Burrator and Sheepstor Halt railway station was situated along the 10.5-mile-long single-track Princetown branch railway line, which ran from Yelverton to Princetown, with four intermediate stations. Originally opened as Burrator Platform, it was later renamed Burrator Halt upon its public opening, and then in 1929, it became Burrator and Sheepstor Halt.
On Monday, February 4, 1924, the station commenced operations as Burrator Platform, initially serving the workers involved in the construction of the Burrator and Sheepstor Dams during the expansion of Burrator Reservoir. The service primarily consisted of a morning train departing Princetown at 6:27 am, heading towards Dousland and Yelverton. After collecting workers from the 6:20 am train originating from Millbay Station, it would depart Yelverton Station at 6:58 am, with a stop at Burrator and Sheepstor Platform at 7:05 am to drop off the workers. On weekdays, the 4:05 pm train from Princetown would stop at Burrator at 4:30 pm to pick up workers for their journey back home. On Saturday mornings, the 12:25 pm train from Princetown would call at 12:50 pm to collect workers, while the later train would not make a stop.
Starting from Thursday, November 6, 1924, the early morning trains only ran on Monday mornings. The 4:05 pm train from Princetown no longer made a stop at Burrator, but the return journey, the 4:55 pm train from Yelverton, did include a stop. For the rest of the week, the 7:38 am train from Princetown transported the workers to Burrator.
Burrator and Sheepstor Platform was opened to the general public on Monday, May 18, 1925, and it was served by trains during daylight hours exclusively.
In later years, the station primarily catered to walkers, similar to Ingra Tor Halt. It was retained as an effort to mitigate competition from local bus services and promote tourism.
Today, only the station’s foundations remain, along with the remnants of the old steps leading up from the lane and a swing gate. Much of the former railway track now constitutes the pathway of the Dousland to Princetown Railway Track.
“BURRATOR [GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY] opened 4 February 1924, non-timetable, to public 18 May 1925 (GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY Plymouth area records)*; HALT though
PLATFORM in Brad until 1928/9, daylight only; closed 5 March 1956 (T 5th); {Princetown branch}.
* = Western Morning News 7 May 1925 said would open to public 18 May, but failed to include ‘1924’ in stating that had opened to workmen, presumably those constructing reservoir, on 4 February” (source: here).