Main Line to the West: The Southern Railway Route between Basingstoke & Exeter -Part #03 'Yeovil to Exeter' (IR030)

Product No.: IR030
Title: Main Line to the West: The Southern Railway Route between Basingstoke & Exeter -Part #03 'Yeovil to Exeter'
Author(s): Nicholas, John & Reeve, George
Illustrator(s): N/A
Publisher: Irwell Press
ISBN: 1903266030
Condition: New
Binding: Laminated Pictorial Boards 
Dust Jacket: None
Edition: 1st Edition
Publication Year: 2009

Features: 422 Pages with Black/White Photos.

The characteristic feature of this main line is illustrated by station and signal box names - Yeovil Junction, Chard Junction, Axminster (Junction for Lyme Regis), Seaton Junction, Sidmouth Junction and Exmouth Junction. Principal Waterloo expresses often passed towns like Crewkerne, Axminster and Honiton, but then stopped at junction stations in almost uninhabited countryside.

This feature of six branch line junctions in less than 50 miles was on the one hand fascinating for railway enthusiasts, and on the other hand frustrating for passengers travelling to and from towns and villages away from the main line, particularly after the Beeching closures.

Between well located stations at Sherborne and Exeter Central many of the stations were built in open countryside whilst the main line avoided towns of Yeovil, Chard, Colyton and Ottery St Mary. Only Honiton had a convenient station - the line's Engineer Joseph Locke was the town's M.P.