Pictures of the Princetown Branch line.
My late father Gerald Worth worked on the Princetown Branch line in the period up to its closure. Some below are pictures that he took of the line and the men that worked on it. I have also recently been given permission to add pictures taken by another photographer. If anyone knows of any glaring copyright problems please let me know at [email protected] Also, if you know the name of anyone in the pictures I'd love to hear from you.
First up is this badly damaged aerial photo of Princetown from the West showing the layout of the Railway Station in relation to the village. Just out of shot at the bottom of the picture was the stone bridge over the railway line. A small aside - when this bridge was demolished some of the stones were used to make a track across the moor leading to the yard at the end of Hessary View. It turns out that the bridge had been constructed of some of the granite sleepers that had comprised the old tramway from the 1820's. They can be seen in the ground near to the track leading up to North Hessary Tor .
An early view of the station showing the newer cottages being built behind it. Note the lamps on the platform, were they lit with gas from the prison or oil lamps I wonder?
The main station building in a view from 1913.
A view from the West end of the station from 1955.
Taken on the August Bank Holiday 1955. I suspect this one was taken from the bridge over the line.
Looking west from the end of the platform. The darker shed in the center of the picture housed the Wickham Trolley seen further down the page.
Another view of the West end of the station, taken from somewhere near the goods shed.
Another view of the main Station building and yard.
The 'convenience' end of the Station. No, not the sheds, but the doors behind the modesty screen.
Someone's pride and joy parked near the waiting room at Princetown. From what I can tell, this is a BSA A10 motorbike.
Replenishing coal near the engine shed.
The gentleman in the photo above turns his face for us to see.
Goods Shed and crane.
Two pictures of the interior of the Goods Shed. I have no idea what that British Railway employee is doing in the second picture, but it could be that the 'Camp' coffee box is going to be demolished for kindling. Many thanks to Laurie Webb for the information that the area on the right was for holding valuable goods, and not a cattle hold as I had suspected.
A view of the East end of the station and Station Cottages to the rear.
An admittedly distant view of the Station taken from Hessary View.
A view of the August Bank Holiday train seen elsewhere on this page, taken from the cattle bridge over the line showing the track layout and signalling.
The double headed August Bank Holiday 1955 train.
Engine 4542 at Princetown.
A better view of 4542. To the left appears my father with a disgusted look on his face.
Engine 4568, a regular visitor to the Station.
A TOAD brake van at Princetown.
Coupling (or uncoupling) an engine.
The 'other railway engine' stationed at Princetown - the Wickham Trolley used by the maintenance gang to get to where they needed to work.
The Wickham trolley in use. (This picture used with kind permission from H. H. Benning, original photographer R. K. Budge.)
Probably a unique view taken from the interior of the Wickham Trolley of the approach to Princetown Station.
The first of a series of photographs of the people working on the Princetown branch. Sadly, I have no idea who barely anyone of these people are, if you can help please email me at [email protected]
The gentleman on the right is my late Uncle, John Hannaford, the Porter at Yelverton Station.
John Hannaford again, pictured at Yelverton in 1953.
Signal box interior showing the Electric Train Staff Equipment.
I have no idea who the gentleman is, but it looks like he is having a cold day at work.
Passing the staff to Station personnel at Princetown.
The last member of staff photographed. The Station cat! (Name unrecorded sadly.)
A couple of old postcards showing general views of the Station. The purpose of long white structure at the East end of the Station remains unknown at this time. I have a suggestion from Laurie Webb that it may have housed a steam railmotor, and from Peter Fletcher that it may be a carriage shed. Looking at this picture, I have just noted that the stationmaster's house does not appear to have been built when this picture was taken, which should help date it.
An undated "Valentines Series" card of Princetown Station.
A Chapman card SN:10975. Postally used in 1933, but probably taken at a much earlier date.
The end of the line? A sad picture taken after the rails had been lifted. Already the ponies are grazing in the station and the windows and doors are starting to dissappear.
Another couple of sad photographs, taken at a similar time to the one above. (These pictures used with kind permission from H. H. Benning, original photographer R. K. Budge.)