London Paddington to Plymouth

The Route of the Mayflower

London Paddington is one of London's grandest and most elegant stations and is an important monument to the work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was built by the Great Western Railway in 1854 and was designed by the legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. This famous engineer also designed the S.S. Great Britain, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash. The concourse of the station is called "The Lawn" and has a statue of Paddington Bear. On Platform 1 by the entrance there is a statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The former goods depot can be seen on the right as trains leave the station. This is now redeveloped as Paddington Waterside and links the station with the canalside of the Grand Union Canal. In its heyday and even today, London Paddington was the “Gateway to the West” and the starting point for journeys to the Thames Valley, West Country, the Cotswolds and South Wales. The station is fronted by the magnificent former Great Western Royal Hotel, which remains a prestigious hotel known as the Hilton London Paddington. In its heyday London Paddington was the starting point for such famous expresses as the Cornish Riviera, the Royal Duchy, the Bristolian, the Red Dragon, the Inter-City, the Cathedrals Express, the Cambrian Coast Express and the Torbay Express. From 1998 London Paddington also became the gateway to the world’s busiest airport when it became the terminus of the Heathrow Express service to London Heathrow Airport.

Throughout this “Through the Window” guide we describe views as being left or right from the train facing in the direction of travel out of London.

London Paddington to Reading:

On leaving London Paddington, the train follows the elevated M40 motorway seen on the right briefly before emerging into an area of high rise development. Royal Oak station and Westbourne Park station are passed within a few minutes of departure from Paddington. Kensal Green cemetery and Old Oak Common train depot are passed to the right, while to the left can be seen the pinnacles of Wormwood Scrubs. Kensal Green cemetery is where Thackeray, Leigh Hunt, Isambard Kingdom Brunel and other famous people are buried. Wormwood Scrubs is the big prison. The prison was originally built by convict labour and houses 1400 prisoners. During the First World War, however, Wormwood Scrubs was an important airfield for the RAF. To the left as you pass the Old Oak Common train depot can be seen North Pole Depot which was built for the maintenance of the Eurostar trains through the Channel Tunnel. Next Acton Main Line station is passed through. London Underground trains share the route for much of the way to Ealing Broadway and then the surroundings become more suburban. Beyond West Ealing, Hanwell Recreation Ground can be seen on the right, and beyond Hanwell & Elthorne station the tower of Hanwell Church can be seen on the right. In its churchyard lies Jonas Hanway, the man who introduced the umbrella to Britain in 1750. Soon the line is carried high over the River Brent on the 8 arched Warncliffe Viaduct built in 1837. Soon Southall is reached and to the left can be seen the former Southall Locomotive Depot now home to the GWR Preservation Group's Southall Railway Centre. Just beyond Southall the line crosses the Grand Junction Canal and soon Hayes & Harlington is reached. After West Drayton station the River Colne is crossed. Shortly after this the line to Heathrow Airport can be seen diverging from the mainline via a flyover to the left. Then Iver station is reached. The Grand Junction Canal soon draws up close to the line on the right just as Langley station is reached.

The French style, domed station at Slough dates from 1838 in parts. Here the branch line to Windsor & Eton Central can be seen branching off to the left soon after the station. Before this branch line was opened in 1850 Queen Victoria used Slough station when she travelled to Windsor Castle. The River Thames divides Windsor from its close but no less famous neighbour Eton. After leaving Slough a number of interesting factories line the route, notably the impressive brick home of Horlicks to the right.

After Slough the landscape becomes more rural, while to the left can be seen the continuous stream of planes on their final approach to London Heathrow airport.  Soon Burnham station is passed and then Taplow. To the right is Taplow’s 1912 church with its distinctive green spire, and then the train makes its first crossing of the River Thames. Maidenhead Bridge with its two graceful shallow brick arches spanning the river is one of Brunel’s masterpieces. Opened in 1837, it confounded its critics, who firmly believed that such flat arches would surely collapse. The bridge also features in J.M.W. Turner’s famous painting, Rain, Steam and Speed. Maidenhead still retains echoes of its Edwardian charm by the river. Maidenhead station is where the branch to Bourne End and Marlow can be seen branching off to the right.

