Meanwhile the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) had been extending its westward route from Exeter, and with the intention of reaching Plymouth it encouraged a nominally local company, the Devon and Cornwall Railway (D&CR), to obtain powers to build a line to Lidford (called Lydford from 3 June 1897). The D&CR opened its line to Okehampton on 3 October 1871, and continued construction towards Lidford, opening the line to there on 12 October 1874. The D&CR line was worked by the LSWR.
