About Ingra Tor Halt
Ingra Tor Halt, much like other halts along the Princetown Railway, was a simple platform designed to provide access to hikers and occasional workers. Located at milepost 6¾, the halt was constructed entirely of timber, with wooden trestle legs supporting the platform. A white-painted shelter stood at the rear, providing some protection against Dartmoor’s frequently harsh weather. The fencing ran along the back of the platform, guiding passengers safely from the small white gate that led out onto the moorland.
What made Ingra Tor Halt memorable, however, was the famous “snake notice”—a sign that warned visitors about the possibility of encountering adders. Though a functional stop, Ingra Tor Halt was mostly used by hikers and picnickers, with few regular passengers.
The station was also equipped with two lamp posts at either end of the platform, providing basic lighting. Guards would light these oil lamps before the evening trains arrived, ensuring visibility after dark. The lamps were extinguished by the guard of the last train at 7.00 pm, who also collected the oil wells to refill for the following day.
Situated in a particularly scenic part of Dartmoor, the halt offered breathtaking views of the surrounding tors on a clear day. To the north, visitors could see sweeping landscapes dominated by Crip Tor, with the quarry workings of the Plymouth & Dartmoor Railway days still visible. It was a peaceful, isolated spot where the silence was broken only by the occasional call of birds and the grazing of cattle and sheep.
Though the halt was unstaffed and relatively remote, it played a role in the railway’s attempt to attract more visitors to Dartmoor, particularly hikers keen to explore the wild beauty of the moorland.
In Brief
Ingra Tor Halt was opened in 1936 to cater, mainly, for tourists and moorland visitors to counter competition from local coach companies.
The single fares were: to Princetown, 11½d First Class or 7d Second Class; to Burrator Halt, 9d and 5½d; to King Tor Halt, 7½d and 4½d; to Dousland, 1s 1d and 7½d; to Yelverton, 1s 5d and 10d; and to Plymouth, Millbay, 3s 8d and 2s 3d. A Cheap Day Return ticket to Plymouth cost 2s 3d Third Class; or to Princetown and back for 7d (source: Moseley, Brian (December 2012). “Princetown Branch (GWR)”.
At one time a notice at the halt stated that passengers should keep dogs on a leash due to the presence of adders. This is now in the Plymouth Railway Circle collection and can be seen in the Lee Moor Tramway Shed which is generally opened on special event days at Buckfastleigh Station on the South Devon Railway.
“INGRA TOR [GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY] opened 2 March 1936 (T 29 February); daylight only; HALT; closed 5 March 1956 (T 5th); {Princetown branch}” (source: here).