Great Western Coffee Shop

The South Devon Railway has bought a local steam boiler repair company to help it maintain its locomotives and safeguard jobs.

The voluntary organisation operates steam trains between Totnes and Buckfastleigh and has 13 trains.

It has acquired R.K. Pridham Engineering in Tavistock, whose founder was due to retire.

The purchase is intended to preserve the specialist equipment and skills needed to maintain the railway's stock.

Dick Wood, South Devon Railway general manager, said: "It's not only important to us for repairing our own railway engines in the future, but also for the whole heritage railway movement.

"It safeguards both the skilled expertise of boiler making and equipment in the UK for posterity, and also has ensured that some very skilled engineering jobs have been retained in the West Country.

R.K. Pridham's engineers and equipment have already been relocated to the South Devon Railway's base at Buckfastleigh.

The railway attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year and has about 400 volunteers.

The South Devon Railway (SDR) has announced a record year.

It carried 112,000 passengers in 2010 - the highest number in its 19-year history.

In December alone, 10,000 passengers rode on the "Santa, carols and mince pie" steam trains, setting a new record for winter traffic.

The railway has also secured its future by purchasing the freehold of the seven-mile (11km) track between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.

Dick Wood, manager of the trust which runs the railway, said success had been achieved by broadening the "nostalgic" appeal to people of all ages and providing improved visitor facilities.

"We know that our visitors come back again and again to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of steam in the Devon countryside and to soak up this nostalgic and most relaxing form of transport," he said.

2010 will mark the 20th anniversary of the SDR trust taking over the Dart Valley Railway.

Steam railmotor back on South Devon line after 100 years

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The steam railmotor, which has been hired from the Great Western Society, was one of the last to be built in 1908

A steam powered train has returned to a Devon railway after more than 100 years. The Great Western Railway Steam Railmotor was last seen on the Totnes to Ashburton line in 1905, the South Devon Railway (SDR) said.

Dick Wood, from SDR, added it was the "grandfather of all modern trains". It was introduced in 1903 and ran locally around Plymouth, Exeter, Teignmouth and between Totnes and Ashburton.

Mr Wood said 99 steam railmotors were built between 1903 and 1908. He said it was "totally unique".

"The reason why they disappeared was because they were victims of their own success," he added. "They couldn't carry the number of people who wanted to travel on them, so Great Western expanded the principle and put them with a steam locomotive with up to four coaches, with the steam engine in the middle. Therefore you could carry nearly 500 people, quickly, efficiently and easily."

The steam railmotor, which has been hired from the Great Western Society, was one of the last to be built in 1908. It has been hired for the Western Branch Line Gala until 24 February.

South Devon Railway is hosting a Branch Line Gala Week from 16 February to 24 February on the line between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.

The gala offers a feast of Great Western Railway branch line action, including pannier, prairie and autotank hauled trains, plus the special guest appearance of the unique GWR steam railmotor No.93 from the Great Western Society.

This vehicle, whose restoration was completed in 2012, is of great historical importance. It is the precursor of today's multiple unit diesel and electric trains and the only vehicle of its kind surviving today. The coming of the steam railmotor enabled the Great Western Railway to provide cheaply additional services between normal passenger trains, and also to provide extra intermediate stopping places. This led to a huge increase in people's ability to undertake local travel and consequently to greatly increased traffic.

The nine-day event will include a variety of branch line style passenger services. Visiting Great Western Railway steam locomotives 0-4-2T No 1450 and 2-6-2T No 5542 will be joining home-based 0-6-0PT No 1369 and one, two and three-car auto (push and pull) trains will be running, including the first three-car GWR Class 55xx worked auto train in preservation!
There will be Great Western and British Railways era trains and even with Milk Tanks added as 'tail traffic' to add to the branch line atmosphere. The 1960s will be represented by BR diesel railcar No W55000 on Saturday evenings.

For more information see the South Devon Railways website (http://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/events)

Steam-powered train ^ not seen in South Devon for 100 years ^ thrills railway buffs

A steam-powered train ^ not seen in South Devon for more than a century ^ has been thrilling railway buffs at the South Devon Railway^

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GWR Steam Railmotor No 93, seen here arriving at Buckfastleigh station, is the star attraction at the South Devon Railway's Western Branch Line Gala

The Steam Railmotor, built in 1908 and finally restored last year, is the star attraction at the railway's Western Branch Line Gala which runs until this Sunday (24 February).

Described as a "feast" of Great Western Railway branch action, the gala proved hugely popular last weekend. With pannier, prairie and autotank-hauled trains, there was plenty for the many rail enthusiasts from Devon and around the UK who attended the event to enjoy.

But the undoubted star was the GWR Stream Railmotor No 93, which steamed gracefully up the line from Buckfastleigh to Totnes and back on special pre-booked trips.

Michael and Anne Cullum from Newton Abbot were making quite a day of it. "I saw that they were running some new trains here, so we thought we'd come down, go to Staverton, go to the pub, have some lunch, see the River Dart... it would be lovely," said Michael. "I like steam trains and the engineering side of it and all of that^ a bit of nostalgia. And the steam railmotor is interesting."

"I knew the railmotor was running, so I thought, 'I'm coming down!' " said Michael Baldry, a railway enthusiast from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire. "The railmotor was an attempt by the railways to make a self-contained vehicle. So although it's steam-operated, it still works on the same principle as modern diesel or electric trains. It can be driven in both directions, up and down the line and can do a quick turn-round. So that's why it was done, to speed things up."

