Place Ivybridge Station code IVY DfT category F2 Opened 1844 | Grid reference SX647565 Managed by Great Western Railway 2011/12 86,292 Number of platforms 2 Original company British Rail | |
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Address Ivybridge PL21 0PL, United Kingdom Similar Bere Ferrers railway st, Dockyard railway station, Buckfastleigh railway station, Devonport railway station, Bere Alston railway station | ||
Ivybridge railway station is situated on the Exeter to Plymouth line and serves the town of Ivybridge in Devon, England. The station reopened in 1994 to the east of the original station, which was in use from 1848 until 1965. The new station is located in the civil parish of Ugborough, and is operated by Great Western Railway.
Contents
First station
The first station at Ivybridge was located at 50.39470°N 3.92440°W / 50.39470; -3.92440. It was not complete when the South Devon Railway was opened, but was brought into use just six weeks later on 15 June 1848. The building was situated on the north side of the track, immediately to the west of Ivybridge Viaduct. Passenger trains were withdrawn in 1959 but goods traffic continued until 1965.
Current station
A new station costing £380,000 was opened east of the viaduct on 15 July 1994 by British Rail under the Regional Railways sector. To fit in the narrow site, the platforms are staggered, with the eastbound platform nearer to Plymouth than the westbound. It was marketed as a Park and Ride station with a large 100-space car park to entice car drivers off the A38 road into Plymouth, but the level of train service has never offered the convenient and frequent service that is normally associated with such facilities.
An early timetable shows just 2 of the 10 trains to Plymouth railway station arriving there before 09:00, and the last return train leaving at 21:11. The afternoon service was gradually reduced until by September 1999 only 7 trains ran to Plymouth and 9 return. From 20 May 2001 a through service from London Waterloo station was introduced by South West Trains, which resulted in 11 trains each way. When First Great Western proposed their new Winter 2006 service there were many complaints as it would have seen a drastic reduction in trains calling at Ivybridge. After considering the position, a total of 9 trains were scheduled by the two companies but with just one train arriving in Plymouth before 09:00.
Services
Since 14 December 2008 three High Speed Train services are operated by Great Western Railway in each direction have given a direct link to/from London Paddington station in addition to established local services.