Station fire at Paignton, particularly the footbridge - 21 July 2026

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Station reopens to long distance trains after fire

[Image from here is not available to guests]
The station was badly damaged by fire last month

A train station platform has reopened a month after a devastating fire.

Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway)) said full-length access will resume at platform two at Paignton Station in Devon from Monday, allowing nine-carriage trains four days earlier than previously expected.

Long-distance trains have been unable to call at the station, although it reopened to local stopping services between Paignton and Newton Abbot which could use the far end of the platform, a week after the fire on 21 July.

The ticket office, the main station entrance, and footbridge remain closed whilst repair work continues.

[Image from here is not available to guests]
The stairs between the platforms was damaged in the fire - Image © Julia Gregory/BBC

A temporary ticket office is in use during the restoration work and passengers are accessing platform one via a ramp at the end of the platform next to the level crossing.

Network Rail route infrastructure engineer, Daniel Parkes, said: "Reinstating access to the full length of platform two ahead of schedule is the result of a huge team effort from colleagues across the railway industry who have worked tirelessly since the fire to ensure we could restore long-distance services to Paignton as safely and as swiftly as possible."

Stephanie Chapman, GWR station manager for South Devon said: "This milestone means more passengers can travel to and from Paignton as normal, taking full advantage of the benefits of rail once more."

[REVUpminster]

Some more photos: Bearing in mind no work takes place at the weekends. Too tiring?

[Image from here is not available to guests]20260815_103715 by Robert, on Flickr
This was after canopy removed. There is very little damage to the shed. The plastic bin bag is untouched, or the ticket machine and advertising panels. The public toilets beyond the main shed have been open since the station first reopened.

[Image from here is not available to guests]Paignton station fire 15 August 2026. by Robert, on Flickr
Metal shutters where the newsagents (closed for more than 15 years) stall was.

[Image from here is not available to guests]Paignton station 22 August 2026 by Robert, on Flickr
Frontage boarded off by 21 August 2026

[Image from here is not available to guests]Paignton Station side by Robert, on Flickr
[Image from here is not available to guests]Paignton station new exit 22 August 2026 by Robert, on Flickr
New exit from staff accommodation to side of station.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for posting that detailed update here, REVUpminster. 

[REVUpminster]

Reading today that the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) have given money to repair the station. GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) don't pay for anything except maybe the new staff exit and on the platform 2 a train indicator the size of  a large Ipad on a post.

I don't know if there was insurance money but the ticket office looks to be out of action for months?

[grahame]

[snip]

I don't know if there was insurance money but the ticket office looks to be out of action for months?

Devil's Advocate question - would we expect them to re-instate like for like, or replace the ticket office / facilities with something perhaps smaller and not having a ticket office window at all?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Posting from my own insurance broker background: if a claim arises, but a compromise rather than a huge payout is possible, a loss adjuster will negotiate a pragmatic payment.

So yes: the insurers could pay for a new ticket office - but it wouldn't necessarily be a complete brick-by-brick rebuild of the original.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum). 

[REVUpminster]

The main building looks untouched. I'll concede there could be smoke damage. No photographs of the interior have been shown. The signaller is still in there as is the staff accommodation but now has a new exit. The plastic bin bags tell a story. The fire brigade, and it's not a criticism, do a lot of damage when getting at the seat of a fire.

The building opposite is now taking 11 weeks to demolish instead of six.


[Image from here is not available to guests]Painton Station fire 23 July 2026 6 by Robert, on Flickr