{"id":7459,"date":"2024-07-02T10:44:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T09:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teignrail.co.uk\/scouting\/?p=7459"},"modified":"2025-03-12T12:36:49","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T12:36:49","slug":"100-culm-valley-branch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teignrail.co.uk\/scouting\/100-culm-valley-branch\/","title":{"rendered":"100 Culm Valley Branch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The line was first scouted in 1974, while it was still open, and has often been visited since in places. It seemed about time for a full refresher of its 7 miles 29 chains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he passed St. David’s, facing a moderate north-westerly, the scout thought about catching a train to Sampford Peverell but chose to ride to Tiverton Junction.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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The buffer stop on the line which once led to the Culm Valley platform can be seen behind the gates at left. The yard at right now extends to the former platform.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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A single-coach train has just arrived at the junction from Hemyock in 1962.
At right can be seen the Railway Hotel, later demolished to make way for the motorway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Bristol & Exeter main line descends into the Culm Valley beyond Tiverton Junction and follows it as far as Rewe, where it burrows across to the Exe Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Culm Valley Light Railway, opened in 1876, drops from Willand Moor and follows the river to within about five miles of its source; as the crow flies, not as the water flows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The passenger service ceased in 1963 and the line was closed in 1975, after the loss of the milk traffic from Hemyock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Myth has it that the motorway bridge over the Culm Valley was built and buried, or that it was provided for by the height of the embankment. In fact, the embankment’s height was determined by Station Road Bridge, about 10 chains to the south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scribe is very fortunate in having a good friend not a mile away from the station who knows the truth. Noel Squibb was working for Tarmac Construction in 1975. At the age of 24, he was the engineer in charge of constructing Station Road Bridge. The railway bridge was the responsibility of another less competent Noel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“All the reinforcement steel for the foundations was delivered to site and excavation was underway to get the general shape required for the rail crossing under the future embankment that was required to get the M5 carriageway over Station Road.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Then suddenly the bridge was cancelled. I had mixed views at the time as it got rid of an annoying situation with two Noels on bridges within 100m of each other and gave us a useful pile of rebar we could pillage to our hearts\u2019 content in order to progress Station Road Bridge.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But, on the other hand, the rail link would be permanently lost as the cost of a retro bridge under the M5 would kill any dreams for a future reconstruction.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I do not know how the decision to cancel the bridge was made but it would not have saved anything like the tender cost, as cancellation always has costs, so perhaps a 50% saving on what would have been almost lost in the overall Wellington to Collumpton contract costs.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We were doing those roads for around \u00a31mill per mile back then and could knock out a 10 mile length in under two years.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

9th July:<\/strong> The scout returned a week later, this time catching the train to Sampford Peverell. He returned to Tiverton Junction and then went along the branch again as far as Culmstock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n