To the right of the line after Twyford station, where the branch to Henley on Thames can be seen joining the mainline on the right, are the lakes and flooded gravel pits that surround the River Loddon, a River Thames tributary. A deep cutting, the Sonning Cutting, south of Sonning then takes the line towards Reading. The railway enters the town with the River Thames right next to the line on the right hand side. To the right can be seen the white façade of Caversham Park, an 1850s mansion that now houses the BBC’s foreign language section. Before it arrives at Reading station, the line crosses the River Kennet, the River Thames’ link with the Kennet & Avon Canal and the recently reopened waterway route to Bath and Bristol. On the left the great gas holders are passed. Also the line from London Waterloo can be seen on the left as the train enters Reading station.

Reading is a thriving university town and shopping and business centre. Reading still has a good variety of 19^th century architecture, notably the Royal Berkshire Hospital of 1837 and the 1870s municipal buildings by Waterhouse. The ruins of the Cluniac abbey, founded by King Henry I in the 12^th century, underline the town’s historic importance.

Reading station is an important junction with lines running to Oxford and the Midlands, the West Country and the South West via Basingstoke. Another line to London Waterloo also connects with routes to Surrey and Kent. Reading station has a gracious Italianate façade of 1870 on Platform 4, crowned with a decorative clock tower, but however to the side is the new station complete with shopping arcade.

Reading to Taunton:

On leaving Reading the line to the West Country leaves the mainline to Bristol, Oxford and the Midlands which can be seen heading off to the right. To the right are the fields alongside the River Thames that every year around the August Bank Holiday weekend are host to the Reading Festival which is one of the UK's major summer music festivals. Reading train depot can be seen in the centre of the Reading triangle to the right. The train then runs past housing estates to Reading West, and then soon enters open country as they cross the River Kennet. The line to Basingstoke is soon seen diverging off to the left. From this point the river and the Kennet & Avon Canal are never far from the line, and the canal with its restored locks, its handsome brick bridges and its brightly painted narrow boats is an enjoyable feature of the journey. With the gravel works and lakes of the Kennet valley to the left, the line passes under the M4 and then Theale comes into view, marked by its large early Victorian church. The next station is Aldermaston, but its village with its pretty brick cottages and its famous pottery is over a mile to the south of the station. Closer to hand is Midgham Church, Victorian and decorative, and attractively placed in a field just to the west of Midgham station. At Thatcham, another station some distance from its town, there is a canal lock just to the left.

Approaching Newbury, the train passes Newbury Racecourse to the left, whose weather boarded station, Newbury Racecourse, still retains its GWR name boards. At Newbury station, little of the town can be seen, but the centre is not far away, easily accessible on foot.

Newbury has plenty to offer the visitor. The great 16^th century church and 17^th century cloth hall, which now houses a museum, reveal the town’s former wealth as a centre of the wool trade. In the 15^th century over 1000 wool weavers were employed here, in what was England’s first true factory. Prosperity continued in later centuries, particularly after the opening of the Kennet & Avon Canal, which winds its way through the town centre, and the legacy is an interesting variety of buildings from all periods, including some groups of almshouses and a Victorian corn exchange. Newbury is also famous for the two Civil War battles that were fought near the town.

Leaving Newbury, the train enters a wooded stretch, with glimpses of the pretty village of Hamstead Marshall to the left as it passes the close group of the mill, the pub and the canal lock. To the right is the classical façade of 18^th century Benham House, set in its Capability Brown park. Kintbury village is to the south of its station, clustered around its large church. After Kintbury the river valley becomes more defined and the line runs along the southern slopes with good views across to the northern side, beyond the river and the canal. Hungerford is a handsome town, with all its main buildings in one street which climbs southwards away from the river. From the railway bridge just west of the station, there is a clear view of the town centre to the left, with its good range of 18^th and 19^th century buildings, but trains approaching from the west offer the best view of the church and its vicarage, pleasantly set beside the river and the canal. West of Hungerford the line overlooks the canal and the river valley, and then it crosses the canal again near Froxfield, where the decorative gothic façade of the almshouses founded by the Duchess of Somerset in 1694 can be clearly seen.

