G.W.R. Interesting Rumour: Considerable public interest has been taken this week in the suggestion that there was to be a big development by the Great Western Railway Company in South Devon whereby, by means of a new railway between South Brent and Paignton, Torquay and Paignton would be placed on the main line to London and that the Dainton incline between Totnes and Newton Abbot and that between Totnes and Rattery would thus be avoided by the principle express trains.

The suggestion made was that the new line, twelve miles in length, would break away at a new goods station in the Goodrington district of Paignton, and join the main line to Plymouth just above South Brent. It was declared that the scheme was receiving the serious consideration of the directors of the Great Western Railway, and that it was by no means unlikely that the work would be put in hand in the immediate future.

Lord Mildmay of Flete, a director of the Great Western Railway Company, when asked his views on the matter, said, “I have heard of no big scheme involving so extensive a diversion of the main line through Devonshire.”

Major Harvey, M.P., seen by a Press representative in London, said he had not heard of any such scheme, but that a scheme of that kind would be of the highest importance to the surrounding country. He spoke of the importance from the agricultural point of view of opening up the South Hams district, and said that if the railway company did anything in that direction they would be doing a great public service.

It is officially stated that there is not the slightest foundation for the story and at Paddington nothing is known of such a scheme. Parliamentary sanction would be necessary for such a project, and the Great Western Railway Co. are not seeking such sanction in the Additional Powers Bill to come on in the forthcoming session of Parliament. Therefore, if everything else was prepared it would be two years before such a start could be made.

Such a line as suggested would not shorten the route from London to Plymouth, although it would save many miles between Plymouth, Torquay and Paignton. It would, however, mean bridging the tidal portion of the River Dart, and would present many other engineering difficulties.

A far more simple method of placing Paignton and Torquay on the main line, should it be contemplated, would be by direct line from Totnes to Paignton, in conjunction with which the existing railway bridge on the main line near Totnes station could be utilised.

The Great Western Railway has always taken a very keen interest in the Torquay traffic, as is evident from the fact that during the summer months there is a non-stop run from Paddington to Torquay, and the reconstruction of Newton Abbot station will naturally facilitate the working of traffic along the Torquay line.

Sixty years waiting comes to an end in Totnes next Monday when the mayor, Mr Sidney Williams, cuts the first turf to start work on the swimming pool.

The 25-metre pool is already pegged out, and members of the council, led by Tadpool chairman, Mr Courtney Blake, will be there to cheer when the work begins.

“We have been waiting 60 years and a diamond studded spade should be used,” said Mr Bill Bennett, at Monday’s finance committee meeting.

If the council agrees, the pool fund will get an additional £5,120 windfall from the Paige Adams Bequest.

Interest from the £100,000 bequest, left to the council in 1926, has already put £6,781 in the bank for the pool fund.

“I think the town will soon find the rest of the money,” said Mr Williams.

The dual-bin rubbish collection system in Totnes went haywire this week, as a mix-up by South Hams Council threw residents into confusion.

Whilst most people knew that, under the alternate weekly collections, this week was a ‘landfill’ week, the calendar handed out to townspeople showed the week marked in green – designating the week a ‘recycling’ one.

The mix-up had been caused by the misplacement of the block of green colour on the calendar.

Tony Eden added: “It’s a bit of an embarrassment from our point of view, it’s unfortunate, but we are human.”