View source for Tamar Valley Line

{{Short description|Railway line in Devon and Cornwall, England}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox rail line
|name        = Tamar Valley Line
|color       =
|logo        =
|logo_width  =
|image       = Calstock Viaduct.jpg
|image_width = 280px
|caption     = [[Calstock railway station|Calstock viaduct]]
|type        = [[Community railway]]
|system      =
|status      =
|locale      = [[Cornwall]] and [[Devon]]
|start       = {{Stnlnk|Plymouth}}
|end         = {{Stnlnk|Gunnislake}}
|stations    =
|routes      =
|daily_ridership   =
|open        =
|close       =
|owner       = [[Network Rail]]
|operator    = [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]]
|character   =
|depot       =
|stock       =
|linelength  = {{convert|14|mi|km}}
|tracklength =
|tracks     = [[Single track (rail)|Single track]] throughout
|gauge       = {{RailGauge|sg|lk=on}}
|electrification          =
|speed       = {{convert|55|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
|elevation   =
|map         = [[File:Tamar Valley Line.png|280px]]<br />([[:commons:File:Tamar Valley Line.png|Click to expand]])
|map_state   = uncollapsed
}}
{{Tamar Valley Line|collapse=y}}
The '''Tamar Valley Line''' is a railway line from [[Plymouth]], Devon, to [[Gunnislake]], Cornwall, in England, also known as the Gunnislake branch line. The line follows the [[River Tamar]] for much of its route. Like all railway lines in Devon and Cornwall, it is unelectrified and all trains are diesel powered. The entire line is single track past St. Budeaux Junction.

==History==
The line from St Budeaux to Bere Alston was opened for passenger traffic on 2 June 1890 by the [[Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway]] (PDSWJ) as part of their line from [[Lydford railway station|Lydford]] to [[Devonport Kings Road railway station|Devonport]], which in effect was an extension of the [[London and South Western Railway]]'s main line from [[London Waterloo station]] to Lydford, enabling the LSWR to reach Plymouth independently of the [[Great Western Railway]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Cheesman | first = AJ | title = The Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway | publisher = Oakwood Press | year = 1967 | location = Blandford Forum}}</ref>{{page needed|date=October 2019}}

The branch to Gunnislake was opened by the PDSWJ on 2 March 1908.<ref>{{cite book | last = Crombleholme | first = Roger |author2=Gibson, Bryan |author3=Stickey, Douglas |author4=Whetmath, CFD | title = Callington Railways | publisher = Forge Books | year = 1967 | location = Bracknell}}</ref>{{page needed|date=October 2019}}

The line was listed for closure in the ''[[Beeching Axe|Reshaping of British Railways Report]]'' but was kept open because the roads in the areas served were poor.<ref>{{cite book|title=1963: That Was the Year That Was|first=Andrew|last=Cook|publisher=The History Press|page=35|year=2013|isbn=978-0-752-49231-5}}</ref>

===Motive power===
The line used former [[LSWR O2 Class]] tank engines as the main form of motive power for many years but in the 1950s newer [[LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T]] engines took over. By 1964 steam had been ousted from the line and [[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]]s had taken over, working as two-car sets.

Today services are operated by [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] using [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] [[diesel multiple unit]]s.

==Route==
[[File:Royal Albert Bridge 153382.jpg|thumb|left|Passing under the [[Royal Albert Bridge|Royal Albert]] and [[Tamar Bridge|Tamar]] bridges at St Budeaux]]
'''Communities served:''' [[Plymouth]] (including the suburbs of [[Devonport, Devon|Devonport]] and [[St Budeaux|St&nbsp;Budeaux]]) – [[Bere Ferrers]] – [[Bere Alston]] – [[Calstock]] – [[Gunnislake]]

The entire route is supervised from the signalling centre at Plymouth. Trains heading towards Gunnislake must collect the branch [[token (railway signalling)|train staff]] from a secure cabinet on the platform at {{stnlnk|St Budeaux Victoria Road}} before proceeding as the line is operated on the [[Signalling block system#One train working|one train working]] system with only a single unit allowed on the branch at a time. Conversely the staff has to be returned to the cabinet by the driver on the return journey before the unit can leave the branch and return to Plymouth.<ref>{{cite web | last = Fenton| first = Mike| title = Branch line Focus: Rails to Gunnislake| work = The Railway Magazine| publisher = Mortons Media Group Ltd | url = https://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/branch-line-focus-rails-to-gunnislake/ | date = 5 May 2017| access-date = 17 August 2017}}</ref> This operation was shown in an episode of the Channel 5 documentary series "The Railway - First Great Western" in October 2013.