Derek Cheesborough from Plympton was equally enthusiastic. "It's a marvellous piece of restoration," he said. "It's been virtually rebuilt and it's so smooth and quiet and a very comfortable ride."

The train that that they'd all come to see was built in 1908. Described as "totally unique", No 93 is the only surviving example of the Great Western Railway's original fleet of 99 steam propelled railcars. They were designed as local trains, making frequent stops on branch lines. Similar railmotors ran on the Totnes to Ashburton line around the early 1900s and also around Plymouth, Exeter and Teignmouth.

The railmotor was a victim of its own success. They proved popular but couldn't carry the number of passengers who wanted to travel on them. GWR expanded the principle, putting a steam locomotive in the middle of up to four coaches.

Renovation work on No 93 began in the 1990s. In July 2007 the project received more than ^760,000 of National Lottery funding and the rebuild ^ including a new steam power unit ^ was completed last year.

More pictures: South Devon Railway Western Branch Line Gala (http://www.newtonabbotpeople.co.uk/pictures/South-Devon-Railway-Winter-Gala-2013/pictures-18182370-detail/pictures.html)

Steam-powered train ^ not seen in South Devon for 100 years

Trains cancelled on South Devon Railway after landslip

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Staff hope to clear the debris and repair the line before February half-term

Almost 30 services have been cancelled on a heritage railway line after a "significant" landslip.

Two large trees and tonnes of rock, silt and spoil have been brought down onto the track at the South Devon Railway (SDR) between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, said general manager Dick Wood.

The services over the festive period would normally transport between 3,000 and 4,000 people, he added.

SDR is one of Britain's oldest heritage steam railways, having opened in 1969.

Mr Wood said the repairs would involve "a lot of work" and the financial impact would be "significant".

He said the railway had received "lots of messages of goodwill and physical and financial help".

Staff hope to clear the debris and repair the line before February half-term.

Half-price opening weekend for South Devon steam railway

The South Devon steam railway is offering half-price fares this weekend.

The South Devon Railway is kicking off the start of its main daily running season with the promotion as part of English Tourism Week.

Nine trains will be running on both days over the pretty seven-mile line from Buckfastleigh to Totnes, which has a mainline train connection, and that will appeal to families and enthusiasts alike.

Dick Wood, South Devon Railway spokesman said: ^After the February storms, we have all been looking forward to the main line re-opening at Dawlish which is a vital link for the West Country and us. Some 25% of our passengers board at the Totnes end of the line, so we really need the main line railway bringing people to the region which is now open for business^ again.

^We usually run our half fare weekends at the start and end of every main season, but the timing of this year^s event is going to be an added bonus for many local people who have not been able to visit us so far and are also looking for a great value for money treat."

Coming two weeks before the Easter break, the South Devon Railway always marks the start of each season with a special cut-price event to say ^Thank You^ to the line^s many regular visitors, local people and volunteers, all of whom love the authentic recreation of the long gone, but not forgotten Great Western Railway.

Fares on both days will be at half-price, so an adult round trip will cost just ^6.20; a child return (ages 3-15) will be ^3.60; Under three^s and SDRA members go free.

The first train leaves from Buckfastleigh at 10.00am and from Totnes (Littlehempston) at 10.45am. Trains will leave both stations at about 45 minute intervals on both days.

Mr Wood said: ^For diehard railway enthusiasts, we^ll be running both a Great Western era train with chocolate and cream coaches and a set of 1950^s style BR crimson and cream coaches over the weekend pulled by two former Great Western locos.^

Volunteer workers are always being sought to help with the running of the railway and the South Devon Railway Association (which supports the railway) is holding a start-of-season recruitment drive over the weekend too.

The South Devon Railway will be running trains everyday from the half price weekend until November 2.

Railway apprentices learn from golden age of steam

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First Great Western apprentices and mentor Ashley Bray pictured in front of the South Devon Railway's Class 25 D7612 diesel locomotive. From left are: Rob Kitley, Matt Ryder, Alex Wall, Rikki Winter, Ashley Bray and Lee Buller. Picture by Andy Matthews

Five First Great Western operations apprentices went back to the steam age to learn about some of the principles of railway operating at the South Devon Railway this week.

Their visit was primarily focused around signals and level crossings, as part of their 18-month long studies for the Certificate of Higher Education in Railway Operations Management.

It was inspired by one of the five Newton Abbot based FGW trainees, Robert Kitley, who also volunteers at the heritage rail attraction. He said: ^Everybody in the group had a great time. It was a very interesting, informative and enjoyable day for us.^

The visitors also called in on the railway^s Buckfastleigh workshop, which is a thriving commercial enterprise in its own right. It not only machines and fits brand new steel ^tyres^ to wheel sets on heritage steam and diesel locomotives and coaches, but also to diesel trains still running on the national network.

This area of the steam railway^s operations contributes ^750,000 annually to a group turnover that is currently just under ^3 million and increasing annually.

The heritage line, which carries 110,000 passengers every year, employs 50 people, supported by 600 regular volunteers. In total, it pumps an estimated ^10 million into the local economy every year.

South Devon Railway spokesman Dick Wood said: ^The five First Great Western operations apprentices and their tutor based in Newton Abbot had a busy day seeing what makes our steam era railway tick. It gave them a good contrast between us and what the modern railway is like, but basic railway operating principles still remain the same of course. We enjoy good links with First Great Western at many levels, and a good number of our volunteers work for FGW too ^ railways do get into one^s blood.^

Welcoming last week^s reopening of the mainline rail link, he added: ^Some 25% of our passenger business comes through Totnes, so having the Dawlish main line reinstated is fairly crucial to us.^