Bere Ferrers railway station

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The station was the scene of a fatal railway accident on 24 September 1917. Ten soldiers from New Zealand were being transported from Plymouth to Salisbury following their arrival in Britain. At Bere Ferrers station they alighted from their troop train for a brief rest (on the wrong side of the train, between the tracks) and, being unaccustomed to British railways, were struck and killed by an oncoming express. The men are buried in a Plymouth war cemetery, and a plaque was unveiled in 2001 in their memory in the village centre. [5] [6]

Services

Bere Ferrers is served by GWR trains on the Tamar Valley Line from Gunnislake to Plymouth. Connections with main line services can be made at Plymouth. [7] There are nine services each way calling on weekdays, eight on Saturdays and either five or six on a Sunday (depending on the time of year).

Bere Ferrers
National Rail logo.svg
Bereferrersbldg.jpg
Former station building and signal box
General information
Location Bere Ferrers, West Devon
England
Coordinates 50°27′00″N4°10′52″W / 50.450°N 4.181°W / 50.450; -4.181
Grid reference SX452635
Managed by Great Western Railway
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeBFE
Classification DfT category F2
Passengers
2019/20Decrease2.svg 15,026
Preceding station National Rail logo.svg National Rail Following station
St Budeaux Victoria Road   Great Western Railway
Tamar Valley Line
  Bere Alston

Heritage Centre

The sidings alongside the station form the Tamar Belle Heritage Centre. This includes some old carriages which are used as a restaurant and as camping coaches. [8] The LSWR signal box was erected here in 1989/90 but was formerly at Pinhoe railway station on the outskirts of Exeter.

Community railway

The railway from Plymouth to Gunnislake is designated as a community railway and is supported by marketing provided by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. The line is promoted under the "Tamar Valley Line" name.

The Olde Plough Inn takes part in the Tamar Valley Line rail ale trail, which is designed to promote the use of the line.[ may be outdated as of March 2022 ] The line is also part of the Dartmoor Sunday Rover network of integrated bus and rail routes.[ may be outdated as of March 2022 ]

See also

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References

  1. Quick 2022, p. 77.
  2. Grant 2017, p. 450.
  3. McRae 1997, p. 33.
  4. McRae 1998, p. 59.
  5. "Memorial Unveiled for Kiwi Soldiers". BBC Devon News. 2001. Retrieved 26 November 2007.
  6. "Bere Ferrers Station Accident-1917". Waymarking.com. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  7. Table 137 National Rail timetable, May 2023
  8. "Welcome to the Tamar Belle". Tamar Belle. Retrieved 30 October 2019.

Bibliography

Further reading