Misplaced Pages

Exeter St Davids railway station: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editContent deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 13:11, 21 September 2007 editGeof Sheppard (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers17,405 edits Services: full revision in line with other station articles← Previous edit Latest revision as of 22:27, 22 November 2024 edit undoBellminsterboy (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users1,330 edits Exeter Central now busiest in Devon, albeit narrowly.Tag: Visual edit 
(415 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Railway station in Devon, England}}
{{Infobox UK station|
{{about|one of the stations in Exeter, England|other similarly named stations|Exeter railway station (disambiguation)}}
|name =Exeter St. David's
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
|code = EXD
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
|locale =]
{{Infobox station
|borough =], ]
| name = Exeter St Davids
|image =]
| symbol_location = gb
|manager =]
| symbol = rail
|platforms =6 (5 through and 1 east facing bay)
| image = 2008 at Exeter St Davids - station frontage.jpg
|start =1844
| borough = ]
|usage0405 =1.632
| country = England
|usage0506 =1.697
| coordinates = {{coord|50.7296|-3.5435|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name = ]
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|SX911933|25|SX911933}}
| manager = ]
| platforms = 6
| code = EXD
| classification = ] C1
| original = ]
| pregroup = ]
| postgroup = Great Western Railway
| years = 1844
| events = Opened
| years1 = 1864
| events1 = Rebuilt for ]
| years2 = 1913
| events2 = Rebuilt without roof
| mpassengers =
<!--{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2017/18 |passengers={{decrease}} 2.605 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.060 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2018/19 |passengers={{increase}} 2.620 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 1.049 million}} -->
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{increase}} 2.676 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.064 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.728 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{decrease}} 0.346 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 2.207 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 0.888 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 2.617 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.226 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 2.722 million |interchange={{pad|1em}}{{increase}} 1.352 million}}
| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the ]
}} }}
'''Exeter St Davids station''' is the most important of seven ] stations in the city of ] in southwest ]. Today the station is owned by ] and operated by ]. '''Exeter St Davids railway station''' is the principal and largest railway station in ], also the second-busiest station in Devon.

It is {{convert|193|mi|72|chain|mi km|lk=in}} from the zero point at {{stn|London Paddington}},<ref>{{cite book |last=Padgett |first=David |editor-last=Munsey |editor-first=Myles |title=Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western & Wales |edition=6th |date=June 2018 |orig-year=1989 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Frome |isbn=978-1-9996271-0-2 |at=map 8A }}</ref> from where trains travel through Exeter to {{stnlnk|Plymouth}} and {{stnlnk|Penzance}}. The station is also served by trains from {{Stn|London Waterloo}} via {{Stnlnk|Salisbury}} and long distance services to {{Stnlnk|Bristol Temple Meads}}, {{stnlnk|Birmingham New Street}}, {{stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}} and other places in the North. Local services operate on the ] to {{stnlnk|Exmouth}}, the ] to {{stnlnk|Paignton}}, the ] to {{stnlnk|Barnstaple}} and ] to {{stnlnk|Okehampton}}.

It is managed by ] and served by trains operated by Great Western Railway, ] and ].


==History== ==History==
] ]
The station was opened on 1 May 1844 by the ] (B&ER).<ref name=MacD>{{cite book | last = MacDermot | first = E T | title = History of the Great Western Railway, volume II 1863-1921 | publisher = ] | year = 1931 | location = London}}</ref> The station was designed by ] and was one of his single-sided stations which meant that the two platforms were both on the eastern side of the line. This side is nearer the city and so very convenient for passengers travelling into Exeter, but did mean that many trains had to cross in front of others.
The station was opened in May ] by the ], which was ] with the ] on ] ].


This was not a significant issue while the station was at the end of the line, but on 30 May 1846 the ] (SDR) opened a line westwards towards {{rws|Plymouth}}.<ref>{{cite book| last = Gregory| first = R H| title = The South Devon Railway| publisher = Oakwood Press| year = 1982| location = Salisbury| isbn = 0-85361-286-2}}</ref> A carriage shed was built for the SDR at the south end of the B&ER platform but the ]s and ] for both companies were to the west, between the station and the ]. The SDR was designed to be worked by ] and an ] was built on the banks of the river near the locomotive shed.<ref>{{cite book | last = Kay | first = Peter | title = Exeter - Newton Abbot: A Railway History | publisher = Platform 5 Publishing | year = 1991 | location = Sheffield | isbn = 1-872524-42-7 }}</ref> This was only used for its original purpose for about a year but was not demolished until many years later.
The railway was extended westwards on ] ] by the ], and junctions were later formed with the ] on ] ] (to the north of the station at Cowley Bridge), and with the ], which line climbs steeply from the south end of the station.


