Totnes Riverside | |
---|---|
Station on heritage railway | |
![]() | |
General information | |
Location | Littlehempston, South Hams England |
Coordinates | 50°26′23″N3°41′09″W / 50.43977°N 3.68580°W |
Operated by | South Devon Railway |
Platforms | 1 |
History | |
Original company | Dart Valley Railway |
Key dates | |
1977 | Riverside loop opened |
1993 | Access to the station opened |
2016 | Signal box commissioned |
Totnes (Riverside) railway station, previously known as Totnes Littlehempston railway station and Littlehempston Riverside railway station, is a railway station situated in Littlehempston in the English county of Devon. It is the southern terminus of the South Devon Railway, a steam-operated heritage railway. The station should not be confused with the Totnes main line station on the National Rail Exeter to Plymouth line, which is a 330 yards (300 m) walk away.
Totnes (Riverside) station is located on the east bank of the River Dart, adjacent to the main line railway. Although less than one mile from the centre of the town of Totnes, the surroundings are rural. A footpath and footbridge over the river form the only non-rail land access to the station, although a small jetty allows a water taxi to link the station with the centre of the town at some states of the tide. [1]
The station has a single main platform, with a locomotive run round loop and a bay platform. The station building accommodates a booking office, whilst a rail van in the bay platform contains a small exhibition. A rail connection permits special trains to run directly between the South Devon line and the main line railway station. At the Buckfastleigh end of the station is a signal box and a level crossing, which provides the only access to the adjacent Totnes Rare Breeds Farm. [1] [2]
Prior to its preservation as a heritage railway, what is now the South Devon Railway was originally a branch line connecting Totnes to Buckfastleigh and Ashburton. Branch line trains joined the main line at Ashburton Junction adjacent to the current site of Riverside station, crossed the railway bridge over the River Dart and terminated in the main line railway station. [3]
When the line was first re-opened as a heritage line in 1969, the owners were unable to reach an agreement with British Rail for their trains to run into the main line railway station. Initially push-pull trains were used, controlled from an autocoach at one or both ends, and reversing just short of the junction. [4]
However eventually land adjacent to the junction was acquired, and a loop constructed in 1977; a platform was added a few years later but there was no public route between the station and Totnes. At this time it appeared in the timetable as "Totnes Riverside". [5] Visitors to the railway arriving by main line train had to catch a bus from Totnes to Buckfastleigh from where they could ride the train to Totnes and back, then return to Totnes by bus.
To avoid confusion to passengers expecting to be able to board heritage trains at Totnes, the station was renamed "Littlehempston Riverside" in the 1980s. At the same time a station building was located at Toller station on the Bridport branch, and re-erected at Littlehempston. [4]
British Rail allowed heritage line trains into the main line station in 1985, and for three years regular services were run into that station. However the charges levied for use of the station proved not to be cost effective and so the trains eventually returned to using Littlehempston in 1988. In 1993 a new footbridge was built alongside the existing railway bridge, thus providing public access to the station from the town of Totnes and the main line railway station. With this the station was renamed again to "Totnes (Littlehempston)", [4] [5] but in 2017 this was changed again to "Totnes (Riverside)". [6]
The station is served by trains on all operating days of the South Devon Railway. Trains operate daily from late March to the end of October. On most days a single train set operates, providing four journeys a day in each direction. On busy days two train sets may operate, providing more journeys. [7]
Preceding station | ![]() | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Terminus | South Devon Railway | Staverton | ||
![]() | ||||
Interchange with Totnes on the National Rail network |
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Paignton, about 7 miles (11 km) west-southwest of Torquay and about 20 miles (32 km) east-northeast of Plymouth. It is the administrative centre of the South Hams District Council.
The River Dart is a river in Devon, England, that rises high on Dartmoor and flows for 75 kilometres (47 mi) to the sea at Dartmouth.
Buckfastleigh is a market town and civil parish in Devon, England situated beside the Devon Expressway (A38) at the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. It is part of Teignbridge and, for ecclesiastical purposes, lies within the Totnes Deanery. It is 18 miles east-northeast of Plymouth, 20 miles southwest of Exeter and has a population of 3,661. It is a centre of tourism and is home to Buckfast Abbey, the South Devon Railway, the Buckfastleigh Butterfly Farm and Otter Sanctuary, the Tomb of Squire Richard Cabell and The Valiant Soldier.
