page_title: Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR
section_title: Engineering features
hierarchical_section_title: Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR / Geography / Engineering features
caption_attribution_description: English: The viaduct at Tavistock. A view looking south towards the viaduct which once carried the London and South Western Railway, now only a footpath.
context_page_description: The Exeter to Plymouth railway of the London and South Western Railway was the westernmost part of a route competing with that of the Great Western Railway and its 'associated companies' from London and Exeter to Plymouth in Devon, England. Whereas the GWR route from Exeter followed the coast to Newton Abbot and then went around the southern edge of Dartmoor, the LSWR route followed the northern and western margins of Dartmoor, passing through the towns of Crediton, Okehampton, and Tavistock.
  The route was constructed piecemeal by independent companies, in most cases supported by the LSWR. LSWR trains first reached Plymouth in 1876 and the route took on its final form in 1891. The central part of the line closed in 1968 leaving just local services at either end. But Network Rail is considering reopening the section of the line from Plymouth to Tavistock: this would create an inland alternative to the Plymouth-Exeter mainline that runs along the coast at Dawlish, where storms damaged the tracks in 2014 and disrupted services.
context_section_description: As the line leaves Exeter Central it drops at 1 in 37 and passes through a tunnel to reach St Davids station, where the line is only just above the level of the River Exe. It follows this and crosses it shortly after leaving the GWR route at Cowley Bridge Junction. From here to Yeoford it follows river valleys, but the next stage of the route, through Okehampton and Lydford, takes it around the northern edge of Dartmoor. Meldon Summit to the west of Meldon Junction was the highest point on the line. Indeed, it was the highest point on the whole of the Southern Railway, at 950 feet (290 m) above sea level.
  The GWR route from Lydford to Plymouth crossed many valleys on timber viaducts. The PD&SWJR route into Plymouth followed the valley of the River Tamar but still involved much heavy engineering with gradients as steep as 1 in 73. Between Tavistock and the Tamar the line passes through the 605-yard (553 m) Shillamill Tunnel. Two wide tributaries join the Tamar which are crossed by the long iron Tavy Viaduct and Tamerton Viaduct. After passing twice beneath the GWR Cornish Main Line there and two tunnels of 363 yards (332 m) and 534 yards (488 m) at Ford and Devonport Park. On the GWR section the line crossed the viaduct which carries the Cornwall Loop near North Road station, and dives through Mutley Tunnel.
caption: Tavistock railway viaduct awaiting the railway to be reopened to Tavistock North railway station.
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