Bideford, Westward Ho! And Appledore Railway

One of the 3 Hunslet 2-4-2's at Bideford quay, Devon in 1905. Author Mr Dicker This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.

History & Route

A map of the line dated 1919. Detail from en:Ordnance Survey "New Popular Edition" Sheet 118. Colour highlighting by uploader

The Bideford, Westward Ho! And Appledore Railway was a 7½-mile standard gauge (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) tramway located in the south-west of England. Although standard gauge the railway was not connected to the national network. The nearest mainline station was Bideford located on the other side of the River Torridge from the railways Bideford Quay terminus. The mainline station at Bideford survives to this day as a heritage centre.

Planning permission to build the railway was granted in May 1896. But, this wasn't the first scheme to bring a railway to the area. Plans were drawn up in the 1860s but soon after the  first sod  was cut the contractors went bankrupt and the plans were abandoned. 

The railway finally opened to passengers on the 20th May 1901 with the first train being hauled by "Grenville". Although, a private train ran in January of that year as far as Northam for friends of the directors. Northam was the terminus of the line up until 1908 when it was extended to Appledore, which became the terminus. 

Stations on the line 

Abbotsham Road railway station. Mr Dicker. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.

Stations opened as part of the original railway in May 1901

• Bideford Quay. Located across the River Torridge from the mainline Bideford station. As the name suggests the station was located on the quayside. When constructed the station did not have a run round loop. This required two locomotives to always be in steam to preform a shunt release. The loop was added latter but generated quite a lot of opposition from the town council. At one point the railway built the loop without the permission of the council and were forced to remove it. An appeal to the board of trade was made and the loop was relaid. The station also had a single siding for goods traffic. The track from here was set in the road as a tramway.
• Strand Road Halt. The halt was located near the engine & carriage sheds. There was no platform and passengers had to clearly indicate that they wished the train to stop. Although there was no visible station a signal box and signals existed here.
• The Lane Halt/Chanters Lane. This halt lay a short distance from the previously mentioned engine & carriage sheds. A small wooden platform like the one pictured above at Abbotsham road was planned to be built here. But, there is no evidence to suggest it was ever built. It was after here that the railway stopped running along the road as a tramway.
• Causeway. Often regarded as the most important of the halts on the whole railway due to its proximity to a number of housing developments. The halt had a 30ft long platform located on the "downside", a signal box and a crossing keeps cottage. The crossing keeper's cottage is believed to still survive as a private dwelling. When the railway closed the signal box was sold to a farmer who unsuccessfully tried to use it as an extension to his home. It was sold to someone if Westward Ho! and used as a summer house. A train at this station can be seen later in this article. Also, visible in the background is the signal box.
• Kenwith Castle Halt. Like other halts on the line there was no platform, shelter or freight facilities. The halt was located next to an ungated level crossing, and it sat in a cutting. Had plans for a line to Clovelly came to fruition there would have been a junction here. Instead, a horse-drawn bus ran from Westward Ho! and through tickets were sold.
• Abbotsham Road. previously named Mudcott passing loop prior to the 2 platform station being constructed. It was located in open countryside at Mudcott level crossing. The station building doubled as a signal box. A picture of the station can be seen above.
• Cornborough. This halt was located on the cliffs high above the sea in a rock lined cutting. It was built for walkers and the halt had a platform but no shelter. Today this section of track is part of the South West Coastal path.
• Westward Ho! The only station in the UK to have an exclamation point in its name and one of a few places in the world to get its name from a book (Westward Ho! By Charles Kingsley). The station here was regarded as the busiest on the entire line. The station had 2 platforms and a passing loop capable of holding trains of 3 coaches in length. The station also had a ticket office, waiting room, toilet, bookstall & refreshment shop and rather unusually a concert hall named "The Station Hall" located on the up platform. This was built to give passengers somewhere to go during bad weather and to entice people onto the trains. There was also an 8 lever signal box which controlled the station and surrounds. There was a siding near the station that served the gas works. After the closure of the railway the station was used as a bus station. A picture later in this article shows this.
• Beach Road.  Another roadside halt with little to no facilities. It was built to serve the out lying areas of Westward Ho!
• Northam. This terminus of the line till 1908 when the line to Appledore was opened.  The station had one platform with a run round loop and siding. It's also believed to have had a goods yard at one time. Due to its location the station was popular with golfers travelling to Northam burrows. When the line to Appledore was opened the loop and siding were removed. The railway crossed Pimpley road via an ungated level crossing after leaving the station.

Stations opened as part of the 1908 extension to Appledore

• Richmond Road Halt. Another halt with a basic platform and shelter. This was the first station on the extension of the line to Appledore. The trackbed from here to Appledore was converted into a road after the line closed. No traces of the halt remain.
• Lovers' Lane Halt. This halt was a simple platform with no shelter. It was located near the steps for the lifeboat station. 
• Appledore. The terminus of the line from 1908 till the closure of the line in 1917. The station here was similar in appearance to Westward Ho! But, there was only one platform located on the down line. The station had the following facilities, ticket office, Public toilets, ladies waiting room, gas lighting and a foot bridge that gave access from Irsha Street to nearby allotments. There was also loco serving facilities (water tower and coal store) and an engine shed. The station was controlled via a 10 lever signal box. The station has been demolished but the back wall of the building can still be seen today. A memorial featuring a set of 2-4-2 wheels and motion with the woods "Appledore station" has been placed at the site of the station. 

