Riviera Line
Riviera Line | |||
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Exeter Traction Maintenance Depot | |||
Rolling stock | Classes 150, 158, 166 also 43, 220, 221, 800, 802 | ||
History | |||
Opened | 1846–59 | ||
Technical | |||
Line length | 28.25 miles (45 km) | ||
Number of tracks | 2 | ||
Character | Main line | ||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
Loading gauge | RA8 / W7 East of Newton Abbot RA 6 / W6A West of Newton Abbot | ||
Operating speed | 60 mph (97 km/h)[1] | ||
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The Riviera Line is the railway between the city of
History
The line from Exeter to Teignmouth was opened by the South Devon Railway Company on 30 May 1846 and was extended to Newton Abbot on 30 December 1846. After the company had completed its main line to Plymouth, it opened a branch from Newton Abbot to Torquay (the present Torre railway station) on 18 December 1848. Nine years later, this was extended as the independent Dartmouth and Torbay Railway to Paignton on 2 August 1859.[2]
These lines were built as single-track, 7 ft (2,134 mm)
The Dartmouth and Torquay Railway was operated from the outset by the South Devon Railway and amalgamated with it in 1872. This company, in turn, amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 February 1876. The GWR was nationalised on 1 January 1948 as part of British Railways.
In 1977, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Nationalised Industries recommended considering
Services
Local passenger services on the line are currently operated by Great Western Railway. Mondays-Saturdays see an approximately half-hourly service calling at most stations, which runs beyond Exeter to and from Exmouth along the Avocet Line. On Sundays, a more restricted service operates, most of which terminate at Exeter.[7]
Other services on the line include Great Western Railway express trains to/from
Infrastructure
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Trains going towards Paignton are described as travelling in the "down" direction; those towards Exeter in the "up". The line is double track throughout except for a long single-lead junction at Newton Abbot where trains are turned off the main line onto the Paignton branch. Loops at Dawlish Warren allow slower trains to be overtaken, as does the flexible layout at Newton Abbot where all three platforms can access the Paignton branch. At Exeter St Davids, Riviera Line trains generally use platforms 1 and 3 as these are the only ones with access to and from Exeter Central and the Avocet line; starting or terminating trains may also use platforms 4, 5 and 6. At Paignton down trains generally arrive in platform 2; if they arrive in platform 1 they must shunt across to platform 2 before departure, generally via the sidings at Goodrington Sands.
Between Exeter and Newton Abbot the predominant speed limit is 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), the route availability is RA8, and freight loading gauge is W7. On the Paignton branch the predominant speed limit is 40 miles per hour (64 km/h), the route availability RA6, and the freight loading gauge W6A. Multiple aspect signals are controlled from the panel signal box at Exeter and allow a headway between trains of four minutes from there to Newton Abbot and seven minutes onwards to Paignton.[1] The sea wall section is signalled for trains to run either way on the up (landward) line to allow for restricted working in the event of sea damage to the down line.[10]
The Paignton branch has been identified as a "fragile route" where the addition of any further loco hauled traffic would have a significant impact on the residual life of track and/or structures. The three stations on the branch are currently under consideration for the provision of improved facilities but this is dependent on third-party funding being made available.[1]
Route description
The route is described from Exeter to Paignton for a passenger facing the direction of travel, which will put the sea on their left.
Exeter to Newton Abbot
Communities served: Exeter – Starcross (and Exmouth via a seasonal ferry service) – Dawlish Warren – Dawlish – Teignmouth – Newton Abbot
On leaving
Once out in the countryside the line crosses marshes as it runs alongside the canal and river. What looks like a
From
A little further along the river the railway crosses the mouth of Cockwood harbour. Near the shipwreck here was the 1,285 feet (392 m) long Exe Bight Pier, in use from 1869 for about ten years.[3] Dawlish Warren now comes into sight; the sand dunes are home to a nature reserve where many wading and sea birds can be seen. The railway line opens out into four lines at Dawlish Warren railway station, where the platforms are alongside loop lines that allow fast trains to overtake stopping services.
On the left is the beach and seaside amusements; on the right are some camping coaches in the old goods yard. The railway now comes onto the Sea Wall which it shares with a footpath, although it quickly enters the short and deep cutting at Langstone Rock. Emerging above the beach, views can be had across the sea towards Torbay.
Approaching Dawlish railway station, Coastguard's Cottage is on the right. Although now a café, this building was used by the railway during its construction[3] and then sold to the coastguard. Their boat house is below the footbridge. The town can be seen off to the right from Colonnade Viaduct at the other end of the station.
