On a high promontory, Saltash was the best point for a southern crossing of the Tamar, high enough to both permit shipping upstream, and an uninterrupted passage of rail traffic east and west. The railway seems an unwieldy intrusion into the town, but the two seem to get along together even though the bridge (now bridg-es) still dominate everything. The goods yard, tucked away on a short curving track inland at the west end of the station, was active when I started traveling through the station but over time was rationalised away, with the corrugated iron goods shed remaining long after the access tracks were lifted.
A view of Menheniot station from an up passenger service – the distinctive station building covered by a projecting roof of ‘Cornwall Railway’ vintage. The signal box is still operative, ‘though the scene has an air of neglect: behind it are the buildings of Clicker Tor Quarry, that until a few years previous to this August 1973 picture provided ballast for the railway. 7308##D01-MEN-STATN-VI__
D1048 “WESTERN LADY”, straining its couplings and pumping out exhaust, leaves St German’s Station with a westbound service in late afternoon, probably late in its BR career. The loco’s bodyside shows ‘side swipe” damage, and the crossover beside it seems to be partly removed. St Germans is still a great place to while away a few hours between trains. 7####GF02-SGM-D1048-PAS_D
A Paddington service nears the Tamar at Wearde, hauled by 47224, on a hazy Summer’s day. Grass is parched and a couple of passengers window-hang. What looks like a painted signal sighting board is still clearly visible on the bridge parapet. 760703A01-WRD-47224-PAS_U
This BR promotional photo shows a gleamingly new D8XX class loco with the Crewe parcels train at Saltash Station; its buffer heads even clear of grease. The station retains its footbridge – later seen as an expensive duplication of the bridge beyond. 6####EL01-STS–D8##-GDS_U
A D63XX diesel runs light engine through Saltash Station “on the down”, displaying the appropriate headcode by the open disc centred above the buffer beam. Though not “officially” opened, the Tamar Road Bridge behind was actually carrying traffic at this time. 62###DR01-STS-D63##-LIG_D
The hum and throb of a D8XX in green livery are distorted as it slowly moves onto The Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash with a “down” service. Naval ships are moored at tenders anchored to the river bed, and pleasure boats to buoys near the Plymouth bank. 6####ES01-RAB–D8##-PAS_D
A maroon ‘Warship’, with matching coaching stock, runs off the bridge towards the Devon bank of the Tamar. The hillside behind, including Saltash Goods yard in the vicinity of the big house at the centre of the photo, have not yet been extensively built over. 6####EB01-RAB–D8##-PAS_U
Passengers make the Tamar crossing at Saltash, using the new road bridge just upstream from the century older railway one. A D63XX on that leads a china clay duty slowly takes the left hand approach bend towards the Cornish bank and Saltash Station. 6208#AB01-RAB-BRDGE-VI__E
The photographer has to cower clear of the line as a ‘Western’ makes its way over the Tamar Bridge with a Midlands passenger train: the track strengthened with check rails to guard against derailment. The parish church is prominent on the skyline and river bluff. 7####AF01-RAB-D10##-PAS_U
The eastern side of the River Tamar is gained by a pair of D8XX ‘Warships’ – one in maroon livery and the other blue – forming a speeded-up West of England service on 25th July 1969. A variety of huts line one side of the track, with a Signal Box opposite. 690725A01-PLY–D8XX-PAS_U
In the final full year of their existence, Class 52 “WESTERN GAUNTLET” runs off the Tamar bridge and into Saltash Station with a “down” service. The silhouette of the platform awning above it shows the station hadn’t been rationalised at this time. 76###AD01-STS-D1070-PAS_D
A rather grimy Crewe-built Western prepares to set out across the Royal Albert Bridge opposite Saltash in the 1970s. Beside the Permanent Way Shed, the trackwork split into up and down lines, though now the divergence is farther back towards Plymouth, and the signalling cable runs indicate the closure of the signal box that is out-of-sight to the loco’s right. 7####AA03-RAB-D10##-VI_NW
The Eric Curnow Collection 