Exmouth railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Exmouth
code = EXM

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manager = First Great Western
locale = Exmouth
borough = East Devon, Devon
latitude = 50.62179
longitude = -3.41507
usage0203 = 0.737
usage0405 = 0.624
usage0506 = 0.611
usage0607 = 0.677
platforms = 1
years = Opened
events = 1861
original = London and South Western Railway
postgroup = Southern Railway

Exmouth station serves the town of Exmouth in Devon, England and is convert|11.25|mi|km|0 south east of Exeter St Davids

History

The railway to Exmouth was opened on 1 May 1861. New docks were opened in 1868 and a short branch was laid to connect them to the goods yard. [cite book |last = Mitchell |first = Vic|coauthors = Smith, Keith |title = Branch Lines to Exmouth |publisher = Middleton Press |date = 1992 |location = Midhurst|id = ISBN 1-873793-00-6]

A branch line with a junction immediately beyond the end of the platforms was opened on 1 June 1903. This ran around the outskirts of Exmouth on a long, curving viaduct, and then on to Tipton St Johns where it connected with an earlier line to Sidmouth Junction railway station. This route was used for through trains from London Waterloo station and also a few trains from the North of England which ran via the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway and Templecombe railway station.

The original station consisted of a single platform with a track on either side. It was rebuilt with four platform faces, opening on 20 July 1924. An engine shed was provided from the earliest days on the east side of the station, opposite the platforms. It was closed on 8 November 1963 following the introduction of DMU services on the line.

The signal box was closed on 10 March 1968 after which only one train was allowed south of Topsham and only one platform of four platform station was required. This was demolished and replaced by a single platform station on the site of the old platform 2, which opened on 2 May 1986. The eastern side of the station was used for a new road which opened on 10 December 1981; the town's bus station and a swimming and sports centre are also built on the old station site.

Following the privatisation of British Rail the station was operated by Wessex Trains until 31 March 2006; operation of the station has now transferred to First Great Western

Description

There is a single platform – on the right when arriving from Exeter. The main station entrance leads to the bus station, but when the station is unstaffed another gate leads directly from the platform into a car park, from where access can be had to the bus station and the town centre.

It was reported in the Exmouth Journal during December 2005 that Exmouth station could be rebuilt as part of the redevelopment of the surrounding area. The paper printed rough plans of four options, all four provided for a new twin track station (as opposed to the current single track). However local opposition to the redevelopment scheme is high in particular because of the planned new supermarket on the estuary waterfront.

ervices

Exmouth is served by trains on the Avocet Line from Exmouth to Exeter St Davids. Beyond St Davids they generally continue to either Paignton or Barnstaple. Connections are available at Exeter Central for Pinhoe and stations to Waterloo; passengers for other main line stations change at Exeter St Davids.

References

Swcp
topath= convert|0.25|mi|km
anti-nextstation=Weymouth convert|76|mi|km
clck-nextstation=Starcross convert|0.5|mi|km (plus ferry)