The Railtour Files

DMU	Route
as listed	Exeter St Davids - Cowley Bridge Jn - Crediton - Coleford Jn - Okehampton - meldon Jn - Lydford - Tavistock South - Horrabridge - Yelverton - Marsh Mills - Tavistock Jn - Laira Jn - Mount Gould Jn - Friary Jn - Plymouth Friary approach
as listed	Plymouth Friary approach - Friary Jn - Cattewater Jn - Plymstock - Yealmpton
as listed	Yealmpton - Plymstock
as listed	Plymstock - Oreston - Turnchapel - Turnchapel Tunnel (2)
as listed	Turnchapel Tunnel - Turnchapel - Oreston - Plymstock - Cattewater Jn - Friary Jn - Plymouth Friary approach
as listed	Plymouth Friary approach - Friary Jn - Mount Gould Jn - Lipson Jn - Plymouth North Road - North Road Jn - Devonport Jn - Devonport King's Road - St Budeaux Victoria Road
as listed	St Budeaux Victoria Road - St Budeaux Ferry Road - Devonport Jn - Cornwall Jn - Plymouth Millbay
as listed	Plymouth Millbay - Cornwall Jn - North Road Jn - Plymouth North Road - Totnes - Newton Abbot - Dawlish - Exeter St Davids

Notes :
(1) Route confirmation required - above is from booked timings. Photo stops made at Yealmpton, Plymstock and Turnchapel Admiralty Yard. The tour itinerary carried the following comments;
'The use of a cross-country diesel set on this tour has brought forth a spate of correspondence commenting on our choice of motive power and stock - some critical (often very so) but many more complimentary'.
'By the way, IF British Railways have failed to put the first class at the front leading out of Exeter, please don't ask the organisers to turn the train round! We did our best'.
'For those who pine for steam, a glance at the future programme of the club will prove that "puffers" are not forgotten'.
(2) The route description in the itinerary commented; '...proceeding straight into the tunnel beyond Turnchapel station to a point two chains beyond the tunnel mouth, which marks the boundary of the Admiralty Boom Defence Depot. The Admiralty were quite prepared to let us proceed right down their line to the ferry - and we are greatly indebted to the Admiral Superintendent for having given us this permission - but unfortunately the train just won't "fit", clearances not being sufficient, and our tail end is going to be left in the tunnel at Turnchapel when we come to a stand'.

Sources : Chris Harley, Howard Cook & Brian Read/Edwin Wilmshurst

Photo Review

M.C	Location	Booked
0.00	Exeter St Davids	13.00d
1.23	Cowley Bridge Jn	13/03
11.42	Coleford Jn	13/20
24.79	Okehampton	13.45a ~ 13.50d
27.51	Meldon Jn	13/58
34.72	Lydford	14.10a ~ 14.18d
41.44	Tavistock South	14/30
?	Horrabridge	14/39
46.78	Yelverton	14.43a ~ 14.46d
?	Bickleigh	14/53
54.17	Marsh Mills	15.00a ~ 15.03d
55.35	Tavistock Jn	15/04
56.27	Laira Jn	15/08
56.68	Mount Gould Jn	15/11
57.78	Plymouth Friary approach	15.15a ~ 15.20d
59.38	Plymstock	15/25
[62.71]	Billacombe	15.28a ~ 15.33d
[63.71]	Elburton Cross	15.36a ~ 15.41d
[64.46]	Brixton Road	15.45a ~ 15.50d
[65.79]	Steer Point	15.54a ~ 15.59d
[68.27]	Yealmpton	16.05a ~ 16.15d
[74.60]	Plymstock	16.35a ~ 16.45d
[59.79]	Oreston	16.48a ~ 16.53d
[60.54]	Turnchapel	16/56
?	Turnchapel Tunnel	16.58a ~ 17.08d
?	Turnchapel	17.10a ~ 17.15d
[61.74]	Plymstock	17/21
76.24	Plymouth Friary approach	17.28a ~ 17.35d
77.71	Lipson Jn	17/40
79.33	Plymouth North Road	17.45a ~ 17.52d
79.77	Devonport Jn	17/54
80.49	Devonport King's Road S.R.	17/55
?	St Budeaux Victoria Road	18.??a ~ 18.10d
83.09	St Budeaux	-
?	St Budeaux Ferry Road	18/12
85.74	Devonport Jn	18/18
86.64	Plymouth Millbay	18.23a ~ 18.33d
87.51	Plymouth North Road	18.38a ~ 18.45d
89.12	Lipson Jn	18/49
94.27	Hemerdon	19/00
103.73	Brent	19/13
110.62	Totnes	19/23
?	Aller Jn	19/36
119.41	Newton Abbot	19/38
139.55	Exeter St Davids	20.07a

Note regarding mileage at Plymouth Friary;
'Mileages are given to Plymouth Friary station; in actual fact the train will reverse on both occasions in the approach lines to Friary and not in the station itself. Distance should therefore, for full accuracy, be reduced by about 20ch on each occasion'.
'The mileage chart has been compiled showing the Turnchapel branch as being traversed first. This is incorrect, and any intermediate adjustments should therefore be taken into consideration, though the rear end mileages are correct of course'.
[Webmaster note: I have shown the listed mileages for the Turnchapel and Yealmpton branches in brackets to reflect the above comment]

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From The John Debens Ticket Collection.