Princetown Railway

Has anyone ever tried to re-open the Princetown Railway on Dartmoor? Would make a heck of a tourist attraction! Can see a nice 2' railway there!

 

What went wrong?

 

Thats a shame, would be a heck of a route! The route seems pretty intact from Princetown to atleast to the siding for Swell Tor Quarry. I'll look into it a little more and see what I can dig up!

 

Attitudes may change, but altitudes won't. Princetown is stuck on top of a moor and "enjoys" very mixed weather compared to the surrounding coastal areas.

 

If they can build a railway up a mountain, they can build a railway in Princetown

 

Have walked that route a few times. Quite impressive inclines. it would be great to see a GWR 45xx and an autocoach making its way up to the top again...

 

See, I can't shake the image of an ex-Bowaters loco and 3 ex-Hungarian coaches from the W&LLR!

 

Yes, of course it's technically feasible - the GWR branch operated for many years. My point is that it's a bleak spot about 1,200 feet above sea level, and also that Princetown is not a very attractive town; it's mainly a place of residence for prison officers, and a far cry from Totnes, Kingswear/Dartmouth or Buckfastleigh.

 

I just hope not too many Princetown residents read that remark!!!
To be honest, where they are now is not that attractive, surrounded by industrial and retail units.

Seriously though I have often thought the PVR would have done better starting at the other (Princetown) end.
Having said that, I guess there was (at the time) the attraction of a mainline link,
although now that the clay dry which it served, is closed, I'm not sure how much longer that will remian in situ.

 

I think Princetown is lovely, and it has a rich history! And the views available along the route are quite stunning across Dartmoor and even (just) the Tamar twinkling in the distance. Funnily enough I only found out about this after my girlfriend, who quite frankly finds railways boring, said to me whilst walking across Dartmoor "Wouldn't it be lovely if there was a railway here, the views would be amazing!" It could act as a park and ride for Dartmoor itself, whilst acting as an added attraction to that part of Dartmoor for visitors, walkers etc. If Exmoor gets the L&B, why can't Dartmoor have a steam railway?!

 

A bit unfair of The Saggin' Dragon to refer to "council (non) support". Back in 1981 or so, Plymouth City Council funded the purchase of a 75xxx standard 4-6-0 from Barry. I think that she has moved on since then.

 

Isn't that the one at the Mid-Hants now?

 

The major snag with any revival of the Princetown branch is that there are a number of houses built on the trackbed at Dousland, plus a number of bridges missing between Yelverton and just north of Burrator Reservoir.

That said the trackbed is clear from north of Burrator to Princetown. Undoubtedly the best bit of the railway, it would however give a trip from Princetown to “the middle of nowhere”. Whilst the enthusiast in me thinks it would still be a great railway, the businessman in me would prefer to start just off one of the main roads out of Plymouth, i.e. Yelverton.

The other railways on Dartmoor, such as the Rattlebrook tramway, would make nice revival schemes too…

Charlie

 

You'd need some powerful locomotives to do the Rattlebrook route!

A railway from Princetown to a Dartmoor mining museum at Swell Tor Quarry (which has un-used bits of London Bridge) or Foggin Tor Quarry (where Nelsons Column was mined). That said even a station on the outskirts of Dousland would be a lovely destination! Or even a deviation isn't impossible! Think it would be perfect personally...

 

Its not an impossibility from Dousland to Princetown but why? We have enough railways and its a great walk. Its also cycleable and frankly that linking in to the cyclepaths through Yelverton is a better bet.

 

Because it will benefit the local economy, as well as providing access to some amazing views to those who would otherwise never be able to see them. That and there frankly aren't enough 2' 6" railways!