About Princetown Station
Princetown Station, situated at the highest elevation of any station in England at 1,373 feet, offered passengers an anticlimactic experience despite the dramatic climb from Yelverton. The station itself, a somewhat plain and grey affair, was a rectangular structure built of brick and cement. The building’s decorative elements included castellation designs around the corners, windows, and doors, echoing the architectural style of nearby Dousland. The roof, originally adorned with slate and topped by three limestone chimneys, had been altered over the years, leaving only two chimneys remaining.
The platform at Princetown was edged with granite and filled with rock, its surface covered in tarmac chippings. At the western end, a large wooden nameboard with cast-iron lettering stood, supported by two iron posts. A fence of painted wooden slats bordered one end of the platform, while the eastern side featured a more modern chain-link fence. Two corrugated iron huts for lamp storage stood alongside the motor trolley shed, and approximately 50 yards away, a small signal box managed operations with a fourteen-lever frame.
The station’s layout was functional yet modest. A ‘main line’ ran through the station with a long loop alongside it. Cattle pens and a carriage shed, once housing the ‘Princetown Set,’ were located near the station’s far end. Several sidings provided access to the goods shed, the locomotive shed, and a turntable for the engines. The goods shed, located opposite the station building, had large sliding doors and a granite-faced platform edged with elongated blue Staffordshire bricks.
A canopy stretched out from the building, shielding the waiting areas and ticket office from Dartmoor’s notorious weather. Large wooden screens further protected these areas from the elements, which were essential given the station’s exposure to harsh winds and frequent snowstorms.
The station was central to the village, with staff living locally and becoming part of the fabric of village life. The railway provided a crucial link for the community, including the nearby prison. Convicts were a regular sight at the station, either being transported to the prison or released and escorted away.
In 1960, a few years after the railway’s closure, Princetown Station was dismantled, with all physical traces removed. Today, only faint signs like the private road markers remain, offering little indication of the station’s once important role in linking the remote village to the outside world.
In Brief
Princetown railway station, which commenced operations in 1883, served as the terminus for a 10.5-mile long single-track branch line in Devon, England, originating from Yelverton. Over time, the line incorporated four intermediate stops, including three halts and a fully-fledged station at Dousland.
The authorisation for the branch line was granted in 1878, and it officially opened on 11th August 1883. Princetown station boasted a single platform, a passing loop, a goods yard, a signal box, a goods shed, an engine shed capable of housing two locomotives, a carriage shed spanning 180 feet, and a turntable. At the time of the station’s opening, Yelverton served as the junction for the line. Three additional stations were later added to the line: Burrator and Sheepstor Halt in 1924, King Tor Halt in 1928, and Ingra Tor Halt in 1936. The route of the branch line closely followed the path of the former Plymouth and Dartmoor Railway. Freight transportation on the branch line included the conveyance of granite from the rail-served quarries at Swelltor and Foggintor, both of which ceased operations in 1906.
Until 1st January 1922, the Princetown Railway held ownership of the line, after which it merged with the Great Western Railway (GWR). In 1934 and 1938, the station provided accommodation for a GWR camp coach. With the nationalisation of railways in 1948, the line came under the control of British Railways (Western Region). Unfortunately, on 3rd March 1956, the line ceased operations and was subsequently closed. During 1960 all the station buildings were demolished.
Fate of the Princetown Station and Its Buildings
After the closure of the Princetown Railway in 1956, there were immediate discussions about the future of the station and its buildings. Despite initial proposals to preserve the station for potential reuse, the Dartmoor National Park Committee quickly advocated for their demolition. The committee, which had been formed in 1951, was intent on restoring the natural landscape of Dartmoor and saw the station as an industrial blight on the moorland.
Rendered in cement, Princetown station had an austere, utilitarian appearance, with long, low rooflines and prominent stone chimneys that mirrored the contours of the surrounding moor. However, its association with the railway made it a prime target for removal. In May 1956, the Dartmoor National Park Committee approached the British Transport Commission (BTC), requesting the demolition of both Princetown and Dousland stations, aiming to restore the landscape to its “natural state.”
Despite the urgency expressed by the committee, the BTC was slow to respond. By June 1957, Princetown station had fallen into disrepair, with broken windows and parts of the engine shed partially demolished. Devon County Council, reporting on the derelict condition, reiterated the Dartmoor Committee’s request to remove the structures “in the interests of amenity.” They emphasised that the station buildings had become an eyesore, diminishing the aesthetic value of the moor.
Negotiations to find a buyer for the station buildings proved difficult. The BTC expressed reluctance to spend money on demolition, instead seeking a buyer who would take the buildings off their hands. By early 1958, the situation had reached a stalemate, with the BTC willing to offer the buildings at a minimal price to any interested party willing to demolish them.
In March 1960, the Dartmoor Committee eventually moved forward with plans for the demolition of the station, having secured a quote for £300 to both acquire and remove the buildings. However, complications arose when it was discovered that the BTC was obligated to maintain stockproof fencing around the Princetown site. These legal constraints further delayed progress, but by 1961, much of the station had been cleared, with the land returning to a surface of stone and rubble, slowly being reclaimed by grass and grazed by Dartmoor ponies.
Today, little remains of the original station site. The buildings that once defined Princetown’s connection to the wider world were removed as part of a broader effort to erase traces of industrialisation from the national park. The removal of Princetown station stands as an example of the post-industrial transition in which the natural landscape of Dartmoor was prioritised over preserving its industrial past.
“PRINCETOWN [GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY] opened 11 August 1883 (Tavistock 17th); closed 5 March 1956 (T 5th)” (source: here).