OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
Plus parts of the South Hams and West Devon
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: April 14, 2018
Webpage updated: January 14, 2022

        

RAILWAYS IN OLD PLYMOUTH  |  SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY COMPANY
MAIN LINE, BRENT STATION TO PLYMOUTH STATION (MILLBAY)

PLYMOUTH ENGINE SHED

Once the South Devon Railway Company had opened their line from the Laira Green Temporary Station into the heart of Plymouth, at Millbay, they also opened an Engine Shed at a point just before entering Plymouth Station.  It is thought to have been brought into use in June 1849.  Presumably it was called simply the Plymouth Engine Shed.

The Plymouth Engine Shed at Harwell  Street, unknown date.
© Anthony R Kingdom.

There were two Sheds, all controlled after 1904 from the small Harwell Street Signal Box.  The largest one contained four roads.  It measured 190 feet by 55 feet and had offices for enginemen and cleaners and a smithy attached.  It was built of timber on a brick base and was covered by a slated roof.  The smaller Shed had only two roads, one running through to a coal plant and the other going through to a turntable.  It measured 145 feet by 31 feet 4 inches and built entirely of stone with a slated roof.  Four exterior sidings were also provided, which were probably for carriage stock.

In 1884 the turntable was replaced with a larger one of 44 feet 10 inch diameter.  A Lifting Shop was also added to the site that year.  Some corrugated iron storehouses were added in 1902.

GWR locomotive number 3527 outside the Plymouth Engine Shed at Millbay.
Note LSWR wagon behind it.
© Locomotive and General Railway Photographs.

It was still used by the Great Western Railway Company when they took over providing the locomotives on the former South Devon Railway but increasing traffic and the congestion this caused on the main line brought about the construction of Laira Engine Shed on the site of the former Temporary Station at Laira Green.

The locomotive allocation on January 1st 1901 is given as 74 locomotives, the largest being 4-4-0s.

The locomotive shed was closed from July 14th 1924, all matters being then dealt with at Laira.  However, it had to be re-opened on May 18th 1925.

Plymouth Engine Shed continued to be fully used until July 23rd 1924, when it was closed.  It was re-opened on May 18th 1925 'due to delays caused by getting locos to and from Laira through heavy track occupation'.  The shed allocation for January 1st 1926 was given as numbers 4508, 4531, 4535, and 4538, all 2-6-2 tank locos; 1909, and 1927, 0-6-0- pannier tanks; and 1363, 1365 and 1932, 0-6-0 saddle tanks.  The Shed was closed in 1931 when the extra accommodation provided by the straight shed at Laira was brought in to use.

After 1931 the four roads outside of the original covered part were covered over and used as carriage sidings.  In 1931 the Plymouth Engine Shed was finally closed and a new electric vacuum cleaning plant for cleaning the carriages was installed.  Additional sidings were provided in 1933.