Already 9 shafts have been sunk on the approached to the tunnel, and over 300 men have for some time been engaged in day and night shifts.

It is expected the hill will have been pierced within a few months, and until the tunnel is pierced the Company is precluded by its Act of Parliament from proceeding with the work on the Exeter side.”

To be continued ……….

The Devon Line that never was: Exeter, Teign Valley, and Chagford Railway (Part one)

by Colin Burbidge

After many false starts, Friday August 18th, 1894 saw the Royal Assent given to …

The formation of the Exeter, Teign Valley & Chagford Railway.

The London Stock Exchange announced that the company came into being with a capital of £240,000.  with the purpose of connecting the City of Exeter with the already extant Teign Valley Railway, the first 10 miles would connect with that line at Lea Cross and from there an 8-mile branch line would terminate at Chagford.

The Pepperpot Market House in the centre of Chagford (March 2019)

 The Valley of the Teign had long been known for its Mineral deposits, silver-lead ore, barytes, and Manganese. Owing to the cost of carriage by road, these works were closed. However, with the favourable conditions of bulk transport by rail they might soon be open again.

As reported in the Western Times in August 1894 the rail company has already had promises from Messrs William Easton & Co and the Teign Valley Barytes Mining Company of large loads of granite, macadam stone and barytes.

The Directors had appointed main contractors James & John Dickson of London, and the arrangement was that Dicksons would accept a cash payment of £30,000 and the balance would be in shares in the company. Such an arrangement gave the contractors the incentive to press on swiftly with the work, since until the line was carrying traffic, the shares were in essence worthless.

November 7th, 1894 was the date set for the ceremonial cutting of the 1st sod of turf. The event was followed in detail by the “Western Times” who informed their readers that Lady Northcote had been invited to do the honours. At 11.30am there would be a grand procession including the Band and a Company of the 1st Volunteer Regiment of the Devonshire’s, followed by the Directors, The Mayor, Sheriff, the Bishop of Exeter, and other worthies. In wet weather the procession ended in a large marquee in a field in Alphington Road near the GWR Railway bridge, the site of the new line, close to St. Thomas Station, Exeter.

The railway bridge of the Teign Valley line crossed Church Road (Alphington).

The cutting ceremony having been completed there was a special luncheon at the London Hotel, Exeter, followed by a gala football match between Exeter and Blundell’s School 1st XI and in the evening at the County Ground, despite more rain, a firework display provided by Messrs. James Paine & Sons of London.

Now began, not only the groundwork, but the negotiating with numerous landowners and local councils to purchase the land needed for the lines. In parallel, the initial £30,000 needed to be raised and large numbers of shares also required selling. In places like Dunsford, Chudleigh and Chagford enthusiastic public meetings were held to drum up support and encourage people to invest.

 To be continued……….