South Devon Railway Trust Totally Explained

Everything about South Devon Railway Trust totally explained

|}The South Devon Railway Trust is a charitable organization that operates a heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon, alongside the River Dart. The heritage railway itself is known as the South Devon Railway, named in honour of the South Devon Railway Company that originally built much of Devon's railway infrastructure, although its previous name of the Dart Valley Railway is sometimes still heard.
The South Devon Railway has just been named the Heritage Railway of the Year 2007.

History

The line was built by the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway and first opened on 1 May 1872. It was worked by the larger South Devon Railway Company until 1 February 1876 when this was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway.
The Buckfastleigh line was taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1897.
The railway was nationalised on 1 January 1948.
The line closed to all traffic on 7 September 1962 and was re-opened as the Dart Valley Railway, a preserved steam line, on 5 April 1969.
The South Devon Railway Trust took over the running of the line on 1 January 1991.

Route

The current railway is seven miles long, and stretches from Totnes (Littlehempston) station to Buckfastleigh station. Staverton station is the only intermediate station on the line, and the location of the only passing loop. For most of its route, the line runs along the left bank of the River Dart. This means that the river, and the best views, can be seen to the left of the train when facing Buckfastleigh, and the right of the train when facing Totnes.

Services

Trains on the South Devon Railway 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 (most of the school holidays) two train sets operate, providing more journeys. Other services include evening Dining trains, Sunday Lunch trains and cream tea specials during the summer. Also the railway runs both full day steam and diesel footplate experience courses throughout the year.

Rolling stock

Steam locomotives

Operational

GWR 2884 Class 2-8-0 no. 3803 - GWR Green - faces Buckfastleigh

BR WR 4575 Class 2-6-2T no. 5526 - BR Black - faces Totnes

GWR 5700 Class 0-6-0PT no. 5786 - GWR Green - faces Buckfastleigh

GWR 1366 Class 0-6-0PT no. 1369 - Great Western Green - faces Buckfastleigh

Under overhaul

GWR 1400 Class 0-4-2T no. 1420 - BR Green

GWR 2251 Class 0-6-0 no. 3205 - GWR Green

Awaiting overhaul

Ex-NCB 0-6-0ST (Glendower)

Kitson (Manning Wardle design) 0-6-0ST No. 5474 (Carnarvon)

Static display

GWR 4900 Class 4-6-0 no. 4920 Dumbelton Hall - GWR Green

Ex-MOD 0-6-0ST Hunslet no. 68011 (Errol Lonsdale)

Ex-W.D. 0-6-0ST no. WD132 (Sapper)

Peckett 0-4-0ST No.1 (Ashley)

Tiny - broad gauge 0-4-0vb; on display in Buckfastleigh station museum

Diesel locomotives

Operational

British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 no. D2246

British Rail Class 20 Bo-Bo no. 20110 - BR Blue

British Rail Class 20 Bo-Bo no. 20118 Saltburn-by-the-Sea - Railfreight Grey

British Rail Class 25 Bo-Bo no. D7612(25262) - Two Tone Green

British Rail Class 31 A1A-A1A no. 31108 - Railfreight Grey (visiting from the Midland Railway Butterley)

British Rail Class 37 Co-Co no. D6737

Ruston - Diesel Hydraulic - 0-4-0 Dusty

Yorkshire Engine Company - Diesel Electric - 0-6-0 No.L052 Yorky

Fowler - Diesel Mechanical - 0-4-0 No. MFP 4

Under overhaul/restoration

British Rail Class 09 0-6-0 no. D3666

British Rail Class 33 Bo-Bo no. 33002 Sea King

British Rail Class 50 Co-Co no. 50002 Superb

Diesel Multiple Units

British Rail Class 115 trailers 59659 and 59740 (used as locomotive-hauled coaching stock – currently stored and for sale)

British Rail Class 122 single unit 122100 – operational

British Rail Class 127/115 hybrid unit 51592+59719+51604

Coaching stock

On the South Devon Railway there are a number of historic coaches, mainly from the original Great Western Railway. One example of this is Hawksworth 7377, which is a first and third class brake van, formerly used on the Royal Train.

In service

Great Western Railway coaches

Super Saloon 9111 King George

Super Saloon 9116 Duchess of York

Special Saloon 9005

Brake Parcels W276 (known as the BG, which stands for Brake Gangwayed)

Tourist Standard Open 1285

Tourist Standard Open 1295

Collett Brake Third 1645

Brake Composite Corridor, now converted to disabled coach 6515

Brake Composite Corridor 7377. Hawksworth coach, previously used on the royal train

Third Corridor 536 (Toplight coach on long term loan from Great Western Society)

British Rail Mark 1 coaches

Resturant Buffet 1917 (Western Region)

Tourist Standard Open 4496 (Western Region)

Tourist Standard Open 4962 (Western Region)

Standard Open 4785 (Western Region)

Resturant Miniature Buffet 4805 (was rebuilt to include bar, mainly used on dining trains) (Western Region)

Composite Corridor 15644 (Eastern Region)

Brake Standard Corridor 35326 (Kitchen built into luggage area) (Western Region)

Brake Standard 43147 (Eastern Region)

Auto Coach 225 (Western Region) (Note that this coach has Great Western auto fittings)

Auto Coach 228 (Western Region) (Note that this coach has Great Western auto fittings)

Out of service

Great Western Railway coaches

Saloon Coach 8294. Was a GWR directors Saloon and part of Queen Victoria's Royal TrainFurther Information

Get more info on 'South Devon Railway Trust'.

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

<a href="http://south_devon_railway_trust.totallyexplained.com">South Devon Railway Trust Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.