OLD DEVONPORT . UK
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CALLINGTON BRANCH  |  BRANCH LINE, BERE ALSTON STATION TO CALLINGTON STATION

HINGSTON DOWN SIDING

The Hingston Down Siding was situated on the Down side of the line between Chilsworthy Station and Latchley Station, accessed by facing connections in both Down and Up directions.  The points were controlled by two Ground Frames released by the Electric Token.

It was originally a trailing siding only to Down trains but in about 1919 the Up facing access was added, thus turning it into a loop siding.

It is said that when the Siding was linked to the East Cornwall Mineral Railway, it frequently dispatched twenty 15-ton wagons of granite every day.

Connected with this Siding was another used by Cornwall County Council.  It was already out of use by 1934.

Hingston Down Quarry was operated from 1924 by the Hingston Down Quarry Granite Company Limited.

According to the Working Time Table that commenced on June 12th 1961, Hingston Down Siding saw its first train of the day, on Mondays to Saturdays, at 10.33am, when the 10.15am freight train from Callington called to either pick up or drop off wagons.  It was timed to be on its way again at 10.39am, arriving in Bere Alston at 12.11pm.  It also called at Whiterocks Siding.

The next freight train to call at the Siding on Mondays to Fridays only was the 12.40pm from Bere Alston, which terminated here at 1.55pm.  However, if the train was required to stop at Sand Hill Park Siding then it was not due to arrive until 2pm.  After dropping off or picking up wagons, it left again at 2.15pm for Callington.  But if that one did not run, then the original train was due to depart again at 2.10pm and after calling at Whiterocks Siding, ran Up only as far as Gunnislake.  It left Gunnislake Station again at 2.53pm and called at Hingston Down Siding for just five minutes (3.03 to 3.08pm) before running on to Callington Station, where it was due to arrive at 3.27pm, somewhat later than the "As Required" train.  Any loaded wagons for onward transmission then had to wait until the 9.07pm freight to Bere Alston. 

Hingston Down Siding was closed to traffic on or as from August 9th 1966, according to an official British Railways notice.

The Quarry was eventually taken over by the Amalgamated Roadstone Company Limited.  It is still in operation but is now owned by the Hanson Aggregates Company.