A train for Westward Ho! Near Causeway Halt. Mr Dicker. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.

Although you may expect a railway with its own concert hall to be in a good financial position the reality was they were not. WW1 didn't help the railway and the rising prices of fuel seriously impacted the railways finances. They also were experiencing competition for a local bus company who offered cheaper fares and a timetable that better suited the locals, espically local workers. 

And although the railway did carry freight, the gasworks at Westward Ho! being an example of an industry the railway served. It was never as successful as it could have been. And in 1917 the Ministry of munitions requisitioned the railway via a Goverment order and the 3 locomotives left the railway. But, more on the locomotives later. The railway closed on the 28th of March 1917. 

In April 1921, 4 years since the last train ran a sale was held in the railways yard to find homes for the equipment and new owners for the trackbed. One of the railways coaches was sold for further use as a beach hut at Westward Ho! and was cut in half. A picture of its remains can be seen later in this article. The other coaches were sold to a buyer in the Midlands and taken there to be scraped. A set of crossing gates is also thought to have ended up at the near by Lynton & Barnstaple railway. These are belived to still exist to this day. Light railway owner Colonel H. F. Stephens is also reported to have bought equipment for use on his own railways.

"Kinsley", minus its tram skirts crossing Bideford Bridge. Mr Dicker. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.

When the Ministry of munitions reqistioned the railway in 1917 two of the Hunslet built locos were loaded onto a boat destined for France. The third Hunslet, "Kingsley" was transfered to the mainline Bideford staion via a tempoary railway laid through the streets of the town and across the Bideford bridge to the goods yard at Bideford station. The locos tram skirts were removed and the opertion took around 2 days to complete. It's unclear if this is how the locomotives and stock were delivered.

Locomotives & Stock

Two locomotives and carriages on Bideford quay in 1905. Mr Dicker. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer.

The railway had three identical Hunslet 2-4-2 side tank locomotives. "Grenvile" (713), "Kingsley" (714) and "Torridge" (715). The 3 engines carried a small number of liveries during there time at the railway. They were delivered painted black which was changed for lined green, then lined cherry red and finally back to black due to regulations during the war.

These locomotives were fitted with motion covers/ tram skirts which protected the wheels and motion. These would have been fitted because sections of the railway ran through the streets. It would have stopped people, vehciles and aninals getting caught up in the motion. The locos also had cowcatchers at each end.

Rumour has it it that "Grenvile" & "Torridge" were loaded onto a boat bound for France. The ship was the captured German freighter "Gotterdammerung". This was torpeded off the coast of Cornwall and sank. The wreck was rediscovered 20 years ago with the remains of the two engines still on board. Apparently plans do exist for them to be rescued and put on display. Althought this is just a rumour and, there is no evidence to suggest it to be true. "Kingsley" the third Hunslet loco lasted till 1937. It had been sold to National Smelting Company, Avonmouth.

A section of a carriage which had been used as a beach hut at Westward Ho!, close to the Nassau Baths being inspected by Roger Griffith.

The railway had 6 american style bogie coaches which were built by the Bristol Carriage and Wagon Works. All the coaches were wider than normal standard gauge passanger stock which caused some issues with traffic on the street running sections. As mentioned above one of the coaches was used locally as a beach but at Westward Ho! after the line closed. It was later sold to a local farmer and used as a grain store. 

The railway also had a number of freight vehciles which included; a brake van, 4 covered wagons and 6 open wagons.

After closure & the line today

At the time of writing this it has been nearly 103 years since the railway operated. In that time sections of trackbed have been returned to farm land and nature and other sections have been built on. The station site at Bideford Quay now appears to be occupied by a car park, a common use for old stations!. The trackbed out of the town was the street running section along Kingsley road/A386. looking at it today its hard to imagine a steam train running along here.

The former carriage shed of the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway that only operated from 1901 to 1917. © Copyright Chris Allen and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Moving further along Kingsley road/A386 lies the site of the railways carriage and engine sheds. Today the carriage shed still stands (pictured above) used now as a car wash. Nothing remains of either Strand road halt or the Lane halt, which lay either side of the yard. From here the railways formation has been returned to farm land and it would appear that it is not possible to walk it.

Despite the unlikely location, this is indeed as it appears: a cutting on the former Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway (closed 1917). © Copyright David Martin and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

However a section on aproach to Westward Ho! is now in use as the South West Coast Path. For a time after closure the site of Westward Ho! station was used as a bus station and the signal box (see below pictures) was used as a snack bar. The station site has been been redevloped for housing and the trackbed away is now in use as a car park.

The old signal box in use as the Westward Ho! Bus station snack bar. Roger Griffith.

Looking towards Appledore at the old Westward Ho! railway station in 1969. Roger Griffith.

The trackbed from Westward Ho! towards Northam has disappeard under hosuing devleopments and ther terminus at Northam now appears to be someones back garden!. As previously mentioned the trackbed of the 1908 extention to Appledore was turned into a road after closure of the railway.

The route of the old railway and ruins of Appledore railway station in 1969. Roger Griffith. 

The above image shows the site of the station at Appledore looking back in the direction of Bideford. As mentioned elsewhere in this article there is a peice of art that commemorates the railway at the station site.

Given the fact that some sections of the trackbed have now been built on and returned to farm land I would guess that a revial of the railway is highly unlikely. Although, it would be nice if "Grenvile" & "Torridge" could be raised from the wreck of "Gotterdammerung" and put on display somewhere with a connection to the railway.

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