In the prospectus of August 1894, published in the Western Times of August 2nd, an agreement was outlined between the Great Western Railway and the directors of Exeter, Teign Valley & Chagford Railway. The GWR would agree to operate its rolling stock over the line between Exeter and Lea Cross for which it would charge 50% of the gross receipts of that line for both goods and passenger traffic. The GWR would give a ticket rebate of 10% between Bristol and Plymouth and 5% on the remainder of the GWR network. They would also allow free use of their Exeter station to the ETV&C railway.
Moretonhampstead in 2018
The GWR were not willing to operate on the Chagford branch of the line, because they argued, they already carried passengers to Chagford via their horse drawn GWR bus service between Moretonhampstead station and Chagford, and they were not prepared to jeopardise that arrangement.
The GWR were also making demands of both the Board of Directors and the contractors - Dicksons of London. The line from Exeter to Lea Cross was to be initially single track, however the GWR insisted that it be prepared as for double track running. The Board were required to purchase extra land to allow for a double track bed, any road bridge would need extra spans to cover a double track layout and the tunnels would need to be wider and higher, all of which would take Dicksons longer to accomplish.
Exeter Chamber of Commerce took a close interest in the progress of the project, and on 5th December 1895 the Chairman, Mr.C.B. B. Sanders and Mr Mallett reported in the Western Times, on their visit to the site of the works.
“The line is proceeding very slowly, and the men working there considered that there was no need to think of a fresh job in their lifetime. Nothing more was required than the tangible support of the moneyed classes of Exeter”.
In August 1896 Engineer Mr. Lidstone reported progress to the Board, part of which appeared on August 4th in the Western Times.
“At the Leigh Cross end about a mile and a half of heavy work has been completed. Considering the amount of work to be done at the Perridge tunnel, the Contractors deemed it advisable to concentrate on the completion of that part of the work.
Already 9 shafts have been sunk on the approached to the tunnel, and over 300 men have for some time been engaged in day and night shifts.
It is expected the hill will have been pierced within a few months, and until the tunnel is pierced the Company is precluded by its Act of Parliament from proceeding with the work on the Exeter side.”
To be continued ……….