The line now enters its first tunnel, the 265 yards (242 m) Kennaway Tunnel[12] beneath Lea Mount, beyond which is Coryton beach where the footpath along the Sea Wall ends, and then 227 yards (208 m) Coryton tunnel. The next beach is the private Shell Cove and then the railway passes through 49 yards (45 m) Phillot Tunnel and 58 yards (53 m) Clerk's Tunnel, emerging onto a section of sea wall at Breeches Rock before diving into 513 yards (469 m) Parson's Tunnel beneath Hole Head. The last two tunnels are named after the Parson and Clerk Rocks, two stacks in the sea off Hole Head. When the tunnel was dug the workers cut into a smugglers tunnel which ran from a hidden entrance above the cliff down to a secluded cove.
Beyond Parson's Tunnel is a short viaduct across Smugglers Lane and then the footpath resumes alongside the line for the final stretch of the Sea Wall past Sprey Point to the cutting at Teignmouth Eastcliff. On the right side of the railway near Sprey Point can be seen the remains of a lime kiln used during the construction of the line.[3]
The railway passes through to Teignmouth railway station then continues through a cutting to emerge behind Teignmouth Harbour, after which the railway resumes its course alongside the water, the River Teign. The cuttings on both sides of the station were originally tunnels and were opened out between 1879 and 1884.[3] The railway passes under the Shaldon Bridge and then follows the river past the small promontories at Flow Point, Red Rock, and Summer House, opposite which can be seen the waterside inn at Coombe Cellars.
After leaving the riverside the line crosses Hackney Marshes and passes between the railway sidings at Hackney Yard (left), and the
Newton Abbot to Paignton
Communities served: Newton Abbot – Torquay – Paignton
Leaving Newton Abbot the railway widens out to four tracks; the two for Penzance diverge to the right at Aller Junction while the two for Paignton pass through the concrete beam 270m long Aller Tunnel, constructed in 2015 to carry the new
Just before
The train now descends this to reach Torquay railway station opened in 1859, although today's large stone buildings and old signal box date from 1878.[14] Unlike the original Torquay station (now Torre), this one is right by the beach at Abbey Sands and a level promenade links it with the harbour and town centre.
On leaving the station the line passes beneath an ornamental cast iron bridge, through a small cutting, and then climbs alongside Livermead Beach to the site of Torquay Gas Works,[14] now a park on the right of the line. It then passes a headland at Preston before dropping down again into Paignton, with more views of the beaches and sea. Immediately outside Paignton railway station is a busy level crossing right in the town centre. The ticket office is now situated in the 1859 goods shed;[14] the bus station is right outside the front door while the Dartmouth Steam Railway is situated alongside on the other side of the station.
The railway line continues beyond the station to reach carriage sidings at Goodrington Sands[14] and to provide a connection that allows special trains to run through to Kingswear over the heritage railway.
Passenger volume
Traffic growth in recent years has been largely on the main line section between Exeter and Newton Abbot, although reduced in 2014 due to the Dawlish seawall breach.[15]
Station usage | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Station name | 2002–03 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
Exeter to Newton Abbot | ||||||||||||||||||||
Exeter St Thomas | 45,681 | 64,295 | 76,964 | 80,199 | 82,677 | 97,656 | 103,488 | 116,172 | 137,346 | 196,198 | 186,982 | 213,848 | 219,232 | 251,170 | 250,980 | 243,144 | 224,132 | 122,038 | 205,426 | 264,396 |
Marsh Barton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Starcross | 58,384 | 69,175 | 76,771 | 84,968 | 83,701 | 85,262 | 83,066 | 91,166 | 101,048 | 107,060 | 100,178 | 101,004 | 111,316 | 142,850 | 125,898 | 116,170 | 111,744 | 38,644 | 90,972 | 107,120 |
Dawlish Warren | 55,275 | 69,763 | 74,045 | 80,275 | 94,252 | 99,742 | 114,376 | 130,322 | 141,048 | 145,712 | 138,966 | 157,212 | 166,248 | 182,366 | 188,140 | 189,756 | 186,548 | 88,954 | 233,636 | 233,060 |
Dawlish | 265,036 | 281,659 | 293,164 | 325,911 | 369,382 | 395,976 | 400,922 | 437,742 | 480,464 | 507,058 | 484,174 | 556,796 | 526,736 | 530,212 | 535,964 | 536,152 | 519,582 | 223,894 | 481,282 | 510,574 |
Teignmouth | 286,471 | 318,532 | 331,048 | 364,910 | 418,162 | 437,746 | 451,154 | 505,046 | 566,528 | 592,413 | 566,620 | 602,886 | 640,112 | 681,046 | 694,062 | 705,732 | 690,972 | 269,248 | 606,756 | 691,384 |
