OLD DEVONPORT . UK
Plus parts of East Cornwall and West Devon
www.olddevonport.uk
 

RAILWAYS IN OLD DEVONPORYT  |  PLYMOUTH, DEVONPORT AND SOUTH WESTERN JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY
MAIN LINE, LYDFORD STATION TO FRIARY STATION

BERE ALSTON STATION

Southern Railway number 20 arriving at Bere Alston Station
 with a train from the Callington branch.
From the author's collection.

Beer Alston Station, as it was originally named, was opened by the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway Company on June 2nd 1890.

British Railways Southern Region number 30199
waiting to leave Bere Alston Station with a branch train.
© J A G H Coltas.

It was renamed Bere Alston Station on November 18th 1897.

When the Callington Branch was opened in 1908 the main Up Platform was made into an island platform, with the Branch trains terminating on the outside face.

Number 30225 waits to depart from Bere Alston Station with a mixed train.
From the author's collection.

For the Departures Board at Bere Alston Station from June 7th until September 30th 1914 CLICK HERE.

During the period of GWR/SR locomotive exchanges, ex-GWR number 6385 pulls in to Bere Alston Station with an Up train,
while the Callington Branch train waits for any passengers.
© Mr Hugh Davies, Godalming, Surrey.

Mr P W Skinner was the Station Master at Bere Alston Station in June 1948.

On Weekdays and Sundays, 'where train service permits', commencing on May 1st 1953, the following cheap day return tickets, first and third class, were available from Bere Alston Station to: Callington, 3s 6d 1st, 2s 3d 3rd; Devonport King's Road, 3s 6d 1st, 2s 3d 3rd; Plymouth Friary Station, 4s 6d 1st, 3s 3rd; Plymouth North Road Station, 3s 9d 1st, 2s 6d 3rd; Saint Budeaux Victoria Road, 2s 6d 1st, 1s 8d 3rd; Tavistock North, 2s 6d 1st, 1s 8d, 3rd.

According to the "The Official Hand-book of Station 1956" Bere Alston Station dealt with goods traffic, passengers, parcels, miscellaneous traffic, furniture vans, carriages, motor cars, portable engines and machines on wheels, live stock, horse boxes, prize cattle vans, and carriages and motor cars by passenger or parcels trains.  It was not equipped with a crane.

British Railways Southern Region number 41317 waiting to leave Bere Alston Station
 with a branch train  in September 1958.
© Joanes Publications.

Bere Alston Station was closed to goods traffic on or as from February 28th 1966.

The much depleted Station is still in use as a reversing point for trains on the Plymouth Station to Gunnislake Station branch line.