Bere Ferrers railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bere Ferrers
Former station building and signal box
Location	Bere Ferrers, West Devon England
Coordinates	50°27′00″N 4°10′52″W / 50.450°N 4.181°W / 50.450; -4.181
Platforms	1
Other information
Station code	BFE
Classification	DfT category F2
Traffic
Passengers (2018/19)	16,108
Passengers (2019/20)	15,026
Passengers (2020/21)	4,410
Passengers (2021/22)	10,786
Passengers (2022/23)	11,258

Bere Ferrers station is a small train station in Devon, England. It is located near the village of Bere Ferrers. This station is part of the Tamar Valley Line. It used to be on a main railway line that connected Exeter and Plymouth. Today, Great Western Railway (GWR) operates the station.

History of Bere Ferrers Station

Bere Ferrers in 1964

The station first opened on 2 June 1890. It was built by the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway. This new line helped the London and South Western Railway reach Plymouth without using the Great Western Railway's tracks.

How the Station Got Its Name

The station was first called Beer Ferris. This name came from the local Beer family, who owned several nearby villages. But in 1897, railway officials changed the name. They thought "Beer Ferris" sounded too much like the drink "beer". So, they changed it to Bere Ferrers. You can still see the original spelling on a sign at the old signal box in the heritage centre.

Camping Coaches at the Station

From 1936 to 1939, the Southern Railway used a special camping coach here. A camping coach is like a small holiday home on wheels. People could rent these coaches for their vacations. The Southern Region also used camping coaches at Bere Ferrers from 1954 to 1964. For some years, there were even two coaches available.

Changes to the Railway Line

In 1968, trains stopped running through Bere Alston. This meant the line became shorter. Then, in 1970, the railway track was changed to a single line.

A Sad Event at the Station

On 24 September 1917, a tragic railway accident happened at Bere Ferrers station. Ten soldiers from New Zealand were traveling from Plymouth to Salisbury. They had just arrived in Britain. During a short stop at the station, they got off their train. They stepped onto the tracks between the trains. Sadly, an express train came by and struck them. The soldiers were not used to British railways. These men are buried in a war cemetery in Plymouth. In 2001, a special plaque was placed in the village to remember them.

Train Services at Bere Ferrers

Bere Ferrers station is served by GWR trains. These trains run on the Tamar Valley Line. They travel between Gunnislake and Plymouth. At Plymouth, you can connect to other main train lines.

• On weekdays, there are nine trains in each direction.
• On Saturdays, there are eight trains each way.
• On Sundays, there are five or six trains, depending on the time of year.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
St Budeaux Victoria Road		Great Western Railway Tamar Valley Line		Bere Alston

Bere Ferrers Heritage Centre

Next to the station, you'll find the Tamar Belle Heritage Centre. This centre has old railway carriages. Some of these carriages are used as a restaurant. Others are still used as camping coaches, just like in the past. The old LSWR signal box is also here. It was moved to Bere Ferrers in 1989/90. Before that, it was at Pinhoe railway station near Exeter.

The Tamar Valley Community Railway

The railway line from Plymouth to Gunnislake is a special "community railway". This means local groups help promote and support it. The Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership helps with marketing. The line is known as the "Tamar Valley Line".

The Olde Plough Inn is a local pub that takes part in the Tamar Valley Line rail ale trail. This trail encourages people to use the train line to visit different pubs. The line is also part of the Dartmoor Sunday Rover network. This network combines bus and train routes for easy travel.

See also

• Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR