Change at Paignton

 

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A 5101 class prairie arriving at Paignton

We start with a summer 1960 photo by Robin Lush of a 5101 class large prairie tank arriving with a down coal train.  Newton Abbot shed had several of these locos, their main duties in the area were banking freights over Dainton Bank.  Note the advert for the long since demolished Dellers Café  Photo by Robin Lush

 

6166 arriving at Paignton

A view from the footbridge from which the previous photo was taken, 61xx large prairie 6166 arriving with a down class A passenger train.  Not sure why a tank was carrying Class A lamps, presumably it had taken over at Newton Abbot.  The 61xx tanks with their higher boiler pressure were more associated with Paddington suburban workings, it was a surprise to me to see this photo.  Photo by Robin Lush

 

 

D801 at Paignton with the Torbay Express

Another from the footbridge, this time it's early "Warship" D801 Vanguard  waiting in the station with the Up Torbay Express.  The principal services such as this were among the first to go over to diesel.  Compare the background with those in the shots of 46009 and 47798 below, small changes that add up.  Photo by Robin Lush

 

9440 arriving at Paignton light engine

0-6-0PT pannier tank 9440 coming down light engine.  Also look at the car, the fashions - and the boys dropping something down the locos chimney.  Just out of shot on the right, under the footbridge was the Odd Spot café, very odd as it was just feet away from the trains.  Photo by Robin Lush

 

Into the Rail Blue era with D1068 Western Reliance which is seen leaving Paignton with a train to Newton Abbot in 1976 in this photo by Steve Marshall.  Still semaphore signals, the old footbridge between the signal box and the crossing which still had gates.

Now we're into the 80's, this shot shows 46009 leaving Paignton on an up train.  Still semaphore signals but the gates have been replaced by barriers.  The station buildings were intact, and there was a cinema in the background. Photo by Ade from Torquay

In this photo of 47798 colour light signals have taken over, many of the station buildings have gone as has the cinema which has been replaced by flats.  Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

A ground level view of a pair of Class 159 units in 2002. the gap in the station buildings is evident.

 

7802 leaving Paignton

On 31 August 2003 7802 Bradley Manor was caught leaving Paignton with a special Torbay Express from Kingswear to Bristol which ran every Sunday during August.  Photo by Nathan Williamson

 

56118 and 56107 leaving Paignton

At the beginning of the month 56118 and 56107 worked to Paignton and back with a special which is seen here leaving on the return journey with plenty of clag from 107!  Also in view is the P&DSR's 2-8-0T 5239 Goliath.  Photo by Nathan Williamson

 

Last fGW 47 loco hauled

The sidings south of Paignton at Goodrington were the scene of the start of the last First Great Western daytime loco hauled service with 47734 and 47703 in this photo by Steve Marshall  There are some much older photos of Goodrington Yard on Early diesels at Paignton.

 

The last LHCS from Paignton

The pair get away from Paignton en route to Paddington in this second view of them by Steve Marshall

 

 

In this view taken slightly up the line from the station a Peak is leaving Paignton and is climbing up through Victoria Park.  Still semaphores but the colour lights are being installed. Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

The current view from the same location sees 47807 leaving with a summer Saturday extra using a West Coast Mainline set complete with driving trailer, and, as it was being "topped and tailed" another 47 on the back. Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

47 at Preston

The northern "suburb" of Paignton, Preston, is the setting for this photo of a 47 on an up train by Ade from Torquay

 

50003 at Preston

Another nearby photo from Ade is this one of 50003 on another up train.

 

50 at Hollacombe

A Class 50 is seen here heading down past Hollacombe, the former site of Torquay Gasworks where there used to be sidings and a signal box many years back. Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

The next station up the line is Torquay where a class 50 loco was seen on an up train.  Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

Moving on to 2001 a Class 66 hauls a special there, notice on the right that a new block of flats has been built where parking spaces for the station could have been provided.  Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

92218 and a DMU at Newton Abbot

Up the line at Newton Abbot for this 1960 view of St Philips Marsh based 9F 2-10-0 92218 on a down freight passing a DMU (probably a Class 118) which had just arrived from Kingswear.  The 9F was the same age as the unit, hadn't taken long to get filthy.  Photo by Robin Lush

 

Also at Newton Abbot is this photo of a Class 50 leaving on a down train.  The loco depot had closed but was still there, semaphore signals were still in use but the down platform had been shortened ready for resignalling.  Photo by Ade from Torquay

Trio on sleepersThis photo by Steve Marshall shows three locos on the down sleepers.  Due to problems with the train engine, 50009, another 50, 50027 had been added, however doubts remained and 45055 was also added.

 

Bubblecar at NA

A single car DMU, or Bubblecar, leaving Newton Abbot.  No less than 3 Class 50's can also be seen in this photo by Ade.

 

Into the 90's we see 50044 heading down with a Waterloo - Exeter set after resignalling and rationalisation.  Work was still progressing on removing the depot and carriage sidings.  Photo by Ade from Torquay

 

A last photo sees 66211 heading down with a freight, rationalisation complete much of the area has become an overgrown wasteland.  The 2 ex LNER coaches have gone from outside the former wagon works, latterly David and Charles' headquarters.  I wonder what happened to them ?   Photo by Ade from Torquay   Thanks to Adrian for most of the photos on this page, his site has many more photos of the railway in Devon and Cornwall.

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This site was last updated 15-07-2012

Photos not otherwise credited are ©2001/2002 S G J Huddy.  Other photos are included with permission of the copyright holders.