Railway and canal now run close together to Little Bedwyn, a delightful little village with its 12^th century church, its row of 1860s estate cottages, all in coloured brick, and the 18^th century buildings by the canal and lock. Locks appear quite frequently now as the canal climbs towards its summit, a few miles to the south west, and the train soon reaches Bedwyn. Near the station is Great Bedwyn’s large church with its grand central tower and pretty graveyard, and a short walk away is the attractive village. 

After Bedwyn the line continues west through the rolling countryside of the Marlborough Downs. The Kennet & Avon Canal continues to parallel the railway to the left and the famous Crofton Beam Engines are passed to the right and then the canal disappears into a tunnel near Savernake. Soon the village of Woolton Rivers can be seen to the right as the line draws alongside Martinsell Hill. The summit of which is crowned by a large prehistoric camp covering more than 30 acres. The hill rises 947 ft high and commands fine views across Salisbury Plain which stretches away to the left of the railway line.

Soon the line reaches Pewsey station with its village to the left, with its church rising above the village. Salisbury Plain continues to stretch away to the left. To the right can be seen Picked Hill and Woodborough Hill. Due north from here lies the ancient site of Avebury one of the many ancient sites that lie alongside this route to the west. To the right also can be seen Milk Hill and its famous White Horse. This horse only dates from 1812 but some of the other white horses in this part of the country are very ancient including the Westbury White Horse which the line passes later on in the journey. Then to the right can be seen the village of Woodborough. The ancient earthwork of Rybury Camp can be seen to the right. While to the left is the village of Beechingstoke and the vast expanse of Salisbury Plain stretching away to the south. Then a broad valley opens up to the right and the line bends south west. The village of Potterne can be seen to the right,  and on the left the village of Great Cheverell appears. Also to the left the long line of Salisbury Plain forms the horizon. Coulston Hill and Stoke Hill are seen as a background to the village of East Coulston while a little further on Edington Hill can be seen behind the village of Edington. This village has the beautiful Priory Church at its heart. This splendid piece of 14^th century architecture was built by William de Edyndune, who became Bishop of Winchester and began the important rebuilding of Winchester Cathedral which was completed by his successor William of Wykeham.

The next hill viewed to the left is Westbury Hill and at the summit can be seen the great earthwork of Bratton Camp with fine trenches clearly marked by the long ridges on the hillside. Legend tells that it was at this spot that the Danish King Guthrum retired after suffering a heavy defeat by King Alfred the Great at the Battle of Ethandune in 878.

Westbury Hill juts out prominently from the main form of Salisbury Plain at this point and soon another famous landmark comes into view on its western slopes. This is the famous Westbury White Horse. Unlike its counterpart we saw earlier in the journey at Milk Hill near Pewsey, this White Horse is very ancient. Legend tells how it may have been cut to commemorate King Alfred the Great’s great victory over King Guthrum. But having become overgrown in places it was recut in 1778 and received further attention in 1873. It measures 175 ft from head to tail and stands 107 ft high.

Soon the Westbury avoiding line can be seen diverging off to the left and if the train is not stopping at Westbury then it will take the avoiding line and the town can be seen to the left. However if the train is calling at Westbury station then it will continue and the line from Bristol can be seen joining the mainline from the right. Then the train enters Westbury station. This station is an important junction for trains to Bristol and Salisbury.

After leaving Westbury the line to Salisbury can be seen diverging to the left and soon the Westbury avoiding line rejoins the mainline from the left. Away to the left can be seen Cley Hill rising in the distance. Like many high hills in this part of England it too has a prehistoric camp at the summit. The hill rises to 800 ft and commands fine views. Historically it is of interest as it was one of the sites chosen for the great beacon fires that gave warning of the approach of the Spanish Armada. Soon the valley of the Frome is reached. Again Frome station, like Westbury, has an avoiding line to allow express trains to bypass the station. This is soon seen diverging off to the left. Just before entering Frome station the disused line to Radstock can be seen joining the mainline from the right. After leaving Frome the avoiding line rejoins from the left and the journey continues westwards.

