Train Stations And Information In Plymouth

The network of railways in Plymouth, Devon, England, was developed by companies affiliated to two competing railways, the Great Western Railway and the London and South Western Railway. At their height two main lines and three branch lines served 28 stations in the Plymouth area, but today just six stations remain in use. The first uses of railway in the area were wooden rails used during the construction of docks facilities.

Some were in use in the Naval Dockyard in 1724, and in 1756 John Smeaton laid some more to help move materials in his workyard on the mainland which was preparing stonework for the Eddystone Lighthouse. In 1812 John Rennie laid a 3 ft 6 in (1.1 m) gauge metal tramway to help with the construction of the Plymouth Breakwater; rails were laid in the quarry at Oreston and on the breakwater, and loaded wagons were conveyed between the two on ships. A more conventional tramway was opened on 26 September 1823.

The 4 ft 6 in (1.4 m) Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway ran from Princetown to Sutton Harbour and the Cattewater, Branches were opened to Cann Quarry in 1829 and to Plympton in 1834, followed by the Lee Moor Tramway in 1854. Haulage in Plymouth was always by horses and the Lee Moor line remained in use until 1960. The first main line railway to arrive was the South Devon Railway (SDR), which brought its line from Exeter to a temporary terminus as Laira on 5 May 1848. The Great Western Railway (GWR) and was completed to Millbay on 4 April 1849, although it had originally been conceived that the terminus would be on the high ground at Eldad.

A siding into the Plymouth Great Western Docks was opened from Millbay station in 1850. The companies listed are those that initially operated the station, see the History section above for details of later operators. Stations in bold are still open to passengers. The station has its entrance on the south side which gives access to the city centre. The west side of the station concourse is the ticket office, while on the north and east sides are various retail outlets selling food and newspapers. There is also a small buffet outlet on platforms 7 and 8. The platform area is separated from the concourse by ticket gates.

The platforms that can be reached on the level from the concourse are numbered 1 to 4. Platforms 1 and 2 are east-facing bay platforms, not used by passenger trains. Platform 3 is a west-facing bay platform that is mainly used by local services to Gunnislake and sometimes Penzance. The remaining platforms are reached by a subway immediately inside the ticket gates; there are lifts to the subway on each of the groups of platforms. They are all through tracks and are signalled so that trains can arrive and depart in either direction.

Platform 4 is used by most through services towards Penzance, but also for some trains towards London. Platforms 5 and 6 are either side of the middle island platform and are used by a variety of services, including First Great Western local trains and long distance CrossCountry services. Platforms 7 and 8 are either side of a second island platform; there is a small coffee shop facing the subway steps on this platform. Most First Great Western High Speed Trains to London Paddington station depart from platform 7, but both these platforms are used by a variety of services from Cornwall towards London and the North as well as some local services.

Beyond Platform 8 are two tracks, known as Park Sidings, which are used for stabling trains between services, but most trains are nowadays kept on the platform tracks between arrival and departure. There are some more sidings adjacent to platform 1. There is an extra track between platforms 4 and 5 for through goods trains and shunting manoeuvres. Plymouth is served by First Great Western trains on the main line from London, some of which terminate at Plymouth but many continue over the Cornish Main Line to Penzance.A number of prestigious named trains operate on this route including the Cornish Riviera, a fast London to Penzance service, and the overnight Night Riviera service on the same route.

There is also a limited service by South West Trains from London Waterloo station to Plymouth,one of which continues to Penzance on Saturday and returns on Sunday. Most Cross Country trains from Scotland and the North of England via Bristol terminate at Plymouth, although a number continue to Penzance in the evening and return the next morning. On summer weekends some trains from Paddington and some from the North continue into Cornwall to serve Newquay.