Editing Tarka Line (section)

=== Nineteenth century ===

The deadlock was broken in 1851 by William Chapman, chairman of the LSWR and the E&CR. He agreed to convert one of the two tracks on the Crediton line to broad gauge and lease the line to B&ER; in exchange, the B&ER agreed to construct a junction allowing trains to run from Crediton to Exeter St Davids, and Cowley Bridge station was never opened.

A service commenced of seven trains a day in each direction—the first trains to run on the future Tarka Line—and new railway stations opened to passengers at {{stnlnk|Newton St Cyres}} and {{stnlink|Crediton}}. In the same year, new company the North Devon Railway (NDR) was formed to replace the financially failed TVER and construction started on the Crediton–Barnstaple section. The NDR opened in 1854 with stations at {{stnlnk|Yeoford}}, {{stnlnk|Copplestone}}, {{stnlnk|Morchard Road}}, {{stnlnk|Lapford}}, {{stnlnk|Eggesford}}, [[Kings Nympton railway station|South Molton Road]], {{stnlink|Portsmouth Arms}}, {{stnlnk|Umberleigh}} and {{stnlnk|Barnstaple}}, as well as a siding at "Chappletown". However, the track south of Crediton continued to be owned by the E&CR. The NDR was taken over by the [[London and South Western Railway]] (LSWR) in 1865, and while the E&CR remained nominally independent, the majority of its shares were owned by the LSWR and the B&ER. The section south of Crediton became part of the LSWR in 1876.