Otterham station as viewed from the A39 overbridge

Photograph reproduced by kind permission of David & Charles Ltd., Newton Abbott.

Otterham station opened on 14th August 1893 when the section ofthe independent North Cornwall Railway from Tresmeer to Camelford opened. The style of building here is often referred to as "standard NCR" but in actual fact the architecture is very strongly L&SWR (the major shareholder) in design, and the signal boxes, goods sheds permanent way and etc. all followed the established L&SWR practices.

The buildings were on the up side of the line and built from the local Delabole stone (slate), with a waiting shelter on the down platform and the Signalbox at the London end of the up platform. Oil-lit until the end, Otterham survived the economies of the 1930s, with its Station Master assuming responsibility for Tresmeer and Egloskerry stations from 1927. When the line was first built the road was diverted to run along the southern boundary of the station, then to go north towards Bude a bridge was built over the western end of the platforms. The stub of this truncated road was then the site of a row of six railway cottages that were constructed in 1894 to house Signalmen and Permanent Way workers.

N ClassNº31863 heads an up train out of Otterham station in 1963. The rails in the foreground, at right angles to the track, were used for placing a P Way trolley on the line, stored in the shed on the right. There were two of these at this location.

photograph by John Bradbeer

N ClassNº31855 leaving Otterham station with a down train in 1963.

photograph by John Bradbeer

A view of the up platform at Otterham, taken during 1963. It is not certain what the damage to the platform edging was, but it is highly probable that it was caused by the very harsh winter we experienced from Boxing Day 1962 until the end of March 1963. Photographs of the platform in 1964 show the damage as having been repaired.

photograph by John Bradbeer

The buildings at the London end of the up platform at Otterham station. Note the hand crane in the goods yard.

photograph by Chris Knowles-Thomas

The down platform with a barley twist lamp, the 236¼ miles from Waterloo milepost and the waiting shed.

photograph by Chris Knowles-Thomas

Otterham station today. Much of the railway land was sold off for a development of Park Homes though the main station building remains in much the same condition as above.

photograph by Peter Richards