Bideford Railway Heritage Centre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bideford Railway Heritage Centre |
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A replica of the original signal box at Bideford Railway Station
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| Commercial operations | |
| Built by | London and South Western Railway |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Stations | 1 |
| Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 2 November 1855 |
| Closed | 6 November 1982 |
| Preservation history | |
| 1988 | Society formed |
| Headquarters | Bideford, Devon |
The Bideford Railway Heritage Centre CIC is in Devon, England. It is a special group that works for the community. This group looks after the old Bideford railway station site.
They also manage the Instow signal box. A signal box is a building where people control train signals and tracks. You can visit the Instow signal box on some Sundays and bank holidays from Easter to October.
Contents
History of the Bideford Railway
The railway line first opened in 1848. It ran from Barnstaple to Fremington. Passenger trains started running to Bideford on November 2, 1855. This part was called the Bideford Extension Railway.
The line was made longer in 1872. It then went all the way to Torrington. This is when the current Bideford railway station was built.
When the Trains Stopped Running
Regular passenger trains stopped on October 2, 1965. But trains carrying special clay, called "ball clay," kept running. These trains stopped in 1982.
The railway tracks were taken away in 1985. Later, the path where the tracks used to be became a walking and cycling route. This path is now part of the Tarka Trail. It runs between Petrockstow and Barnstaple.
James May's Toy Train Challenge
In 2009, TV presenter James May tried something fun. He wanted to connect the old Bideford station to Barnstaple. He used a very small model train for this. It was an OO scale model train. This event was part of his show, James May's Toy Stories.
Sadly, the last model train broke down near Instow. It was a Hornby "Javelin" train. It stopped working early in the morning, the day after it left Barnstaple.
James May came back in 2011 to try again. He got help from a German model railway attraction. This time, several model trains raced from Barnstaple to Bideford. The distance was about 9.89 miles.
The first train to arrive was a Hornby "Intercity 125." Then came a special train powered by hydrogen. Finally, James May's own model arrived. It was a famous steam train called Flying Scotsman.
Visiting the Bideford Railway Heritage Centre
The Bideford Railway Heritage Centre has been working on the site since 1989. They want to keep the history of the old Bideford station alive.
In 1992, they built a copy of the original signal box. They later added the levers that control the signals. In 2019, an interactive center opened inside a green train car. This car was once used for parcels and other items.
What You Can Do There
You can take short train rides at Bideford on certain days. These dates are announced on their website. They use a small diesel engine called "Planet" for these rides.
The site is open from Easter until the end of October. It is open on weekends and during school holidays. There is also a cafe inside a Mark 1 train coach. This cafe is great for walkers and cyclists on the Tarka Trail. You can reach the site from the Tarka Trail even when the station is closed.
Train Collection (Rolling Stock)
The Heritage Centre has several old train cars and engines. Here are some of them:
- Hibberd Planet diesel locomotive No. 3832: This is a small diesel engine that still works.
- BR Mk1 TSO 4489: This is a passenger coach. It is painted green and is used as the cafe.
- SR PMV 2142: This train car holds the interactive center. It was once used for carrying parcels.
- BR Toadfit brake van: This is a special car used by the train guard. It is currently being repaired.
See also
- Other local railway attractions:
