Just leaving Plymouth, on the way to Launceston, was Marsh Mills. I have covered most of the stations and halts on the line already, but was hoping for more images of Marsh Mills.
Marsh Mills opened on the 1st of February 1860. It enabled people from Plympton to get to Tavistock, without having to change trains in Plymouth.
The station was just beside Marsh Mills roundabout, a location well known to the populous of Plymouth. Just sound, need where the A38 is now, was Tavistock Junction.
Tavistock Junction was the point at which the Launceston branch (centre of the picture) diverged from the Exeter line (right). There were 25 sidings in the angle of the junction. Date unknown. Image by L. W. Croiser.
Photos of Marsh Mills
The Plymouth to Launceston train leaves the main line at Tavistock Junction, just before entering Marsh Mills station. Taken circa 1958. Image by W. E. Stevens.
An overview of the station, taken from the former A38 road bridge, looking north. Taken circa 1950s. Image by L. Croiser.
Here is Marsh Mills towards the end of the line in July 1961. The train is being hauled by former GWR engine No. 5544. Again, taken from the road bridge, which was the former main A38. In the distance, you can see the old china clay dryers. Image by R. C. Riley, care of Andrew Fisher.
Again, No. 5544 with a train from Tavistock, or maybe Launceston, heading into Plymouth. The sign on the left has a list of the fares from Marsh Mills ‘Each Weekday by Any Train’. You cannot see what the fares where, but you can be sure it was cheaper than today’s prices.
Here we see the crew of 0-6-0PT No. 6400 are about the surrender the token as they pass the 1894 signal box, which was given a new 32-level frame in 1919. Trains to Launceston were termed “down” trains. Date unknown. Image by M. Daly.
Taken from the former A38 bridge, a 2-6-2T No. 5572 propelling an autocoach of a late design on the 17th March 1962. The siding nearest the fence was of an early date: the other two were added in 1093 and served a tarmacadam plant. Image by M. J. Messenger.
Not trains, but here we see Marsh Mills station in April 1967 looking north. The lines were still in situ for MOD and clay traffic. Image C. G. Lennox-Jones.
After the Closure of the Branch
The Plymouth to Launceston closed in December of 1962, however, some of the stations didn’t close right away.
At least someone was having fun, the Plymouth Railway Circle arranged a tour on the 18th June 1966. No. D2178 was recorded at the long disused down platform with its train of brake vans for the happy enthusiasts. Image by M. J. Messenger.
Here are loaded wagons from the nearby clay dries pass the remains of the down platform on the 24th October 1997, hauled by No. 09008. The centre line of the track was close to the that point rodding seen in earlier pictures. Image by D. H. Mitchell.
Marsh Mills Today
Trying to find images of where the station was today, is hard work. I haven’t been able to get down to Plymouth for a while, so I have been trying my best with Google Maps, which hasn’t been very helpful.
In this shot from Google Maps, this is somewhere south of where the station used to be, just off Coypool Road, Marsh Mills. As you can see, there is nothing left of the station, just part of the track, which is hidden behind the bushes on the right.
I haven’t been able to get to Plymouth and take a photo myself, but this is the best Google can do. The road is the old A38 main road, before the main dual carriageway was built. Annoyingly, I couldn’t get a photo right in the middle of the bridge, but I will.
This time, the photo is taken on Coypool Road, looking south towards the bridge. Just to the right of the main arch, is another archway, where there is a remainder of the old track bed.
Then & Now
It was difficult, but here is a couple of Then & Now shots, taken almost 100 years apart.
Obviously not the same angle, but time has taken it’s toll on the area. Yes, there’s now an industrial estate, with what some consider ‘useful shops’, but the station and the tracks to Tavistock, and on to Launceston, are all gone.
This than and now is from very close spots to each other. One has a station, with a beautiful train heading north to Dartmoor and Cornwall. Today, a side road to a shopping area on an industrial estate. There’s no point in asking which image you prefer; I know which one looks best.
Next Up
I’m not sure why I put these next up bits, since I never seem to follow any order. However, which focusing on the Plymouth to Launceston railway, I also missed out Plym Bridge Halt, so I will be posting about that very soon. I don’t have many images of it, but it’s nice to remember it.
As always, thank you to Anthony Kingdom for the use of the images from his book The Plymouth Tavistock and Launceston Railway. There are also some photos from Middleton Press, and also some from Andrew Fisher, from the Plymouth History group on Facebook. Andrew has some fantastic photos from Plymouth, and of the railways.