Cley Hill continues to keep the line company after Frome and the hill could be considered as the western outpost of Salisbury Plain as soon we enter a different landscape. The change is marked almost at once by the fine mass of woodland around Longleat House, the seat of the Marquess of Bath. The house stands beside a beautiful lake in a widespread deer park, hidden from view by the beautiful Longleat Woods to the left.

To the right spreads Postlebury Wood over Postlebury hill. These woodlands form part of Witham Park. Soon the village of Witham Friary is passed. Here the line to the Cranmore and now home of the East Somerset Railway diverges from the mainline to the right. Soon the village of Upton Noble lies to the right.

The little River Brue now flows beside the line on the left, and soon the little town of Bruton is reached. On the right the land slopes down gently into the valley of the Brue and its tributary, the River Alham, we have a view of the distant Mendip Hills. Soon the ancient town of Castle Cary lies to the left and Castle Cary station is reached. Just after the station the line to Yeovil, Dorchester and Weymouth diverges left from the mainline.

A striking landmark that can be seen to the right, looking west, is Glastonbury Tor, a prominent hill with the ruined chapel of St Michael on its summit. Soon on the left can be seen the church tower of Lovington. While also on the left in the distance can be seen Cadbury Castle. Around the steep sides of the hill are four lines of earthworks and this camp is said to have been the last British stronghold in the West to hold out against the Romans. Wheathill Church stands close to the line on the left, and East Lydford Church on the right, with Glastonbury Tor still visible in the distance.

Next is the village of Keinton Mandeville on the right. This village is the birthplace of Sir Henry Irving in 1838. Pennard Hill near Glastonbury rises up 400 ft on the right. While on the left is the village of Charlton Adam and its church tower. Then Charlton Mackrell is passed on the right. To the right appears Dundon Hill beyond Copley Wood. Soon we reach Somerton. It is a picturesque little place with an ancient market cross and other old buildings. It stands of the River Cary. After passing Somerton the railway enters Somerton Tunnel, and it is the first tunnel after leaving London. After the tunnel the small market town of Langport is passed. This town lies on the River Parrett. Hills rise either side of the railway here, but the valley of the Parrett broadens out into another expanse of low lying country. The stretch lying immediately to the right is Aller Moor and where the hills subside into the valley is the village of Aller. This is where King Alfred the Great is said to have baptised King Guthrun and many of his followers in the Saxon font which can still be seen in Aller Church soon after the battle of Ethandune. Away to the right beyond the villages of Othery and Middlezoy stretches Sedgemoor, famous for the site of the battle of Sedgemoor which ended the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion in 1685.

The Polden Hills can be seen rising beyond the level stretch of Sedgemoor, while to the left on the higher ground bordering West Sedge Moor is seen the Parkfield Monument, erected in 1768 by the Earl of Chatham to commemorate Sir William Pynsent. Also on the left is the village of Stoke St Gregory. To the right can be seen the great Burrow Bridge Mound, identified by legend as ‘King Alfred’s Fort’, and actually used as a fort during the Civil Wars. Athelney is close to the junction of the River Tone and River Parrett. Soon the line passes the Isle of Athelney to the left and the legendary location of the humble cottage where King Alfred the Great had his telling off after burning the cakes! Here in these marshes he took refuge and rested while preparing the final assault against the Danes. The Isle is a slight rise above the level of the flat lands; and in medieval times there was an abbey, but now there is a pillar erected in 1801, with an inscription commemorating King Alfred the Great. Looking ahead to the right a distant view can be seen of the Quantock Hills. A little way beyond the Isle of Athelney to the right can be seen the village of Lyng. While on the left beyond the level stretch of Curry Moor, through which flows the River Tone, is seen the village of North Curry. In the distance are the Blackdown Hills.

