Torrington railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Torrington
The old station at Great Torrington
Location	Great Torrington, Torridge England
Platforms	Two
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	London and South Western Railway
Pre-grouping	London and South Western Railway
Post-grouping	Southern Railway
Key dates
18 July 1872	Opened
4 October 1965	Closed for regular passenger services
1982	Closed entirely

Torrington railway station was a train station located in Great Torrington, Devon. It was closed by British Railways in 1965. This happened as part of the Beeching cuts, which closed many railway lines in the UK.

Station History

The Torrington railway station first opened on 18 July 1872. It was built by the North Devon Railway and run by the London and South Western Railway. Trains from Torrington traveled to nearby towns like Bideford and Barnstaple. You could also catch a train to Exeter St Davids.

From 1880, the station connected with a smaller railway. This was the Torrington and Marland Railway, which carried only goods. In 1923, the line from Torrington to Barnstaple became part of the Southern Railway. Later, in 1925, the smaller Torrington and Marland Railway was updated. It became a standard-sized track and opened all the way to Halwill Junction. This new line was called the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway. It even offered passenger services for a while. However, these passenger services stopped in 1965. The line then went back to carrying only goods until it closed completely in 1982.

Milk Trains: A Special Delivery

The Southern Railway and later British Railways ran special "milk trains" from Torrington. These trains carried fresh milk every day from the Torridge Vale Dairies. The milk went to large dairies in London, like United Dairies at Vauxhall and Express Dairies at Morden.

Two trains left Torrington daily, carrying many wagons filled with milk. They were sometimes split into smaller parts to make unloading easier. The milk was pumped from the trains directly to the dairies. After being emptied, the wagons were combined and sent back to Torrington. These milk trains were very important for transporting fresh milk to cities. The last milk train from Torrington ran in 1978. This was the very last milk train on the former Southern Railway lines.

Station Closure and New Life

Torrington station stopped its regular passenger services in 1965. This was due to the Beeching cuts, a plan to close many railway lines in Britain. However, the station and line stayed open for freight trains. They carried goods like China Clay and, of course, the milk trains. Occasional special passenger trains also used the line. The station finally closed completely in 1982.

After the railway closed, the station building found a new purpose. It was turned into a public house, which is like a pub. Later, it became a restaurant and licensed café. Today, the old railway lines are part of the Tarka Trail. This is a popular path for cycling and walking. The path goes south towards Meeth and north all the way to Bideford, Barnstaple, and Braunton.

Tarka Valley Railway: Bringing History Back

In July 2008, a group of railway fans started the Tarka Valley Railway society. Their goal is to create a heritage railway. They have already laid a short section of track next to the old platforms. You can see some old train carriages and wagons there.

The society hopes to make the tourist railway even longer in the future. Their dream is to extend it all the way to Bideford. This would allow people to experience train travel from the past.

Images for kids

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  The approach to Torrington from Watergate Halt and the site of the old wooden viaduct.

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  The narrow gauge wooden viaduct over the Torridge in 1905.

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  Torrington station on 15 June 1969 looking towards Bideford.

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  The station in 1960