Plymouth railway station
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Plymouth | |||
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|---|---|---|---|
| Location | |||
| Place | Plymouth | ||
| Local authority | Devon | ||
| Operations | |||
| Station code | PLY | ||
| Managed by | First Great Western | ||
| Platforms in use | 8 | ||
| Live departures and station information from National Rail | |||
| Annual Passenger Usage | |||
| 2004/05 ** | 1.519 million | ||
| History | |||
| 1877 1908 1938 1939 (due to war) 1956 1958 |
Opened Extended Rebuilding Started Rebuilding stopped Rebuilding re-started Renamed |
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| National Rail - UK railway stations | |||
| Annual passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Plymouth (source) | |||
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Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, UK. It is the largest of the six railway stations in the city, and the only one served by Intercity trains. The station is situated to just to the North of the city centre, on the North Cross roundabout. Some of the former bay platforms were used for Royal Mail trains up until 2003. It is operated by First Great Western.
The Night Riviera sleeper service calls at this station. Until December 2006 one coach is detached each morning from the train from London Paddington, and then attached to the remainder of the train when it returns from Penzance that evening. In the future all coaches will work through to Penzance.
[edit] History
When the South Devon Railway opened its line to Plymouth on 2 April 1849., it positioned its station at Millbay, on the site now occupied by the Plymouth Pavilions. In 1876 the South Devon Railway amalgamated with the Great Western Railway.
The station at North Road was opened in 1877, providing a joint facility for Great Western Railway trains and those of the London and South Western Railway which had arrived in Plymouth the previous year. The station was built of wood and the platforms were fully covered by roofs.
The station was just west of Mutley railway station, while at its west end a new junction allowed direct access to the Cornwall Railway and the London and South Western's Devonport Kings Road railway station.
It was renamed just Plymouth from 15 September 1958 following the closure of the old London and South Western station at Plymouth Friary railway station.
Additional platforms were added in a scheme executed in 1908, but further major rebuilding work started in 1938. This was delayed due to the Second World War. Rebuilding was resumed in 1956 and the new station with its large office block was formally opened by Dr Richard Beeching, the British Railways Chairman, on 26 March 1962.
The station car park was rebuilt in its current multistorey form about ten years later. The roof of the circulating area in front of the ticket office has also been replaced due to deterioration of the 1960s concrete and additional shops were added at this time.
[edit] Further reading
- The Great Western in South Devon by Keith Beck and John Copsey, Wild Swan Publications 1990, ISBN 0-906867-90-8
- An Illustrated History of Plymouth's Railways by Martin Smith, Irwell Press 1995, ISBN 1-871608-41-4
- The South Devon Railway by R H Gregory, Oakwood Press1982, ISBN 0-85361-286-2
The records of the various railway companies can be consulted at The National Archives
[edit] External links
- Train times and station information for Plymouth railway station from National Rail
- Map and aerial photo of Plymouth railway station from Multimap.com
| Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newton Abbot or Ivybridge * |
First Great Western Great Western Main Line |
Devonport * or Liskeard |
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| Totnes | Virgin Trains Cross-Country Route |
Liskeard | ||
| Terminus | First Great Western Tamar Valley Line |
Devonport | ||
| Ivybridge | South West Trains West of England Main Line |
Terminates or Saltash * |
||
| Newton Abbot | First Great Western Night Riviera |
Liskeard | ||
| * Not all services call at this station | ||||
| This station offers access to the South West Coast Path | |
|---|---|
| Distance to path | 1 mile |
| Next station anticlockwise | Kingswear 65 miles |
| Next station clockwise | Looe 21 miles |