Soon the line joins the mainline from Bristol to Taunton via a flyover and the Bridgewater & Taunton Canal can be seen on the right. While on the left the River Tone follows the line past the village of Creech St Michael whose church is famous for the extremely ancient carving of the Holy Trinity above the west door. The neighbouring village of Ruishton also presents an ancient church with a fine tower. The M5 soon crosses the railway and then Taunton station is reached.

Taunton is a fine town with a rich history. It’s castle was founded in the 8^th century by King Ina, King of the West Saxons, and a large part of the medieval building still remains. Taunton also played an important role in the English Civil War and was chosen by the Duke of Monmouth as the place where he proclaimed himself King. An event which had its sequel in the Bloody Assize held here by Judge Jeffreys.

Taunton to Exeter St Davids:

Soon after leaving Taunton a view across to the Blackdown Hills opens out to the left and the Wellington obelisk is seen on the ridge. On the right is seen Taunton School, a notable public school, located at Staplegrove. The school opened its history in 1847 as the Independent College, a centre of education for boys from nonconformist families. The buildings date from 1870.

The ancient octagonal church tower on the left is that of Bishop’s Hull. To the right is the village of Norton Fitzwarren and site of Norton Fitzwarren station is soon reached. This station was where the branches to Barnstaple and Minehead diverged off to the right. Sadly only the Minehead line now remains and is home to the West Somerset Railway. On the left the village of Bradford on Tone appears. The Blackdown Hills and the Wellington Monument come into closer view as we head south west. Then the town of Wellington is passed. There are two Wellingtons – one in Somerset and one in Shropshire. However it is this Somerset Wellington that gives the great Iron Duke and the Duke of Wellington their title. Again to the left can be seen the Wellington Monument erected in honour of the Battle of Waterloo and the Duke of Wellington’s victory. Soon the village of Sampford Arundel is passed to the left and Culmstock Beacon can be seen on the western end of the Blackdown Hills. After this the landscape slopes down into the Culm Valley.

At this point the train has started the ascent of Wellington Bank which is a steep gradient and soon enters Whiteball Tunnel. Soon the village of Burlescombe is seen on the left and behind it is the M5 motorway which soon runs alongside the railway. To the right is the Grand Western Canal. This connects the River Tone with the River Exe which the canal enters at Tiverton. Soon the village of Sampford Peverel is seen to the right and Tiverton Parkway station is reached alongside the M5 motorway.

After leaving Tiverton Parkway to the north west on the right of the line can be seen Barton Hill. To the left across the Culm Valley is the village of Kentisbeare. Soon the village of Willand is passed. The Culm River is an important tributary of the River Exe, coming down from the southern slopes of the Blackdown Hills. Soon the next settlement passed is Cullompton. All the way the M5 parallels the railway line to the left. The railway then crosses the River Culm and to the right appears the village of Bradninch. Bradninch was a chartered borough as long ago as1208 and from the time of King Edward II to that of King Henry VII returned two Members of Parliament. Bradninch Manor House which stands to the right on the outskirts of the village, is one of the finest examples of an Elizabethan interior in the country. Some of the rooms are finely carved and panelled. King Charles I stayed at the old Rectory during the Civil War.

The wooded hill which rises prominently close to the railway on the left is Dolbury Hill. Rising sharply out of the landscape by Killerton Park it checks the River Culm on its course and forces it to make a wide detour. The M5 motorway also disappears from view behind the hill. Soon the River Culm can be seen again on the left and from the right it is joined by the River Exe. The village of Rewe is passed by close to the railway on the left. Then again on the left the village of Stoke Canon is passed. Then across the River Exe can be seen the village of Brampford Speke. Just after Stoke Canon the River Exe passes under the railway to join the River Culm with the beautiful Stoke Woods rising up to the right.

The River Exe is a beautiful and interesting river, beginning its story way up in the hills and rocky tors of Exmoor. It rises in the centre of Exmoor Forest only a few miles from the North Devon coast but heads across Devon to find its way into the sea on the South Devon coast at Exmouth. At Tiverton it receives the River Lowman, made famous by Blackmore in the ‘Lorna Doone’.

