Torbay and Brixham Railway

Infobox rail|railroad_name=Torbay and Brixham Railway
gauge=7 ft 0¼ in
length=2.07 miles
start_year=1868
end_year=1883
hq_city=Brixham
locale=England
successor_line=Great Western RailwayThe Torbay and Brixham Railway was a 7 ft 0¼ in broad gauge railway which linked the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway at Churston railway station, Devon with the important fishing port of Brixham. It was a little over two miles long.

The railway was largely built due to the work of Richard Walter Wolston, a local solicitor, and was sold to the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1883.

Chronology

* 1861 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway opened to Churston railway station
* 1864 Torbay and Brixham Railway authorised by Act of Parliament
* 1864 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway extended to Kingswear railway station
* 1868 Torbay and Brixham Railway opened
* 1872 Dartmouth and Torbay Railway amalgamated with the South Devon Railway
* 1876 South Devon Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway
* 1883 Torbay and Brixham Railway sold to the Great Western Railway
* 1892 The broad gauge converted to standard gauge
* 1948 Great Western Railway nationalised into British Railways
* 1963 Brixham line closed

Brixham station

The railway station had a single platform and a goods shed opposite. An engine shed and another small goods yard were situated at the Churston end of the station. It had to be constructed on the hill above the town in order that the gradients between Brixham and Churston were not too steep.

Locomotives

Queen

Infobox Locomotive
name=Queen
powertype=Steam
whytetype=0-4-0WT
driversize=4 ft 0 in
wheelbase=8 ft 0 in
cylindersize=10½ in dia × 17 in stroke
gauge=7 ft 0¼ in
builder=E. B. Wilson and Company
"Queen" was built in 1852 by E. B. Wilson and Company and was used for several years at the Isle of Portland in the construction of a breakwater for the harbour there.

Although the railway was initially worked by the South Devon Railway, the Torbay and Brixham Railway purchased this little locomotive to haul the trains. The South Devon Railway were to pay £3 per day for the privilege, however the railway soon had to mortgage "Queen" to the South Devon for £350 to cover its debt to that company. In 1883 it passed to the Great Western Railway, which immediately withdrew it from service.

King

Infobox Locomotive
name=King
powertype=Steam
whytetype=2-4-0T
driversize=3 ft 0 in
leadingsize=2 ft 6 in
wheelbase=9 ft 6 in
cylindersize=9 in dia × 16 in stroke
gauge=7 ft 0¼ in
builder=Avonside Engine Company
A second locomotive was ordered by the Torbay and Brixham Railway for the South Devon Railway but in the end the latter company paid for it and it worked in its fleet. See South Devon Railway 2-4-0 locomotives for further information.

Raven

Infobox Locomotive
name=Raven
powertype=Steam
whytetype=0-4-0ST
driversize=3 ft 0 in
wheelbase=7 ft 6 in
cylindersize=14 in dia × 17 in stroke
gauge=7 ft 0¼ in
builder=Avonside Engine Company
"Raven" had been built for the South Devon Railway as part of their Raven class for shunting dockside lines at Plymouth . In 1877, now also carrying their number 2175, it was sold by the Great Western Railway to the Torbay and Brixham to assist "Queen".

Great Western locomotives

After 1883 the Great Western Railway provided various small locomotives from its fleet to operate the Brixham branch. Up until 1892 broad gauge locomotives were provided such as ex-South Devon Railway 2-4-0 "Prince" and GWR Hawthorn Class 2-4-0Ts.

After the line was converted to standard gauge on 23 May 1892 a number of small tank locomotives found themselves spending time at Brixham, including the unique 4-4-0ST 13. In later years standard GWR 1400 Class 0-4-2Ts worked the autotrain. The final trains were worked by British Rail Class 122 single-car DMUs.

References

*cite book
last = Beck
first = Keith
coauthor = Copsey, John
title = The Great Western in South Devon
publisher = Wild Swan Publication
date = 1990
location = Didcot
id = ISBN 0-906867-90-8
* cite book
last = Potts
first = C R
title = The Brixham Branch
publisher = Oakwood Press
date = 2000
location = Usk
id = ISBN 0-85361-556-X
* Railway company records can be consulted at The National Archives