Westward Ho! railway station: Difference between revisions
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===Infrastructure=== |
===Infrastructure=== |
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[[Image:WestwardHosignalbox.jpg|left|upright|thumb|The old signal box in use as the [[Westward Ho!]] bus station snack bar]] |
[[Image:WestwardHosignalbox.jpg|left|upright|thumb|The old signal box in use as the [[Westward Ho!]] bus station snack bar]] |
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Westward Ho! had two platforms of 320 feet length and one foot above rail level,<ref name="J101"/> platform lighting, a passing loop of 8 chains allowing three coach trains to pass,<ref name="J101"/> a ticket office with waiting rooms and toilet, an 8-lever signal box and a 2-lever ground frame; a waiting room, refreshment room, bookstall, level crossing gates and a Concert Hall called the Station Hall.<ref name="J101"/><ref>Baxter, Page 20</ref><ref name="G76">Garner, Page 76</ref> A siding ran to the Westward Ho! Gas Works. It was controlled by a two-lever ground frame, which was released by a key |
Westward Ho! had two platforms of 320 feet length and one foot above rail level,<ref name="J101"/> platform lighting, a passing loop of 8 chains allowing three coach trains to pass,<ref name="J101"/> a ticket office with waiting rooms and toilet, an 8-lever signal box and a 2-lever ground frame; a waiting room, refreshment room, bookstall, level crossing gates and a Concert Hall called the Station Hall.<ref name="J101"/><ref>Baxter, Page 20</ref><ref name="G76">Garner, Page 76</ref> A siding ran to the Westward Ho! Gas Works. It was controlled by a two-lever ground frame, which was released by a key attached to the Westward Ho! to Appledore section of the train staff.<ref name="J106">Jenkins, Page 106</ref><ref name="G76"/> |
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The loop was signalled with up home and down home, but no starters.<ref name="J103"/> At first only a signal box was present, with a long unbroken fence running along the back of the platforms and no other buildings or lighting. The other station buildings and facilities were probably added circa 1908. |
The loop was signalled with up home and down home, but no starters.<ref name="J103"/> At first only a signal box was present, with a long unbroken fence running along the back of the platforms and no other buildings or lighting. The other station buildings and facilities were probably added circa 1908. |
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In an effort to entice the public onto their trains and provide shelter during inclement weather, the company built a Concert or Reception Hall on the 'up' platform at Westward Ho! in 1901/02; it was called the Station Hall. Performers such as the 'Jolly Dutch' and Clog Dancers performed in Station Hall.<ref name="J103">Jenkins, Page 103</ref> It was an expensive undertaking, costing £17 9s 7d in 1906, under the heading of 'Services of Minstrels' in the traffic expenses log. This hall was well built and still stood in 1980 as a 'Beer Garden'. |
In an effort to entice the public onto their trains and provide shelter during inclement weather, the company built a Concert or Reception Hall on the 'up' platform at Westward Ho! in 1901/02; it was called the Station Hall. Performers such as the 'Jolly Dutch' and Clog Dancers performed in Station Hall.<ref name="J103">Jenkins, Page 103</ref> It was an expensive undertaking, costing £17 9s 7d in 1906, under the heading of 'Services of Minstrels' in the traffic expenses log.The hall was built to attract local and tourist patronage and was fully licensed for music, dancing and the sale of alcohol.<ref name="G76"/> This hall was well built and still stood in 1980 as a 'Beer Garden'.<ref>Baxter, Page 20</ref> |
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==Micro history== |
==Micro history== |
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Revision as of 22:08, 13 July 2010
Westward Ho! | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | North Devon |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| Original company | Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 20 May 1901[1][2] | Opened |
| 28 March 1917 | Closed[3] |
Westward Ho! railway station was a railway station in North Devon, north-west of Bideford, serving the village of Westward Ho!; a tourist community within the Parish of Bideford.
The village name comes from the title of Charles Kingsley's novel Westward Ho! (1855). The exclamation mark was therefore an intentional part of the stations's name; the only station in the United Kingdom bearing an exclamation mark.
History
This was the busiest station on the line[4] and a Mr.MacLaughlan was the station master; the signalman was a Mr.Spry. Mr. F.W.Galliford managed the refreshments room.[5]
Infrastructure
Westward Ho! had two platforms of 320 feet length and one foot above rail level,[4] platform lighting, a passing loop of 8 chains allowing three coach trains to pass,[4] a ticket office with waiting rooms and toilet, an 8-lever signal box and a 2-lever ground frame; a waiting room, refreshment room, bookstall, level crossing gates and a Concert Hall called the Station Hall.[4][6][7] A siding ran to the Westward Ho! Gas Works. It was controlled by a two-lever ground frame, which was released by a key attached to the Westward Ho! to Appledore section of the train staff.[5][7]
The loop was signalled with up home and down home, but no starters.[8] At first only a signal box was present, with a long unbroken fence running along the back of the platforms and no other buildings or lighting. The other station buildings and facilities were probably added circa 1908.
In an effort to entice the public onto their trains and provide shelter during inclement weather, the company built a Concert or Reception Hall on the 'up' platform at Westward Ho! in 1901/02; it was called the Station Hall. Performers such as the 'Jolly Dutch' and Clog Dancers performed in Station Hall.[8] It was an expensive undertaking, costing £17 9s 7d in 1906, under the heading of 'Services of Minstrels' in the traffic expenses log.The hall was built to attract local and tourist patronage and was fully licensed for music, dancing and the sale of alcohol.[7] This hall was well built and still stood in 1980 as a 'Beer Garden'.[9]
Micro history
The old trackbed is used as part of the South West Coast Path.
The station was 4 miles and 55 chains from Bideford Quay.[4]
The old station trackbed was tarmaced and it was used in the 1960-80s as a bus station by Western National.[10]
The previous and next stations
| Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cornborough Cliffs Line closed; station closed |
Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway |
Beach Road Halt Line closed; station closed | ||
References
Notes
- ^ Jenkins, Page 44
- ^ Baxter, Page 8
- ^ Jenkins, Page 123
- ^ a b c d e Jenkins, Page 101
- ^ a b jenkins, Page 106 Cite error: The named reference "J106" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Baxter, Page 20
- ^ a b c Garner, Page 76
- ^ a b Jenkins, Page 103
- ^ Baxter, Page 20
- ^ Baxter, Page 38
Sources
- Baxter, Julia & Jonathan (1980). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore railway 1901-1917. Pub. Chard. ISBN 0-9507330-1-6.
- Garner, Rod (2008). The Bideford, Westward Ho! & Appledore Railway. Pub. Kestrel books and Rod Garner. ISBN 987-1-905505-09-8.
- Griffith, Roger (1969). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway. School project and personal communications. Bideford Museum.
- Jenkins, Stanley C. (1993). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway. Pub. Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-452-0.
- Kingsley, Charles (1923). Westward Ho! Pub. London.
- Stuckey, Douglas (1962). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway 1901-1917. Pub. West Country Publications.
- Thomas, David St John (1973). A Regional History of the Railways of Britain, Vol.1: The Westcountry. Pub. David & Charles.
External links
- Westward Ho! railway station at Curlie
- Information from BBC site
- North Devon AONB website
- Westward Ho! Visitor Information