There is a small railway museum adjacent to [[Bere Ferrers railway station]] which includes a number of [[Camping coach|converted rail coaches available for holiday let]]. The station sign on the signal box uses the older spelling of 'Beer Ferrers'.

The section between Bere Ferrers and [[Calstock Viaduct]] is on the Bere peninsula, between river Tavy (crossed by the [[Tavy Bridge]]) and the river Tamar. The driver changes ends of the train at the old junction station of {{stnlnk|Bere Alston}}.

The most southerly road bridge across the Tamar in the [[Gunnislake]] area is the [[A390 road]] which means the railway is the quickest way of getting into the city of [[Plymouth]]. The next crossing down river is the [[Tamar Bridge]] at [[Saltash]].

==Passenger volume==
The overall number of passengers travelling on the Tamar Valley line has grown by over 50% since 2001. Gunnislake is the busiest station on the line.<ref>{{cite web|title =Station Usage|work =Rail Statistics|publisher =Office of Rail Regulation| url=http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/nav.1529|access-date = 8 June 2009}}</ref>

{{UKsta-u|
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Devonport|u1=18,795|u2=16,202|u3=18,573|u4=19,655|u5=17,450|u6=21,652|u7=21,674|u8=27,006|u9=27,756|u10=29,878|u11=31,866|u12=33,368|u13=39,742|u14=41,404|u15=45,492|u16=39,464|u17=43,046|u18=16,150|u19=30,866|u20=34,970}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Dockyard|u1=4,070|u2=5,088|u3=4,895|u4=5,335|u5=4,924|u6=5,280|u7=5,524|u8=5,406|u9=7,716|u10=7,400|u11=6,970|u12=6,300|u13=4,160|u14=4,727|u15=4,432|u16=4,406|u17=10,368|u18=4,050|u19=7,154|u20=8,960}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Keyham|u1=8,957|u2=6,374|u3=7,594|u4=7,976|u5=5,050|u6=5,648|u7=5,016|u8=6,330|u9=7,708|u10=6,540|u11=7,100|u12=6,936|u13=7,338|u14=9,122|u15=7,188|u16=7,516|u17=7,808|u18=3,374|u19=8,786|u20=13,530}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=St Budeaux Victoria Road|u1=5,451|u2=5,818|u3=6,146|u4=5,264|u5=5,193|u6=5,678|u7=7,026|u8=6,942|u9=7,780|u10=7,918|u11=8,606|u12=10,332|u13=10,376|u14=8,034|u15=7,968|u16=9,376|u17=8,928|u18=3,476|u19=6,516|u20=8,098}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Bere Ferrers|u1=17,808|u2=12,862|u3=11,459|u4=10,824|u5=10,824|u6=11,580|u7=12,606|u8=14,374|u9=15,020|u10=15,724|u11=17,472|u12=16,858|u13=16,982|u14=16,000|u15=15,704|u16=16,108|u17=15,026|u18=4,410|u19=10,786|u20=11,258}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Bere Alston|u1=37,944|u2=29,552|u3=27,263|u4=26,866|u5=28,936|u6=32,454|u7=36,272|u8=41,666|u9=44,792|u10=42,128|u11=38,762|u12=37,082|u13=39,570|u14=40,978|u15=39,710|u16=40,250|u17=39,462|u18=12,052|u19=27,588|u20=31,090}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Calstock|u1=25,739|u2=24,024|u3=21,123|u4=23,476|u5=26,825|u6=31,168|u7=33,368|u8=33,198|u9=32,456|u10=30,346|u11=35,190|u12=33,704|u13=33,794|u14=35,346|u15=37,426|u16=37,834|u17=34,758|u18=10,534|u19=27,566|u20=31,616}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Gunnislake|u1=39,009|u2=37,190|u3=43,885|u4=43,676|u5=48,747|u6=49,070|u7=51,424|u8=50,218|u9=52,116|u10=52,108|u11=54,864|u12=54,356|u13=53,728|u14=54,510|u15=56,118|u16=60,396|u17=61,790|u18=21,418|u19=52,340|u20=50,572}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Total|u1=157,743|u2=137,110|u3=140,938|u4=143,072|u5=147,949|u6=162,530|u7=172,910|u8=185,140|u9=195,344|u10=192,042|u11=195,430|u12=198,936|u13=205,690|u14=210,121|u15=214,038|u16=215,350|u17=221,186}}
}}

