Railway station & Parade, Exmouth, Devon (1871)

Freeman's visitor's hand-book to Exmouth. Exmouth: T. Freeman, 1872. pp. 39-40.THE RAILWAY.May 1st, 1861, is a red-letter day in the annals of Exmouth, for it saw the opening of the railway which connects it with Exeter, and brings it into easy communication with all parts of the kingdom. This short line of railway has been more the subject of contention than any other line of a similar extent in the country. So far back as 1845, the South Western Companies and South Devon Company contended for the privilege of making the line - the former in the narrow-gauge interest, the later in the broad-gauge. Brunel on the part of the South Devon, proposed a line branching off from the main line at Exminster, and crossing, by a viaduct, the Canal and the River Exe above Topsham. This project was again revived in 1854, and obtained an Act of Parliament in its favour, but failed to be carried out for want of capital. Finally, the matter was arranged by the South Western Company making a line from Exeter to Topsham, and a local Company, called the "Exeter and Exmouth," continuing it from Topsham to Exmouth; the inhabitants of the latter place subscribing a portion of the capital, and the sum of £40,000 being raised in preference shares, at 5 per cent. Owing partly to the enormous expense of making the line (upwards of £83,000) little or no dividends were obtained by the ordinary shareholders, and in 1865 the local companies were glad to sell their shares to the South Western Company, at one half the original value.[Text may be taken from a different source or edition than that listed as the source by Somers Cocks.]

Steel l.engr vign

62x92mm

Rock & Co. ; no. 6363. 1 May 1871