Exeter St Thomas railway station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Exeter St Thomas
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| Location | St Thomas, Exeter, Exeter England |
| Coordinates | 50°43′02″N 3°32′19″W / 50.71713°N 3.53858°W |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | EXT |
| Classification | DfT category F1 |
| History | |
| Original company | South Devon Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | Great Western Railway |
| Key dates | |
| Opened | 1846 |
| Traffic | |
| Passengers (2015/16) |  0.219 million |
| Passengers (2016/17) | 0.251 million |
| Passengers (2017/18) |  0.251 million |
| Passengers (2018/19) |  0.243 million |
| Passengers (2019/20) | 0.224 million |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated | 18 June 1974 |
| Reference no. | 133347 |
Exeter St Thomas railway station is a train station in Exeter, England. It serves the area of St Thomas and the nearby riverside. The station is built on a low viaduct, which is like a bridge with many arches. You can find its entrances on Cowick Street.
This station is about 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) from Exeter St David's. It is also 313 kilometers (194 miles) from London Paddington, if you travel through Bristol Temple Meads. Exeter St Thomas does not have staff working there anymore. The old station building is now used as a bar and nightclub. Most trains here are run by Great Western Railway. It is the only train station in Exeter that is a listed building (Grade II), meaning it's an important historical structure.
Contents
A Look Back: The Station's Story
How the Station Began
Exeter St Thomas station first opened on 30 May 1846. It was built by the South Devon Railway. Even though this company also used the Bristol and Exeter Railway station at St David's, St Thomas was their very own station. It was built on a stone viaduct, which was about 458 meters (501 yards) long. This location was closer to the city center and the docks on the Exeter Canal.
The Unique Atmospheric Trains
For a short time, from September 1847 to September 1848, the railway used special atmospheric trains. These trains were powered by air pressure in pipes alongside the track, not by steam engines. Exeter St Thomas was unique because it didn't have a special building called an "engine house" to help with these trains. This meant the train driver had to hold the train in place using its brakes against the air pressure while it was stopped at the station!
Early Design and Improvements
When it first opened, the station had only one track. There was a platform about 53 meters (175 feet) long on the side closest to the city. A small office for buying tickets was at street level. Steps led up from there to the platform. To make space for the platform, the viaduct was made wider by about 1.5 meters (five feet).
In 1847, the station got some upgrades. It received a bigger office and a train shed built over the platform. The platform was also made longer, reaching about 79 meters (260 feet).
Growing Bigger: More Tracks and Platforms
In 1861, the viaduct was made wider on the other side, away from the city. This allowed a second track to be added. With two tracks, a second platform was also built. New, fancy two-story buildings were constructed on the city side of the viaduct. A new, larger train shed was built to cover both platforms.
Changes Over Time
The large train shed was taken down in the 1960s. Today, the station no longer has staff working there. The original building from 1861 was once a Chinese restaurant and later a nightclub. Since 2015, this building has been empty and is now in poor condition, with its doors and windows boarded up.
The station was once suggested for closure in a report called The Reshaping of Britain's Railways by Dr. Beeching. However, it managed to stay open and is still used today!
Catching a Train: Services from St Thomas
Most trains at Exeter St Thomas are run by Great Western Railway. These trains usually travel on the Riviera Line. They go to and from Paignton. From Exeter St David's, these trains often continue east to and from Exmouth along the Avocet Line.
Some other services also stop here, going to places further away like Bristol Temple Meads, Plymouth, and Penzance. There is also one direct train service each day to and from London Paddington.
| Preceding station |  National Rail |
Following station | ||
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| Exeter St Davids | Great Western Railway Riviera Line |
Starcross | ||
Images for kids
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A Great Western Railway Class 150 train heading to Exmouth.
