177A. James Jervis / W H Turrall 1897

Thre had clearly been plans for an extension to the Torrington line from very early on; e.g. the map of Devonshire in Philips' Atlas of the Counties of 1872 shows a projected route from Torrington via Hatherleigh to meet the L&SWR route at Sampford Courtenay. In 1895 the first Torrington and Okehampto Railway Act passed through Parliament. In preparation for this undertaking it is certainly probable that maps of the intended line would be produced and the map produced by James Jervis (see previous entry) may well have been prepared for the Act. Progress was, however, slow and in 1898 it was necessary to approach Parliament again for an extension. In 1901 a further leave for an extension was requested.¹

The previous map produced by Jervis (177), a civil engineer working out of London, was immediately copied by a local printer. This map, too, shows all the then current lines with the exception of the Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton (1897) routes. This time the key has Railways under Construction but these are the same as the former map: Barnstaple to Lynmouth and Holsworthy to Bude (both completed in 1898); Bideford to Westward Ho! (completed 1901, route here slightly corrected); and Doddiscomleigh/Ashton to Exeter (not completed until 1903). Turrall has included a few more placenames such as Instow, Wear Gifford and Shebbear College and also added the course of the River Torridge to the map.

When and where the maps were published is not known precisely but the railway dates suggest both were published before 1898, but they may have been published as early as 1895.²

Size: 250 x 200 mm.                                                                                                                                                                                   No scale.

Title above top border: TORRINGTON & OKEHAMPTON RAILWAY. Key (Ae) TORRINGTON & OKEHAMPTON RAILWAY and there are two further legends: OTHER RAILWAYS and RAILWAYS under Construction. Signature: Jam^s. T. Jervis, M. Inst C.E. Engineer, 28, Victoria Street. Westminster (Ee). Note: C 4.5e (Ae). Printer’s signature: W H TURRALL, CHURCH GATE PRINTING WORKS, TORRINGTON. (CeOS).