The next railway to arrive at St Davids was the ] on 12 May 1851, the junction of which is to the north of the station at ]. This line was worked by the B&ER and trains were accommodated at the existing platforms. All these railways were built to the {{RailGauge|7ft}} ], but on 1 February 1862, the {{RailGauge|ussg}} gauge ] (LSWR) brought a line into the station from their own {{rws|Exeter Central||central station}} in Queen Street. The LSWR owned the Exeter and Crediton Railway and started to work the line for itself, although the broad gauge was retained for the B&ER to work goods trains to {{rws|Crediton}}.<ref name=MacD/>
==Services==
There are two direct routes from St Davids to ]. The main line is generally considered to be the ] service over the ], but a there is also a good service operated by ] on their ] to ]. The station is one of the few that have trains to London departing in opposite directions &ndash; those to Paddington leave northwards while those to Waterloo head south but turn eastwards just outside the station.


]
Further inter-city services are operated by ] on their cross-country network to ], the North of England and ].
With two gauges and four companies using the single-sided station, it was in need of remodelling. A new double-sided platform opened on the western side of the line and the original ''up'' platform at the northern end was closed. The original platforms had all been constructed with individual ]s covering the tracks, and the opportunity was taken to replace these with one large train shed across all the main tracks and platforms. North of the station was a ] and just beyond this an additional goods shed was constructed. Unlike the earlier ones, it was solely for transferring goods between the trains of the two different gauges. These buildings were all designed by Francis Fox, the B&ER engineer, and Henry Lloyd<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pevsner |first1=Nikolaus |last2=Cherry |first2=Bridget |date=1991 |title=The Buildings of England. Devon |publisher=Yale University Press |page=409 |isbn= 9780300095968}}</ref> and the work was completed in 1864.


The B&ER was ] with the ] on 1 January 1876 and the SDR did the same thing exactly one month later. The main line from Bristol was rebuilt with ] track that allowed broad gauge trains to run through from {{stn|London Paddington}} to {{rws|Penzance}}, while at the same time offering a ] track for local trains from {{rws|Bristol Temple Meads}}; the new line was ready by 1 March 1876.
Some of the above trains terminate at St Davids, especially those from Waterloo, but most continue westwards to ], ], or ]. The first part of this journey is along the famous ] through ].


The train shed was removed in 1912-13 and the platforms extended northwards towards the level crossing.<ref>{{cite book | last = Beck | first = Keith |author2=Copsey, John | title = The Great Western in South Devon | publisher = Wild Swan Publication | year = 1990 | location = Didcot | isbn = 0-906867-90-8 }}</ref> A second island platform was provided on the west side and this entailed the goods shed being narrowed from two tracks to one at their southern end. The middle island platform was mainly used for LSWR trains while "down" GWR services towards the West Country used the original main platform and the new island platforms. Before Southern Region services to Plymouth were abandoned, passengers could see Plymouth-bound services of the Western Region and Southern Region leaving St Davids in opposite directions. The station has remained largely in this form since, but resignalling works in 1985 saw the ex-LSWR services moved to the main platform so that down ex-GWR line services did not have to cross their path at the south end of the station. A through-line between platforms 1 and 3 was removed at the same time. The new signal box was built on the site of the old atmospheric engine house and replaced three older signal boxes.
Three local routes converge at St Davids &ndash; the ] from ], the ] from ], and the ] from ]. Trains from Exmouth generally continue to either Barnstaple or Paignton to provide a cross-Exeter service.


Remains of the earlier stations can still be seen. The main façade dates from 1864 and the Great Western Hotel dates from the earliest days, as does the southern section of platform 1. The goods shed opposite platform 6 shows the angle where the southern end was cut back in 1912, and at the northern end, part of the original goods shed still stands beneath later extensions. The 1864 transfer shed can still be seen beside the line beyond Red Cow Crossing; it is now a Grade II listed building.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1268441|desc=FORMER TRANSIT SHED, EXETER ST DAVIDS STATION}}</ref>
In addition to this core daytime pattern there are a number of other, less frequent, services. These include:
* The ] sleeping car service from London Paddington to Penzance.
* Some South West Train services that serve the local stations between Exeter and Paignton during peak periods
* Summer Sunday services over the Tarka Line to ] on the ]
* The steam hauled “]” on summer weekends to Paignton and ] on the ].