The Dartmouth Steam Railway, formerly known as the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway, is a 6.7-mile (10.8 km) heritage railway on the former Great Western Railway branch line between Paignton and Kingswear in Devon, England. Much of the railway's business is from summer tourists from the resorts of Torbay, who travel to Kingswear, where the Dartmouth Passenger Ferry takes them across the River Dart to Dartmouth.
The South Devon Railway (SDR) is a 6.64-mile (10.69 km) heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon. Mostly running alongside the River Dart, it was initially known as the Dart Valley Railway. The railway is now operated by the South Devon Railway Trust, a registered charity.
Exeter St Davids is the principal railway station serving the city of Exeter in Devon, England. It is 193 miles 72 chains from the zero point at London Paddington on the line through Bristol which continues to Plymouth and Penzance. It is also served by an alternative route to London Waterloo via Salisbury and branch lines to Exmouth, Barnstaple, and Okehampton. It is currently managed by Great Western Railway and is served by trains operated by Great Western Railway, South Western Railway and CrossCountry.
Barry Island railway station is a railway station, 9+1⁄4 miles (14.9 km) south-west of Cardiff Central, serving Barry Island in South Wales. The station has been the terminus – and only remaining active station at the end of the Barry branch of the Cardiff Central to Barry Island line since the closure of Barry Pier station in 1976, the last passenger working through Barry Island tunnel to the Pier station being an enthusiasts' special in 1973. Previous to that year, only a few revenue-earning workings to meet up with the former P&A Campbell's paddle-steamer trips to Weston-super-Mare or other Somerset/Devon havens, were made following May 1964.
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is 214 miles 5 chains (345 km) from London Paddington. The station today is managed by Great Western Railway, who provide train services along with CrossCountry.
Totnes railway station serves the towns of Totnes and Dartington in Devon, England. It was opened by the South Devon Railway Company in 1847. Situated on the Exeter to Plymouth Line, it is 222 miles 66 chains measured from the zero point at London Paddington via Box.
Crediton railway station is a railway station serving the town of Crediton in Devon, England. It is 7 miles 76 chains (12.8 km) from Exeter Central at milepost 179.25 from London Waterloo.
Paignton railway station serves the town and seaside resort of Paignton in Devon, England. It is 222 miles 12 chains (358 km) from London Paddington. It opened in 1859 and is now the terminus of Riviera Line services from Exeter and heritage services on the Dartmouth Steam Railway from Kingswear.
Goodrington Sands railway station is on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It is close to Goodrington Sands beach and the Splashdown Quaywest water park in Paignton. There has been no scheduled service at the station since 2020.
Churston railway station is on the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Torbay, Devon, England. It is situated beside the main road to Brixham and close to the villages of Churston Ferrers and Galmpton. There has been no scheduled service at the station since 2020.
Kingswear railway station is the terminus of the Dartmouth Steam Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It is situated in the centre of Kingswear, on the shores of the River Dart opposite Dartmouth.
The Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway built the broad gauge railway line from Totnes to Buckfastleigh and Ashburton in Devon, England.
Ashburton railway station is a closed railway station situated in the town of Ashburton in Devon, England. It was the terminus of a branch line from Totnes.
Buckfastleigh railway station is situated on the South Devon Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It serves the town of Buckfastleigh.
Dartmouth railway station was a booking office for train tickets located on the quayside of Dartmouth in the English county of Devon. While there has never been a railway line at the site, it was possible to book through tickets to and from Dartmouth via the office, accessing trains by travelling on Dartmouth Passenger Ferry to or from Kingswear railway station on the opposite bank of the River Dart. Accordingly, the office was classed as a "railway station" for ticketing purposes if purchasing an integrated ticket combining rail and ferry travel.
Staverton railway station is situated on the South Devon Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It serves the village of Staverton.
The Exeter–Plymouth line, also called the South Devon Main Line, is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter St Davids to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line. It was one of the principal routes of the Great Western Railway which in 1948 became part of the Western Region of British Railways and are now part of the Network Rail system.