Soon the railway heads down into the historic city of Exeter. At Cowley Bridge the line from Barnstaple can be seen joining the mainline from the right. As we approach Exeter the city spreads itself out on the hill to the left and soon Exeter St Davids station is reached.

Exeter was a fortified town and a busy port from the Roman period onwards, but it was the Normans who developed the city as it stands today. Their legacy is the great Exeter Cathedral with its flanking Norman towers. Greatly expanded during the Middle Ages, the cathedral is also known for its vaulting and 14^th century sculptures in the west front. It was the River Exe and the port that made Exeter a wealthy city in the Middle Ages and the surviving timber framed buildings reflect this. In order to maintain its wealth, the city built its ship canal to the sea, from 1564. Exeter today is a thriving city with an exciting past. Indeed Exeter is one of the oldest cities in the West Country as always been a capital in a wider sense than being the county town of Devon. Its position here in the West Country is similar to that of Winchester to the ancient kingdom of Wessex. Exeter is also a bustling commercial city and a great railway centre.

Here at Exeter St Davids the former Southern Railway line from London Waterloo joins the Great Western mainline. In its heyday Southern Railway expresses from Waterloo crossed with Great Western ones from Paddington each heading in opposite directions. Southern ones going north via Okehampton and down into Plymouth via Tavistock, while Great Western ones went south via the famous sea wall section at Dawlish to Plymouth. Sadly today only the Great Western route survives as a through mainline.

Exeter St Davids to Plymouth:

Shortly after leaving Exeter St Davids station the line to London Waterloo diverges from the mainline to the left and heads up the steep Exeter Incline to Exeter Central station. As our train leaves Exeter and heads westwards we pass Exeter St Thomas station and a view of the magnificent Exeter Cathedral and the city opens up to the left. The following section of railway round to Plymouth is one of the most famous sections of railway in the world and is very scenic as it follows the legendary Dawlish sea wall section and then at Teignmouth turns inland and over the South Devon banks to Plymouth. Here the River Exe is on our left, but the waterway nearest the railway is the Exeter Canal. This canal runs between the railway and the River Exe for about 5 miles. It was one of the first canals built in England, having been commenced in Queen Elizabeth I’s time. Soon to the right the pinnacled tower of Alphington Church is visible. While to the left the ancient seaport of Topsham can be seen across the River Exe. This is on the Exeter Central to Exmouth railway line. This line can be seen from time to time following the river bank on the other side of the River Exe. On the right is the village of Exminster with a 15^th century church containing one of the ornate Devonshire carved screens.

Soon on the right can be seen the village of Powderham with its Church and Belvidere Tower. The Tower is set on a hill with wide views over the estuary of the River Exe. On the left across the River Exe can be seen Nunwell Court. The great treasure of this house is a panel from Sir Francis Drake’s ship ‘The Golden Hind’. Behind can be seen the waterside village of Lympstone.

Next the focus of interest shifts to the right once more as Powderham Castle. This is the home of the great Courtenay family (Earls of Devon since 1533) and is set in its vast deer park. The castle was built about the time of the Norman conquest and has been the home of the Courtenay family since 1377.

Soon the train reaches Starcross station and here there is a splendid view across to Exmouth. A notable feature of Starcross is the Italianate pumping engine house which can be seen to the right as we pass Starcross station. It is the best surviving building from Brunel's unsuccessful Atmospheric Railway. This abortive enterprise is commemorated in the "Atmospheric Railway" pub located opposite the railway station. The engine house is now home to the Starcross Sailing & Cruising Club.  From Starcross there is a ferry service to Exmouth operated by Exe to Sea Cruises. Between here and Exmouth is the vast open stretch of water that is the estuary of the River Exe. Also there is Dawlish Warren a sandbank which thrusts itself out into the Exe like a breakwater at the mouth of the river. At the western end of it is Dawlish Warren station, with Langstone Cliff rising up just beyond. Here the railway runs alongside the sea wall and the open sea for the first time. A fine headland that rises on the opposite side of the estuary beyond Exmouth hides from view the seaside town of Budleigh Salterton which lurks just round the corner.