===Station Masters===
{{rail start}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
{{rail line|previous=]|route=''']''' <small>(])</small>|next=]|col=010385}}
*William Mears ca. 1850 - 1891
{{rail line|previous=] | next=]|route=''']''' <small>(])</small>|col=C80815}}
*Samuel Morris 1891 - 1900<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Presentations to Mr. Morris late Stationmaster of St David's |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19001023/018/0003 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=23 October 1900 |access-date=17 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
{{rail line|previous=]|route=''']''' <small>(])</small>|next=]</small>|col=ff0000}}
*H.E. Williams 1900<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Local News |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19000604/004/0002 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=4 June 1900 |access-date=17 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref> - 1911 (formerly station master at {{Stnlnk|Newton Abbot}})
{{rail line one to two|previous=]|route1='''] to ]''' <small>(])</small>|next1=]|col=010385|next2=]|route2='''] to ]''' <small>(])</small>}}
*John Lea 1911 - 1922<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Gifts to Ex-Stationmaster at St David's |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19220527/044/0004 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=27 May 1922 |access-date=17 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref> (formerly station master at {{Stnlnk|Slough}}, afterwards station master at {{stnlnk|Reading}})
|-
*W.E. Denton 1922 - 1926
|colspan=5|''Only regular daytime routes shown. Not all trains call at all stations.''
*A.J. Humphrey 1926<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=New Stationmaster |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000329/19260623/027/0004 |newspaper=Western Morning News |location=England |date=23 June 1926 |access-date=17 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref> - 1928 (formerly station master of {{stnlnk|Weymouth}})
{{end}}
*Ernest Tom Evans 1928 - 1938 (formerly station master at {{Stnlnk|Gloucester}})
*W.J. Gush 1938<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=A GWR Appointment |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000528/19380108/053/0002 |newspaper=Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser |location=England |date=8 January 1938 |access-date=17 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref> - 1939
*William Nicholls 1939<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Cornishman becomes Stationmaster at Exeter St David's |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19390818/103/0010 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=18 August 1939 |access-date=17 September 2017 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}</ref> - 1945 (formerly station master at {{stnlnk|Wolverhampton Low Level}})
*F.G. Elmore ca. 1950
{{div col end}}
{{Expand list|date=September 2017}}


== Facilities ==
The main buffet and bookshop are both outside the ticket gates. There are also a number of local shops outside the station along with the Great Western Hotel and a Premier Inn hotel. There is a smaller buffet on platforms 5 & 6.<ref>{{cite book| last = Oakley| first = Mike| title = Devon Railway Stations| publisher = The Dovecote Press| year = 2007| location = Wimborne Minster| isbn =978-1-904349-55-6}}</ref>


The main passenger footbridge has many paintings resembling ]es and depicting romantic versions of rail travel. A second bridge fitted with ]s provides disabled access. When the lifts are out of use, a member of station staff escorts people across a foot crossing at track level towards the south of the station.
==Layout==
{|{{Railway line header}}
{{UKrail-header|Exeter St Davids|#eeffff}}
{{BS-table}}
{{BS2||STR||]|}}
{{BS2||ABZlg||] to ]|}}
{{BS2||DST||Riverside Goods|}}
{{BS2||BUE||Red Cow Crossing|}}
{{BS2||BHF||'']'''}}
{{BS2|KDSr|ABZlg||]|}}
{{BS2||ABZlf|||] to ]|}}
{{BS2||STR|174.75|]}}
|}
|}


==Location==
The station entrance is on the east side of the line, facing the city centre which is about a 15 minutes walk distant. The route to the centre and also ] are well signposted. There are also frequent bus services to the centre from outside the station and trains to Exmouth and London Waterloo call at ].
{{Exeter St Davids railway station}}


]
The main buffet and bookshop are both outside the ticket gates. There are also a number of local shops outside the station along with the Great Western Hotel. There is a smaller buffet on platforms 5 & 6 and a small kiosk on platforms 3 & 4.
]. The yellow ] train is in platform 2; platform 3 is straight ahead; the old goods shed is on the right.]]
The station entrance is on the east side of the line, facing the city centre which is about a 15 minutes walk along well-signposted routes. There are also frequent bus services to the centre from outside the station and many trains link St Davids with ].


Beyond platform six is the Exeter panel signal box that controls not just St Davids but also the main line north through to Taunton and ] and southwards to Totnes and Torquay as well the branches out to ] and Crediton. Next to this is ] where ] sets used on local services are fuelled. A goods shed is situated beyond Red Cow ] at the north end of the platforms, and finally beyond that is Riverside Yard which still sees goods traffic. ] is about a mile away at the far end of Riverside Yard, but the junction for the Exeter Central line is right by the south end of the platforms. This line curves eastwards and climbs steeply to cross a small viaduct before entering a tunnel beneath the city; the main line instead stays on the level and crosses both the ] and the city's flood defence channel before curving gently out of sight.]
The entrance is on platform 1, which is mainly used for trains to and from Exeter Central and Barnstaple. It is signalled so that two trains can be on the platform simultaneously, with the south end marked as platform 1A. At the north end is platform 2, a separate bay platform that is used from time to time for trains to and from the north ndash; mainly Barnstaple &ndash; that start or terminate at St Davids.


