Officially established in 1897, Meldon Quarry was a granite quarry in Devon. 124 years of service was provided here, and this only happened almost by accident as the constuction of a railway at Okehampton was impeded by the hard, local rock. It was found to be very hard and durable, and so ideal for ballast. It wasn't long before the site supplied track ballast and other stone products for the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), at the time producing about 100,000 tons per annum. The quarry was extended again in 1902, reaching 200 acres. By 1953 it was producing 340,000 tons annually.
1972 saw passenger trains to Okehampton Bow, North Tawton and Sampford Courteney discontinued, but the station survived due to the quarry works. However, in the 1980s it was cheaper to bring good quality stone from Scotland by coastal shipping to Tilbury, rather than transport by rail from Meldon.
As British rail was privatised, the quarry was sold to ECC Quarries Ltd on 4 March 1994. At the time, the only railway serving the quarry was Coleford Junction, and it was sold as well. The quarry was closed down and stripped out. This was due to the economic climate and a fall in requirements for railway ballast. There were only 8 people employed at the site and they were all involved in the decision. Some buildings have been demolished, equipment sold, scrapped or possibly even exported. It has however been left in a state that it can be reopened should it need to be.
Meldon Quarry railway station is a railway station at Meldon in Devon. It has recently been renamed Meldon Viaduct railway station. The station originally had no public access and was merely a staff halt for quarry workers, their families and other railway staff working at Meldon Quarry.
A report in 1963 recommended that the Exeter to Plymouth Line was cut back to Okehampton, and then when services stopped between there and Bere Alston in 1968, the Halt became disused.
A new station at Meldon Quarry was opened during 2000 by Dartmoor Railway to act as the terminus of a passenger service from Okehampton. It was an entirely new construction unrelated to the previous Halt. The station was further improved in 2002.
British American Railway Services Ltd, a new company created by Iowa Pacific Holdings of Chicago, became the new owner of the Dartmoor Railway on 4 September 2008. The company developed freight, passenger and tourist services on the railway. In 2015 the station was renamed Meldon Viaduct railway station. It is the current western terminus of Dartmoor Railway heritage passenger services to Okehampton and Sampford Courtenay. The station has no vehicle access but does have pedestrian and cycle access via the "Granite Way" Cycleway.
1972 saw passenger trains to Okehampton Bow, North Tawton and Sampford Courteney discontinued, but the station survived due to the quarry works. However, in the 1980s it was cheaper to bring good quality stone from Scotland by coastal shipping to Tilbury, rather than transport by rail from Meldon.
As British rail was privatised, the quarry was sold to ECC Quarries Ltd on 4 March 1994. At the time, the only railway serving the quarry was Coleford Junction, and it was sold as well. The quarry was closed down and stripped out. This was due to the economic climate and a fall in requirements for railway ballast. There were only 8 people employed at the site and they were all involved in the decision. Some buildings have been demolished, equipment sold, scrapped or possibly even exported. It has however been left in a state that it can be reopened should it need to be.
Meldon Quarry railway station is a railway station at Meldon in Devon. It has recently been renamed Meldon Viaduct railway station. The station originally had no public access and was merely a staff halt for quarry workers, their families and other railway staff working at Meldon Quarry.
A report in 1963 recommended that the Exeter to Plymouth Line was cut back to Okehampton, and then when services stopped between there and Bere Alston in 1968, the Halt became disused.
A new station at Meldon Quarry was opened during 2000 by Dartmoor Railway to act as the terminus of a passenger service from Okehampton. It was an entirely new construction unrelated to the previous Halt. The station was further improved in 2002.
British American Railway Services Ltd, a new company created by Iowa Pacific Holdings of Chicago, became the new owner of the Dartmoor Railway on 4 September 2008. The company developed freight, passenger and tourist services on the railway. In 2015 the station was renamed Meldon Viaduct railway station. It is the current western terminus of Dartmoor Railway heritage passenger services to Okehampton and Sampford Courtenay. The station has no vehicle access but does have pedestrian and cycle access via the "Granite Way" Cycleway.
and some trains thrown in too - what's not to like.
