Churston

by Trevor Pott



The Station on 4 August 1937

 

Churston was the small junction station on the former Great Western Railway line from Aller Junction, at Newton Abbot, to Kingswear, Devon. From Churston ran the two mile long branch to Brixham.

The station was opened in 1861 as the temporary terminus of the Kingswear line. It was named Brixham Road, becoming Churston on 1 May 1868, just after the opening of the Brixham branch in February of that year.

The model, in 4mm scale EM Gauge, represents Churston station as it existed during the second weekend of October 1934. Such a precise date is due to having so much information on the station and trains at that period, and liking that time in the Great Western's history.

The prototype photo above is one taken by Gerry Mann in the mid-1930s and which has proved so useful in the building of the layout.


The model was begun in 1966 when it was still possible to see the station in much of its original form and a site survey was carried out.

Over the years information on the station and on the trains that ran through it has been obtained. A great deal of information was given by the late Gerry Mann who had also built the station in 7mm as a garden layout.

Help in building the model has also been given by the late John Cross who helped with the baseboards, wiring and trackwork whilst Tony Ford helped in building the two hotels.

The model has been featured in the Model Railway Journal Nos. 60, 127, 128 & 129.

A full history of the Kingswear line and the Brixham branch can be read in two books by C.R. Potts and published by Oakwood Press. They are:

  • The Brixham Branch ISBN 0 85361 346 X

  • The Newton Abbot to Kingswear Railway (1844 – 1988) ISBN 0 85361 387 7

Some recent wagon pictures:











View beneath the road bridge



Ex. 4.00am Newton parcels behind 1854 Pannier No.1895



4945 Milligan Hall arrives on the 7.50 am Kingswear to Swansea




The station building seen from under the footbrige



Mid-day conversation at Churston



The Brixham bay alcove



The Station approach leading to the White House Hotel




Signal box and footbridge



Head-on view of the box



The signal-man and his bicycle




Footbridge with train due on Up platform



Water tower on the bay platform



Inner Home bracket signal for the Brixham branch




Having pinned down a sufficient number of wagon brakes the crew of 2874 looks back to check the Guard's right away...



...before moving off down the gradient to Goodrington, with the Torquay Gas Works coal train.



1895 and Toad




Taunton's 4313 arrives on ex. 12.40pm Newton



4313 and train moves into the station...



...under the control of its crew.




Cattle wagon in siding, built from a Cooper-Craft kit



Mica refrigerator van, built from a David Geen kit



Toad and Mex in the refuge siding. The former is from a Ratio kit, the latter is Cooper-Craft.




Restormel Castle arrives with the Down Torbay Express



Close-up of 5010



6023 King Edward II




Up train, including a Dreadnought Brake Third



Rural idyll



Bulldog on down train




Admiring an MG on the road bridge. The MG is from an Autocraft kit, while the Morgan behind it is an ABS kit.



The van of Mr. Blackler of Brixham (Autocraft kit)



Thornycroft GWR parcel van (Springside kit)



The Up Home signal and bracket to the Down Platform, Nos 1 & 8 respectively