==Community rail==
The Tamar Valley Line is one of the railway lines supported by the [[Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership]], an organisation formed in 1991 to promote railway services in the area. The line is promoted by many means such as regular timetable and scenic line guides, as well as leaflets highlighting leisure opportunities such as walking or visiting country [[pub]]s.

The Tamar Valley [[rail ale trail]] was launched in 2004 to encourage rail travellers to visit pubs near the line.  Seven are in Plymouth city centre and one in the suburb of Devonport.  There are single pubs to visit at Bere Ferrers, Bere Alston and Calstock and four in Gunnislake. 10 stamps collected entitle the participant to claim special Tamar Valley Line Rail Trail souvenir merchandise.<ref>{{cite book| author=Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership| year=2006| title=Tamar Valley Line Rail Ale Trail}}</ref>

[[Wessex Trains]] covered [[British Rail Class 150|Class 150]] 2-car [[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]] number 150240 in coloured pictures promoting the line and named ''The Tamar Kingfisher''. It later saw service with [[Arriva Trains Wales]].

The line was designated as a [[community rail]] line in September 2005, being one of seven pilots for the [[Department for Transport]]'s Community Rail Development Strategy.  This aims to establish the true costs and revenues for the line with an aim of improving them.  It is also looking at simplifying the reversal of trains, considering the costs and benefits should the line be "microfranchised" separately from the Great Western Franchise, and the potential for extending the line from Bere Alston to [[Tavistock, Devon|Tavistock]].<ref>{{cite book| author=Department for Transport Rail Group| year=2005| title=Route prospectus for the … Looe Valley Line and … Tamar Valley Line}}</ref>

On 18 March 2008, Devon County Council backed a proposal by developers [[Kilbride Community Rail]] to construct 750 houses in [[Tavistock, Devon|Tavistock]] that includes reopening the {{convert|5.5|mi|km|0|adj=on}} line from Bere Alston to a new Tavistock railway station, at a cost of £18.5million.<ref>{{cite journal| last = Harris| first = Nigel| title = Taking trains back to Tavistock| journal = Rail| issue = 590| pages = 40–45| publisher = Bauer| year = 2008}}</ref>

==References==
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Tamar Valley Line}}
*[http://www.carfreedaysout.com/ Great Scenic Railways in Devon and Cornwall.]
*[http://www.minebydesign.co.uk/calstock/railway/railway_intro.htm Calstock Online Parish Clerk – Railway pages]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYJEZvOLG6c Video footage of Gunnislake station]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAFCh474HQI&t=7s Calstock Railway Station video]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdVdarbM5_c Calstock Railway Viaduct]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiDgHE1YW5Y Bere Alston Railway Station]

{{Calstock Parish, Cornwall}}
{{Railway lines in South West England}}
{{City of Plymouth}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord missing|Devon}}

[[Category:Rail transport in Cornwall]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Devon]]
[[Category:Scenic railway lines in Devon and Cornwall]]
[[Category:Community railway lines in England]]
[[Category:Transport in Plymouth, Devon]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1890]]
[[Category:Railway lines in South West England]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in England]]
[[Category:River Tamar]]
[[Category:1890 establishments in England]]