Fine red sandstone cliffs rise up on the right as the railway runs alongside the famous Great Western sea wall which continues all the way to Teignmouth. However the next station reached is Dawlish and this is the first seaside resort reached on the Cornish Riviera route from London. Dawlish is divided into two distinct parts, the old town on the right with Dawlish Water running through it and the new town. The next section of the line along the famous sea wall is punctuated by the train plunging into tunnels at regular intervals with glimpses of the sea in between. The first tunnel reached is Kennaway Tunnel followed by Phillot Tunnel. Next follows Clerk’s Tunnel and then Coryton Tunnel. This is the namesake to Coryton Cove one of the small coves along this stretch of coast. Finally comes Parson’s Tunnel the longest and last of the series. On our exit to the left can be seen the Paron & Clerk Rock. If we look back the way we have come at this point we will see the wide expanse of sea to where the Devon coast runs into Dorset in the east and on a fine day you can see all the way to Portland Bill. Today this section of coast is known as the Jurassic Coast  - the Dorset & East Devon Coast World Heritage Site. Beyond Parson’s Tunnel the line reaches the outskirts of Teignmouth a highly picturesque seaside resort and port at the mouth of the River Teign. The Danes raided it hundreds of years ago as did the French in1690. Here the railway turns inland after a brief glimpse of the seafront and reaches Teignmouth station.

After Teignmouth the line follows the River Teign inland and passes the harbour before running inland alongside the River Teign. Across the estuary to the left can be seen the village of Shaldon which lies at the waterside in the shadow of Ness Rock. Soon we can see the Teignmouth Bridge which carries the road from Teignmouth to Torquay across the estuary of the River Teign. The village of Bishop’s Teignton can be seen on the right had an ancient importance through its close association with the Bishops of Exeter who had a country residence here. The Little Haldon Hills which spread inland from here are the foothills to the vast expanse of Dartmoor. Soon the line passes King’s Teignton on the right and across the country to the right can be seen one of the famous Dartmoor tors, Haytor, which is 1,400 ft high and is crowned by a magnificent heap of rocks. Next the railway passes under the A380 main road and Newton Abbot Racecourse is passed on the right and a moment later Newton Abbot station is reached. Just after the Racecourse is passed the disused former branch line to Heathfield and Moretonhampstead joins the mainline on the right. Newton Abbot is a pleasant town at the head of the Teign estuary and is an important junction for connections to the English Riviera at Torquay and Paignton and it also is a good centre for visiting the Dartmoor National Park.

After Newton Abbot station the mainline becomes four tracks as the line to Torquay separates off to the left at Aller Junction. Torquay, Paignton and Brixham are known as the English Riviera and the line once continued beyond Paignton to Kingswear (for Dartmouth) however this section of line is now home to the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway.

Meanwhile the mainline to Plymouth curves round to the right and starts ascending the steep South Devon banks. On the right can be seen the buildings of the St Augustine’s Priory, a large modern convent of Canonesses Regular of the Lateran an order with a most interesting history. When the ancient Abbey of Burnham in Buckinghamshire, founded in 1265 was dissolved by King Henry VIII, a nun crossed to Flanders and succeeded in establishing an English convent of the same Order in Louvain in 1609. In 1794 the French Revolution drove the nuns back to England and after living in succession at Hammersmith, Amesbury Abbey in Wiltshire and at Spettisbury in Dorset, the community came to Newton Abbot in 1861. The convent which has a magnificent church, thus forms an interesting link to pre-Reformation England.

The village seen beyond the Priory is Abbots Kerswell in the name of which there is an obvious harking back to ancient monastic associations. The name distinguishes it from Kingkerswell which is a village on the left and which has a station on the Torbay line.