== Platform layout ==
The main passenger footbridge has many paintings resembling ]es and depicting romantic versions of rail travel. A second bridge fitted with ]s provides disabled access. When the lifts are out of action an electric ] is used, crossing at track level south of the station.
The entrance is on platform 1, which is mainly used for trains to and from Exeter Central and Barnstaple. It is signalled so that two trains can be on the platform simultaneously, with the south end marked as platform 1A. At the north end is platform 2, a separate bay platform that is used from time to time for trains to and from the north – mainly Bristol and Barnstaple – that start or terminate at St Davids.
]


The middle pair of platforms is numbered 3 & 4. The former is used by similar trains to platform 1, but platforms 4-6 do not have access to the lines from Exeter Central. Instead platform 4 is the main platform for inter-city trains to Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance. Trains from both platforms 1 and 3 can also reach this route so trains from Exmouth or Waterloo that continue westwards will reverse in one of these platforms. The middle pair of platforms is numbered 3 & 4. The former is used by similar trains to platform 1, but platforms 4-6 do not have access to the lines from Exeter Central. Instead platform 4 is the main platform for inter-city trains to Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance. Trains from both platforms 1 and 3 can also reach this route so trains from Exmouth that continue westwards will reverse in one of these platforms.


The third platform block sees northbound trains to London Paddington and the North use platform 5. Various local services use platform 6 as do trains from Paddington or the North that terminate at Exeter then return northwards. The third platform block sees northbound trains to London Paddington and the North use platform 5. Various local services use platform 6 as do trains from Paddington or the North that terminate at Exeter then return northwards.
{{Clear}}


==Services==
Beyond platform six is a signal box that controls not just St Davids but also many miles around. Next to this is ] where ] sets used on local services are fuelled. The next building is a large goods shed that is no longer used by the railway. Another goods shed is situated beyond Red Cow ] at the north end of the platforms, and finally beyond that is Riverside Yard which still sees a little goods traffic. ] is about a mile away at the far end of Riverside Yard, but the junction for the Exeter Central line is right by the south end of the platforms. This line curves eastwards and climbs steeply to cross a small viaduct before entering a tunnel beneath the city; the main line instead stays on the level and crosses both the ] and the city’s flood defence channel before curved gently out of sight.
]
{{Exeter stations}}
There are two direct routes from St Davids to ]. The main line is generally considered to be the ] service to {{stn|London Paddington}} via {{stnlnk|Reading}}, which includes the ] sleeping car service.<ref name="GBTT135">{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 135 (May 2016)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20135.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919130954/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20135.pdf|archive-date = 19 September 2016|url-status = dead}}</ref> However, there is also a service operated by ] on the ] to {{stn|London Waterloo}} via {{stnlnk|Salisbury}} and {{stnlnk|Basingstoke}}.<ref>{{cite web|title = National Rail Timetable 160 (May 2016)|publisher = Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20160.pdf|access-date = 25 August 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160919132639/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20160.pdf|archive-date = 19 September 2016|url-status = dead}}</ref> Because of this, the station is one of the few that has trains to London departing in opposite directions at either end of the station &ndash; those to Paddington leave northwards while those to Waterloo head south but turn eastwards, and start the steep climb to {{stnlnk|Exeter Central}} just outside the station.


London services run hourly between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo and at least hourly between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington (fast trains every hour, with additional semi-fast trains every other hour stopping at some intermediate stations). The fastest trains between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington take just over 2 hours.
==See also==
Other stations in Exeter:
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


Great Western Railway also runs services to {{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}} via {{stnlnk|Bristol Temple Meads}}, approximately hourly in the mornings and reducing in frequency throughout the day.
==References==
* {{cite book | last = Beck | first = Keith | coauthor = Copsey, John | title = The Great Western in South Devon | publisher = Wild Swan Publication | date = 1990 | location = Didcot | id = ISBN 0-90686-790-8 }}
* {{cite book | last = Kay | first = Peter | title = Exeter - Newton Abbot: A Railway History | publisher = Platform 5 Publishing | date = 1991 | location = Sheffield | id = ISBN 1-87252-442-7 }}
* {{cite book | last = MacDermot | first = E T | title = History of the Great Western Railway, volume II 1863-1921 | publisher = ] | date = 1931 | location = London}}


Further long-distance services are operated by ] to {{stnlnk|Birmingham New Street}}, {{Stnlnk|Manchester Piccadilly}}, {{stnlnk|Sheffield}}, {{stnlnk|Leeds}}, {{stnlnk|York}}, {{stnlnk|Newcastle}}, {{stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley||Edinburgh}}, {{stnlnk|Glasgow Central||Glasgow}} and {{stnlnk|Aberdeen}}.<ref name="GBTT51">{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 51 (May 2016)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20051.pdf|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160919133829/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20051.pdf|archive-date = 19 September 2016|url-status = dead}}</ref> These services are roughly hourly for much of the day between Birmingham New Street and Exeter St Davids.
==External links==
*{{stn art lnk|EXD|EX44NT}}<br>


