Topsham railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Topsham
code = TOP


caption = Looking towards Exeter
locale = Topsham
borough = Exeter, Devon
latitude = 50.68588
longitude = -3.46401
manager = First Great Western
platforms = 2
lowusage0203 = 105,717
lowusage0405 = 127,903
lowusage0506 = 138,905
lowusage0607 = 156,153
original = London and South Western Railway
postgroup = Southern Railway
events = 1861
years = Opened

Topsham railway station is the railway station serving the town of Topsham in the English county of Devon. It is the passing place for the otherwise single-track branch line from Exmouth Junction to Exmouth.

History

The station, with buildings designed by Sir William Tite, opened with the railway on 1 May 1861. On 23 September 1861 a convert|700|yd|m branch was opened from the south end of the station, which dropped steeply to the wharf on the River Exe. [cite book |last = Mitchell |first = Vic|coauthors = Smith, Keith |title = Branch Lines to Exmouth |publisher = Middleton Press |date = 1992 |location = Midhurst|id = ISBN 1-873793-00-6]

The station was initially owned by the London and South Western Railway. In 1923 this became a constituent of the Southern Railway which, in turn was nationalised in 1948. Following the privatisation of British Rail it was operated by Wessex Trains but the franchise has now been transferred to First Great Western.

The old station buildings and signal box are now occupied by offices.

ervices

All trains on the Avocet Line from Exmouth to Exeter St Davids call at Topsham. Beyond St Davids they continue alternately to Paignton or Barnstaple. Connections are available at Exeter Central for Pinhoe and stations to Waterloo; passengers for other main line stations change at Exeter St Davids.

The station is part of the new Penalty Fare Zone, where passengers could be charged a £20 penalty fare if a ticket is not purchased prior to joining the train. It is unstaffed, with a computerised ticket machine on the Exeter-bound platform. The only way to cross between platforms is the adjacent road crossing, closed when trains are approaching and in the station, so extra time should be budgeted if buying an Exmouth ticket, as it is possible to be trapped on the wrong side of the line.

References