The line then climbs steeply up Dainton bank between the rugged cliffs and quarry workings in the red and pink stone of Dainton Hill until Dainton Tunnel is reached at the summit. Then the view opens out again. Looking up the valley to the right, a long succession of views of Dartmoor can be seen, with distant tors showing their rocky crests in silhouette on the skyline. On the right also appears the village of Littlehempston identified by the lofty tower of its ancient church. The former Ashburton branch line then can be seen joining the mainline on the right. This branch is now home to the South Devon Railway and their station at Totnes Littlehempston can be seen on the right on the approach to Totnes station. On the left you can get a glimpse of the town of Totnes and Totnes Castle perched up high above the town. This occupies the highest point in Totnes and dominates the town. The building of it is attributed to a Norman baron named Judhael who came to England with the Norman conquest, but probably additions to it were made at later periods. Totnes is a picturesque old town and excellent centre for exploring the Dartmoor National Park and the River Dart. A little further on again on the left hand side can be seen Follaton House. After Totnes the line continues winding through the landscape with hills rising steeply on either side, the country on the right being part of the vast expanse of Dartmoor. Soon the village of Tigley can be seen on the right with its church as the train ascends the steep Rattery bank. A little further inland on the right can be seen the village of Rattery marked by its church steeple. The church here is one of those that have helped make Devon famous for its carved oak screens. On the left the Harbourne River follows the railway. After crossing this river the railway plunges into Marley Tunnel and after emerging there is a good view of Brent Hill to the right. Soon we pass the village of South Brent, to the south of which the main A38 road can be seen wending its way westwards. Beyond South Brent some of the prominent heights of the southern fringe of Dartmoor can be seen ahead. Amongst these is Ugborough Beacon seen first from the left hand side of the train at South Brent and then on the right as the railway curves round to the south. At the crossing of the little Glaze Brook there is a brief glimpse up the valley to the long ridge of Ugborough Moor. On the right the village of Wrangaton can be seen while to the left is the A38 main road. This is the location of the steep Wrangaton bank for trains going eastbound. On the right is the village of Bittaford. Soon the sight of Western Beacon greets us on the right hand side as the train reaches Ivybridge station. We cross the wooded valley of the River Erme and the village of Ivybridge can be seen on the left. A fine expanse of landscape opens out to the left as we leave the Erme Valley at Ivybridge and travel towards the Yealm Valley which runs parallel with it a few miles further west. On the right, Henlake Down and Hangar Down rise close together.

The railway now crosses the River Yealm and comes down through Cornwood and splendid views open up to the right looking north to Penn Moor and Lee Moor.  Penn Beacon rises up above. On the right soon after crossing Piall River is Beechwood Park, and a little further on again on the right is Hemerdon House. Just behind it is Hemerdon Ball a hill where a big camp was established in the Napoleonic wars. This is the location of the steep Hemerdon bank for trains going eastbound. The village to the left of the railway is Ridgeway. Now we cross Tory Brook which comes down from Penn Moor and pass through Plympton, an ancient town now subsumed into the suburbs of Plymouth. Plympton’s claim to fame is that Sir Joshua Reynolds was born here in 1723.

The railway then passes under the A38 main road and begins the approach to Plymouth. The River Plym is soon seen on the left and we pass the train depot at Laira and the triangle of lines where the line to Plymouth Friary branches off to the left. Plymouth Friary was once the terminus of Southern Railway trains from London Waterloo which had arrived in Plymouth from Exeter via Okehampton and Tavistock before passing eastwards through Plymouth North Road station and arriving at Plymouth Friary. Finally we pass through Mutley Tunnel and enter Plymouth North Road station and journey's end.

Plymouth is the City of Discovery and has the history of England and the British Empire written all over it. Here Sir Francis Drake played bowls on Plymouth Hoe while waiting for the Spanish Armada. Here the Pilgrim Fathers boarded the Mayflower on their epic voyage to a new life in America. Plymouth is also home to the great naval base at Devonport. Sadly Plymouth got very heavily bombed during the Second World War and underwent extensive reconstruction in the postwar years. Today only in the area around the Barbican can you see any of the medieval architecture that once dominated this fine city. The sweeping boulevard that is the Armada Way takes you down from the station in a straight line to the Hoe and a spectacular view of the famous Plymouth Sound. Plymouth is also the departure point for the Brittany Ferries services to Roscoff in France and Santander in Spain.  These ferry sailings depart from the Continental Ferry Terminal in Millbay Docks.