Four local routes converge at St Davids &ndash; the ] from {{stnlnk|Exmouth}},<ref name="GBTT136">{{cite web |title = National Rail Timetable 136 (May 2016)|publisher= Network Rail|url = http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20136.pdf|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160919133740/http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/eNRT/May16/timetables/Table%20136.pdf|url-status = dead|archive-date = 19 September 2016}}</ref> the ] from {{stnlnk|Barnstaple}},<ref name="GBTT136" /> the ] from {{stnlnk|Paignton}} and the ] from {{stnlnk|Okehampton}}.<ref name="GBTT135" /> Trains from Exmouth generally continue to Paignton every half hour, providing a cross-Exeter service.
{{Devon railway stations}}


{{rail start}}
{{rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Tiverton Parkway}}|next={{stnlnk|Dawlish}}|route=]<br /><small>Scotland and North England to South West</small> |col={{XC colour}} }}
{{rail line |next={{stnlnk|Dawlish}}|route=]<br /><small>]</small><br /><small>]</small>|previous={{stnlnk|Tiverton Parkway}} |col={{FGW colour}} }}
{{rail line one to two |route1= ]<br /><small>] and ]</small>|previous= {{Stnlnk|Exeter Central}} |next1= {{Stnlnk|Exeter St Thomas}}| route2=]<br /><small>] and ]</small>|next2={{stnlnk|Newton St Cyres}}|col={{FGW color}} }}
{{rail line|previous={{Stnlnk|Exeter Central}} |route=]<br /><small>]</small> |col={{SWR colour}} }}

{{s-end}}

=== Bus services ===
Bus services from the station, operated by ], include destinations throughout the city, plus Okehampton, Tiverton, Crediton, Bideford and Barnstaple.

== Accidents and incidents ==
On 4 January 2010, ] ] 142 029 collided with a train comprising two ] diesel multiple units at platform 1. Nine people were injured.<ref name="Final">{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/411193/100621_R102010_Exeter_St_Davids.pdf |id=Report 10/2010 |title=Collision at Exeter St Davids station 4 January 2010 |publisher=Rail Accidents Investigation Branch |access-date=13 February 2010 |date=June 2010 }}</ref>

== Passenger volume ==
Exeter St Davids is the busiest station in Devon, handling around 2,619,776 passengers a year in 2018/19. This is just ahead of nearby {{stnlnk|Exeter Central}} station (2,532,450) and 200,000 more than {{stnlnk|Plymouth}}, where 2,416,376 journeys began or ended. Comparing the year from April 2007 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers increased by 30%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Estimates of station usage |url=https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage |access-date=2022-03-11 |publisher=Office of Rail and Road}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!&nbsp;!!2002-03!!2004-05!!2005-06!!2006-07!!2007-08!!2008-09!!2009-10!!2010-11!!2011-12
|-
|'''Entries'''||align="right"|766,438||align="right"|817,325||align="right"|851,156||align="right"|902,106||align="right"|993,505||align="right"|1,064,292||align="right"|1,076,393||align="right"|1,133,025||align="right"|1,197,061
|-
|'''Exits'''||align="right"|763,280||align="right"|814,960||align="right"|846,271||align="right"|898,727||align="right"|988,931||align="right"|1,064,292||align="right"|1,076,393||align="right"|1,133,025||align="right"|1,197,061
|-
|'''Interchanges'''||align="right"|unknown||align="right"|402,464||align="right"|417,684||align="right"|445,833||align="right"|455,666||align="right"|680,797||align="right"|593,759||align="right"|638,146||align="right"|784,929
|-
!Total!!align="right"|1,529,718!!align="right"|2,034,749!!align="right"|2,115,112!!align="right"|2,246,666||align="right"|2,438,102||align="right"|2,809,381||align="right"|2,746,545||align="right"|2,904,196||align="right"|3,179,051
|}
<small>The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.</small>

==References==
{{commons category|Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids}}
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{stn art lrnk|EXD|EX44NT}}
{{Devon railway stations}}
{{SWT Stations|Salisbury=y|Suburban None=y|IL None=y}}
{{Brunel}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Exeter St Davids Railway Station}}
]
] ]
] ]
] ]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 22:27, 22 November 2024

Railway station in Devon, England This article is about one of the stations in Exeter, England. For other similarly named stations, see Exeter railway station (disambiguation).

Exeter St DavidsNational Rail
General information
LocationExeter
England
Coordinates50°43′47″N 3°32′37″W / 50.7296°N 3.5435°W / 50.7296; -3.5435
Grid referenceSX911933
Managed byGreat Western Railway
Platforms6
Other information
Station codeEXD
ClassificationDfT category C1
History
Original companyBristol and Exeter Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
1844Opened
1864Rebuilt for LSWR
1913Rebuilt without roof
Passengers
2019/20Increase 2.676 million
 Interchange Increase 1.064 million
2020/21Decrease 0.728 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.346 million
2021/22Increase 2.207 million
 Interchange Increase 0.888 million
2022/23Increase 2.617 million
 Interchange Increase 1.226 million
2023/24Increase 2.722 million
 Interchange Increase 1.352 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Exeter St Davids railway station is the principal and largest railway station in Exeter, also the second-busiest station in Devon.

