Buckfastleigh railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buckfastleigh
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| Station on heritage railway | |
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| Location | Buckfastleigh, Teignbridge England |
| Coordinates | 50°28′58″N 3°46′08″W / 50.48284°N 3.76877°W |
| Operated by | South Devon Railway |
| Platforms | 1 |
| History | |
| Original company | Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | Great Western Railway |
| Key dates | |
| 1 May 1872 | Opened |
| 3 November 1958 | Closed to passengers |
| 1969 | Reopened |
Buckfastleigh railway station is a special train station in Devon, England. It's part of the South Devon Railway, which is a heritage railway. This means old trains run on it for fun and to show people how railways used to be. The station serves the town of Buckfastleigh.
Contents
History of Buckfastleigh Station
Early Days and Big Changes
The Buckfastleigh station first opened its doors on 1 May 1872. It was built by a company called the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway. Over time, the railway joined bigger companies. In 1897, it became part of the Great Western Railway. Later, on 1 January 1948, all the railways in Britain were taken over by the government. This created a new company called British Railways.
For a few years, from 1956 to 1961, a special "camping coach" was kept at the station. People could rent this coach to stay in, like a tiny holiday home on wheels!
Closing and Reopening as a Heritage Line
The station stopped carrying passengers in November 1958. However, trains still carried goods, like farm products or other items, until 10 September 1962.
Luckily, the station didn't stay closed forever. On 5 April 1969, it reopened as the Dart Valley Railway. This was a new kind of railway, a "heritage railway," where old trains are preserved and run for visitors. The South Devon Railway Trust took over running the line on 1 January 1991. They continue to operate it today.
Workshops and Museum
In 1971, Buckfastleigh became the very end of the railway line. This happened because the tracks beyond the station were removed to make way for improvements to the A38 road.
Since then, special workshops have been built at the station. Here, skilled people work to fix and restore the old steam and diesel locomotives and carriages. It's like a hospital for old trains!
The old building where goods were stored, called a goods shed, has been turned into a railway museum. Inside, you can see many interesting things about the railway's past. It's also home to a very special locomotive named "Tiny." Tiny is the last remaining "broad gauge" locomotive. This means its wheels were set much wider apart than modern trains.
Train Services
Trains run from Buckfastleigh station on all days that the South Devon Railway is open. You can usually catch a train daily from late March until the end of October. Most days, one train set makes four trips in each direction. On busier days, two train sets might run, offering even more journeys for visitors.
| Preceding station |  Heritage railways |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staverton | South Devon Railway | Terminus | ||
External links
- South Devon Railway: Buckfastleigh
- Video footage of Buckfastleigh Station