Newton Abbot | 636,901 | 720,606 | 731,694 | 782,310 | 856,010 | 929,268 | 940,862 | 1,021,530 | 1,088,094 | 1,102,732 | 1,057,340 | 1,141,040 | 1,170,480 | 1,193,454 | 1,230,844 | 1,234,672 | 1,203,100 | 434,744 | 977,212 | 1,155,346 |
Newton Abbot to Paignton | ||||||||||||||||||||
Torre | 138,305 | 153,214 | 150,974 | 139,572 | 133,619 | 145,478 | 154,776 | 178,564 | 224,072 | 234,206 | 239,380 | 274,708 | 306,802 | 295,076 | 289,444 | 281,138 | 290,116 | 139,330 | 301,996 | 331,844 |
Torquay | 284,566 | 298,494 | 292,701 | 307,520 | 341,916 | 370,886 | 360,418 | 381,072 | 407,722 | 428,436 | 409,600 | 457,724 | 488,854 | 505,384 | 513,832 | 483,450 | 457,528 | 168,810 | 412,594 | 455,448 |
Paignton | 336,321 | 345,738 | 335,491 | 372,167 | 427,368 | 457,948 | 471,782 | 504,648 | 555,180 | 571,558 | 567,440 | 631,506 | 678,656 | 677,904 | 672,366 | 676,342 | 632,482 | 237,744 | 577,996 | 636,400 |
The annual passenger usage is based on sales of tickets in stated financial years from Office of Rail and Road estimates of station usage. The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve-month periods that start in April. Methodology may vary year on year. Usage from the periods 2019-20 and especially 2020-21 onwards have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic |
The statistics are for passengers arriving and departing from each station and cover twelve-month periods that start in April.
Plans
In 2009 the
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is the longest national trail in the United Kingdom[17] and the Riviera Line runs alongside it for much of its length. The Path crosses the River Exe on the ferry to Starcross station and then follows the road to Dawlish Warren where it joins the Sea Wall to Dawlish. It then climbs up onto the cliffs above Kennaway Tunnel before rejoining the Sea Wall at Parsons Tunnel to follow the line to Eastcliff at Teignmouth.
It again follows closely from Abbey Sands (by Torquay station) to Preston Sands at Paignton. It also follows alongside the Dartmouth Steam Railway from Goodrington to Broadsands, the beach near Churston railway station.
The Path thus gives opportunities to observe trains at close hand, and also provides links for linear walks between stations, including Kingswear.
Storm damage
The sea wall has always been prone to damage during stormy weather as it runs alongside the open sea at the base of cliffs for four miles. The first time this occurred was in September 1846, just a few months after the line opened.[18] The most recent closure was in 2014 when a major breach at Dawlish closed the line from 4 February until 14 April 2014.[19][20]
References
- ^ a b c d "Network Rail Business Plan 2007: Route 12" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
- ISBN 0-85361-286-2.
- ^ ISBN 1-872524-42-7.
- ^ Central Publicity Unit 1979, pp. 0–2.
- ^ Central Publicity Unit 1979, p. 8.
- ^ "Route Plans 2009 Route 12 Reading to Penzance" (PDF). Network Rail. Retrieved 10 July 2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "National Rail Timetable 135" (PDF). Winter 2007.
- ^ "National Rail Timetable 160" (PDF). Winter 2007.
- ^ "National Rail Timetable 51" (PDF). Winter 2007.
- ISBN 978-1-904349-55-6.
- ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1931). History of the Great Western Railway. Vol. II, 1863–1921. London: Great Western Railway. p. not cited.
- ^ Cooke, R.A. (1984). Section 14: South Devon. Track Layout Diagrams of the GWR and BR WR. Harwell: R.A. Cooke. p. not cited.
- ^ "New highway delivering boost to South Devon economy". Department for Transport. 22 February 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
- ^ ISBN 0-85361-387-7.
- ^ "Estimates of station usage". Office of Rail and Road. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
- )
- ^ "South West Coast Path website". Southwestcoastpath.com. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ISBN 1-872524-42-7.
- ^ "Dawlish railway repairs halted over safety fears". BBC News. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ "Dawlish's storm-damaged railway line reopens". BBC News. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
Sources and further reading
- Beck, Keith; Copsey, John (1990). The Great Western in South Devon. Didcot: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 0-906867-90-8.
- Central Publicity Unit (Winter 1979). Railway Electrification. British Railways Board. pp. 0–2, 8.
- Great Western Railway (1924). Number 1 – Paddington to Penzance. Through the Window. London: Great Western Railway. pp. not cited.
- Hesp, Martin (7 July 2008). "My magnificent rail journey". Western Morning News. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2008.
- St John Thomas, David (1973). West Country Railway History. Newton Abbot: ISBN 0-7153-6363-8.