It is 193 miles 72 chains (193.90 mi; 312.1 km) from the zero point at London Paddington, from where trains travel through Exeter to Plymouth and Penzance. The station is also served by trains from London Waterloo via Salisbury and long distance services to Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New Street, Edinburgh Waverley and other places in the North. Local services operate on the Avocet Line to Exmouth, the Riviera Line to Paignton, the Tarka Line to Barnstaple and Dartmoor Line to Okehampton.

It is managed by Great Western Railway and served by trains operated by Great Western Railway, South Western Railway and CrossCountry.

History

Exeter in 1844. A print by William Spreat showing St Davids in 1844.

The station was opened on 1 May 1844 by the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER). The station was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and was one of his single-sided stations which meant that the two platforms were both on the eastern side of the line. This side is nearer the city and so very convenient for passengers travelling into Exeter, but did mean that many trains had to cross in front of others.

This was not a significant issue while the station was at the end of the line, but on 30 May 1846 the South Devon Railway (SDR) opened a line westwards towards Plymouth. A carriage shed was built for the SDR at the south end of the B&ER platform but the goods sheds and locomotive sheds for both companies were to the west, between the station and the River Exe. The SDR was designed to be worked by atmospheric power and an engine house was built on the banks of the river near the locomotive shed. This was only used for its original purpose for about a year but was not demolished until many years later.

The next railway to arrive at St Davids was the Exeter and Crediton Railway on 12 May 1851, the junction of which is to the north of the station at Cowley Bridge Junction. This line was worked by the B&ER and trains were accommodated at the existing platforms. All these railways were built to the 7 ft (2,134 mm) broad gauge, but on 1 February 1862, the 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) gauge London and South Western Railway (LSWR) brought a line into the station from their own central station in Queen Street. The LSWR owned the Exeter and Crediton Railway and started to work the line for itself, although the broad gauge was retained for the B&ER to work goods trains to Crediton.

The transfer shed built in the 1860s

With two gauges and four companies using the single-sided station, it was in need of remodelling. A new double-sided platform opened on the western side of the line and the original up platform at the northern end was closed. The original platforms had all been constructed with individual train sheds covering the tracks, and the opportunity was taken to replace these with one large train shed across all the main tracks and platforms. North of the station was a level crossing and just beyond this an additional goods shed was constructed. Unlike the earlier ones, it was solely for transferring goods between the trains of the two different gauges. These buildings were all designed by Francis Fox, the B&ER engineer, and Henry Lloyd and the work was completed in 1864.

The B&ER was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1876 and the SDR did the same thing exactly one month later. The main line from Bristol was rebuilt with mixed gauge track that allowed broad gauge trains to run through from London Paddington to Penzance, while at the same time offering a standard gauge track for local trains from Bristol Temple Meads; the new line was ready by 1 March 1876.

The train shed was removed in 1912-13 and the platforms extended northwards towards the level crossing. A second island platform was provided on the west side and this entailed the goods shed being narrowed from two tracks to one at their southern end. The middle island platform was mainly used for LSWR trains while "down" GWR services towards the West Country used the original main platform and the new island platforms. Before Southern Region services to Plymouth were abandoned, passengers could see Plymouth-bound services of the Western Region and Southern Region leaving St Davids in opposite directions. The station has remained largely in this form since, but resignalling works in 1985 saw the ex-LSWR services moved to the main platform so that down ex-GWR line services did not have to cross their path at the south end of the station. A through-line between platforms 1 and 3 was removed at the same time. The new signal box was built on the site of the old atmospheric engine house and replaced three older signal boxes.

Remains of the earlier stations can still be seen. The main façade dates from 1864 and the Great Western Hotel dates from the earliest days, as does the southern section of platform 1. The goods shed opposite platform 6 shows the angle where the southern end was cut back in 1912, and at the northern end, part of the original goods shed still stands beneath later extensions. The 1864 transfer shed can still be seen beside the line beyond Red Cow Crossing; it is now a Grade II listed building.

Station Masters

  • William Mears ca. 1850 - 1891
  • Samuel Morris 1891 - 1900
  • H.E. Williams 1900 - 1911 (formerly station master at Newton Abbot)
  • John Lea 1911 - 1922 (formerly station master at Slough, afterwards station master at Reading)
  • W.E. Denton 1922 - 1926
  • A.J. Humphrey 1926 - 1928 (formerly station master of Weymouth)
  • Ernest Tom Evans 1928 - 1938 (formerly station master at Gloucester)
  • W.J. Gush 1938 - 1939
  • William Nicholls 1939 - 1945 (formerly station master at Wolverhampton Low Level)
  • F.G. Elmore ca. 1950
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (September 2017)

Facilities

The main buffet and bookshop are both outside the ticket gates. There are also a number of local shops outside the station along with the Great Western Hotel and a Premier Inn hotel. There is a smaller buffet on platforms 5 & 6.

The main passenger footbridge has many paintings resembling frescoes and depicting romantic versions of rail travel. A second bridge fitted with lifts provides disabled access. When the lifts are out of use, a member of station staff escorts people across a foot crossing at track level towards the south of the station.

Location

Exeter St Davids
Legend
Bristol–Exeter line
to Bristol Temple Meads
Tarka and Dartmoor lines to
Barnstaple and Okehampton
Riverside Goods
Red Cow Crossing
Exeter St Davids
to Exeter Central
Exeter TMD
Exeter–Plymouth line
to Penzance
Track layout in 2009
View from Red Cow level crossing. The yellow Network Rail train is in platform 2; platform 3 is straight ahead; the old goods shed is on the right.

The station entrance is on the east side of the line, facing the city centre which is about a 15 minutes walk along well-signposted routes. There are also frequent bus services to the centre from outside the station and many trains link St Davids with Exeter Central railway station.

Beyond platform six is the Exeter panel signal box that controls not just St Davids but also the main line north through to Taunton and Cogload Junction and southwards to Totnes and Torquay as well the branches out to Exmouth Junction and Crediton. Next to this is Exeter Traincare Depot where DMU sets used on local services are fuelled. A goods shed is situated beyond Red Cow Crossing at the north end of the platforms, and finally beyond that is Riverside Yard which still sees goods traffic. Cowley Bridge Junction is about a mile away at the far end of Riverside Yard, but the junction for the Exeter Central line is right by the south end of the platforms. This line curves eastwards and climbs steeply to cross a small viaduct before entering a tunnel beneath the city; the main line instead stays on the level and crosses both the River Exe and the city's flood defence channel before curving gently out of sight.

Aerial view from the South

Platform layout

The entrance is on platform 1, which is mainly used for trains to and from Exeter Central and Barnstaple. It is signalled so that two trains can be on the platform simultaneously, with the south end marked as platform 1A. At the north end is platform 2, a separate bay platform that is used from time to time for trains to and from the north – mainly Bristol and Barnstaple – that start or terminate at St Davids.

The middle pair of platforms is numbered 3 & 4. The former is used by similar trains to platform 1, but platforms 4-6 do not have access to the lines from Exeter Central. Instead platform 4 is the main platform for inter-city trains to Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance. Trains from both platforms 1 and 3 can also reach this route so trains from Exmouth that continue westwards will reverse in one of these platforms.

The third platform block sees northbound trains to London Paddington and the North use platform 5. Various local services use platform 6 as do trains from Paddington or the North that terminate at Exeter then return northwards.

Services

Great Western Railway services to and from London Paddington
Exeter railway stations
Legend
Up arrow
Avocet Line
to Exmouth
Topsham
Newcourt
Digby and Sowton
Polsloe Bridge
UpperLeft arrow
West of England line
to London Waterloo via Salisbury
Pinhoe
St James Park
Exeter Central
UpperLeft arrow
Bristol–Exeter line
to Bristol and London Paddington
Exeter St Davids
LowerLeft arrow
Tarka Line
to Barnstaple
Exeter St Thomas
Marsh Barton
Down arrow
Riviera Line
to Paignton
&
Exeter–Plymouth line
to Plymouth and Penzance

There are two direct routes from St Davids to London. The main line is generally considered to be the Great Western Railway service to London Paddington via Reading, which includes the Night Riviera sleeping car service. However, there is also a service operated by South Western Railway on the West of England Line to London Waterloo via Salisbury and Basingstoke. Because of this, the station is one of the few that has trains to London departing in opposite directions at either end of the station – those to Paddington leave northwards while those to Waterloo head south but turn eastwards, and start the steep climb to Exeter Central just outside the station.

London services run hourly between Exeter St Davids and London Waterloo and at least hourly between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington (fast trains every hour, with additional semi-fast trains every other hour stopping at some intermediate stations). The fastest trains between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington take just over 2 hours.

Great Western Railway also runs services to Cardiff Central via Bristol Temple Meads, approximately hourly in the mornings and reducing in frequency throughout the day.

Further long-distance services are operated by CrossCountry to Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly, Sheffield, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. These services are roughly hourly for much of the day between Birmingham New Street and Exeter St Davids.

Four local routes converge at St Davids – the Avocet Line from Exmouth, the Tarka Line from Barnstaple, the Riviera Line from Paignton and the Dartmoor Line from Okehampton. Trains from Exmouth generally continue to Paignton every half hour, providing a cross-Exeter service.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Tiverton Parkway   CrossCountry
Scotland and North England to South West
  Dawlish
Tiverton Parkway   Great Western Railway
London Paddington to South West
South Wales to South West
  Dawlish
Exeter Central   Great Western Railway
Avocet Line and Riviera Line
  Exeter St Thomas
  Great Western Railway
Tarka Line and Dartmoor line
  Newton St Cyres
Exeter Central   South Western Railway
London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids
  Terminus

Bus services

Bus services from the station, operated by Stagecoach South West, include destinations throughout the city, plus Okehampton, Tiverton, Crediton, Bideford and Barnstaple.

Accidents and incidents

On 4 January 2010, Class 142 diesel multiple unit 142 029 collided with a train comprising two Class 159 diesel multiple units at platform 1. Nine people were injured.

Passenger volume

Exeter St Davids is the busiest station in Devon, handling around 2,619,776 passengers a year in 2018/19. This is just ahead of nearby Exeter Central station (2,532,450) and 200,000 more than Plymouth, where 2,416,376 journeys began or ended. Comparing the year from April 2007 to that which started in April 2002, passenger numbers increased by 30%.

  2002-03 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12
Entries 766,438 817,325 851,156 902,106 993,505 1,064,292 1,076,393 1,133,025 1,197,061
Exits 763,280 814,960 846,271 898,727 988,931 1,064,292 1,076,393 1,133,025 1,197,061
Interchanges unknown 402,464 417,684 445,833 455,666 680,797 593,759 638,146 784,929
Total 1,529,718 2,034,749 2,115,112 2,246,666 2,438,102 2,809,381 2,746,545 2,904,196 3,179,051

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

References

  1. Padgett, David (June 2018) . Munsey, Myles (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western & Wales (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. map 8A. ISBN 978-1-9996271-0-2.
  2. ^ MacDermot, E T (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, volume II 1863-1921. London: Great Western Railway.
  3. Gregory, R H (1982). The South Devon Railway. Salisbury: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-286-2.
  4. Kay, Peter (1991). Exeter - Newton Abbot: A Railway History. Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing. ISBN 1-872524-42-7.
  5. Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (1991). The Buildings of England. Devon. Yale University Press. p. 409. ISBN 9780300095968.
  6. Beck, Keith; Copsey, John (1990). The Great Western in South Devon. Didcot: Wild Swan Publication. ISBN 0-906867-90-8.
  7. Historic England. "FORMER TRANSIT SHED, EXETER ST DAVIDS STATION (1268441)". National Heritage List for England.
  8. "Presentations to Mr. Morris late Stationmaster of St David's". Western Times. England. 23 October 1900. Retrieved 17 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Local News". Western Times. England. 4 June 1900. Retrieved 17 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Gifts to Ex-Stationmaster at St David's". Western Times. England. 27 May 1922. Retrieved 17 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "New Stationmaster". Western Morning News. England. 23 June 1926. Retrieved 17 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "A GWR Appointment". Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser. England. 8 January 1938. Retrieved 17 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Cornishman becomes Stationmaster at Exeter St David's". Western Times. England. 18 August 1939. Retrieved 17 September 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. Oakley, Mike (2007). Devon Railway Stations. Wimborne Minster: The Dovecote Press. ISBN 978-1-904349-55-6.
  15. ^ "National Rail Timetable 135 (May 2016)" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2016.
  16. "National Rail Timetable 160 (May 2016)" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  17. "National Rail Timetable 51 (May 2016)" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2016.
  18. ^ "National Rail Timetable 136 (May 2016)" (PDF). Network Rail. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2016.
  19. "Collision at Exeter St Davids station 4 January 2010" (PDF). Rail Accidents Investigation Branch. June 2010. Report 10/2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  20. "Estimates of station usage". Office of Rail and Road. Retrieved 11 March 2022.

External links

Railway stations in Devon
Penzance–London Paddington
and the North
Gunnislake–Plymouth
Tamar Valley Line
Paignton–Exeter
Riviera Line
Exeter–Barnstaple
Tarka Line
Exeter–Okehampton
Dartmoor Line
Exmouth–Exeter
Avocet Line
Exeter–London Waterloo
West of England Line
Heritage railways
Dartmouth Steam Railway
Plym Valley Railway
South Devon Railway
South Western Railway routes
Stations served by main line routes
West of England line
Stations served by suburban and non-main line routes
Stations served by the Island Line
Stations in italics are served on limited occasions, at peak hours or on Sundays only.
South Western Railway - Island Line - National Rail - Southern - CrossCountry - Great Western Railway
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Railways
Railway stations
Bridges and viaducts
Tunnels and earthworks
Ships, harbours and waterways
Other engineering and building
Personal
Legacy and commemoration
Other works of Brunel
Categories: