TOTNES RIVERSIDE
A STATION 50 YEARS IN THE MAKING
1969 First decision to install loop line at Totnes. Initially all services were run as auto-trains (push-pull)
1970 The loop opens.
1975 There are discussions about ‘Totnes Project’ for station and bridge. 3 stages considered – 1) Platform and halt. 2) Bridge. 3) proper station. Excavator arrived on Sept 4th.
1976 Trains do not run to Totnes while the layout is revised.
1977 Totnes loop is commissioned. Platform 1 now under construction. ‘Bridge the Dart Appeal’ launched for a footbridge to connect to Totnes.
1981 The London Group set up the ‘Totnes Project’ to build up the station including purchasing a building from British Rail. Application for planning permission for Totnes Footbridge is submitted
1982 Toller Station purchased from British Rail for £500. It is dismantled on site and then transported to Staverton by early February.
1983 Plans for the bridge are put on hold due to financing.
1985 Trains begin to run direct into Totnes mainline. At the same time the first bricks are laid for Totnes Riverside station.
1986 Foundations are laid for Bovey Hut.
1987 The station is renamed Littlehempston Platform, then changed to Littlehempston (Riverside).
1988 The station building is ‘topped out’ Platform bricks recovered from Ivybridge are laid on Platform 1. Plans are made to bring Athelney signal box to Totnes. Running into Totnes BR stops at the end of the season for financial reasons.
The London Group find the canopy for the platform at Axbridge.
1991 The line is taken over by the volunteers as the South Devon Railway Trust.
1992 The Bovey Hut is completed. The station wins its first award – the Worth Valley Railway Award for the best new project.
1993 Work on the bridge over the Dart starts in May, and contracts are put out for the toilet block and bay platform.
The Bridge (named ‘Bulliver’) opens on 23rd July and Totnes station is manned from now on.
1994 A Totnes station group is formed. Work begins to landscape the area behind the station. Work on the toilet block and canopy is completed by the end of the season.
Station is now renamed Totnes (Littlehempston).
1995 6th May. Totnes is formally handed over to the Trust by the London Group and the Totnes group – led by Mark Ireland – begins running the station.
1996 Work continues on Platform 2 and laying of platform bricks along Platform 1 continues.
1997 3rd May. Virgin Class 47 47814 was named Totnes Castle on the completed platform 2 as part of the SDR 125 celebrations.
1998 Mess Van acquired from Crewe is in Platform 2 and work starts to get it looking smart and usable. Saturday Volunteers start getting lunch provided. The water crane gets a coat of paint.
1999 The Monster arrives at Totnes.
2000 The path from the bridge to the station gets a proper tarmac surface. We acquire 2 crossing gates – one to go across the main line link.
2002 Platform bricks for the Totnes end of the platform (3000) arrive and are laid on summer Wednesday evenings.
2003 Work starts on bringing the Cradley Heath Signal Box from Tyseley to Totnes. The footings have been dug in advance and bricks for the base arrive.
2004 The main part of the box arrives at Buckfastleigh by road, ready to be dismantled and taken up the line to Totnes. By the Autumn the bulk of the box is on its base.
2005 Totnes moves into the present with the installation of electric lighting in the buildings and on the station. The CCT arrives as a new workshop. The signal box – as a building – is complete.
2006 Laying platform bricks over the whole platform is now complete.
2007 Station wins its second main award – GNER volunteers award from Heritage Rail Association. The award includes £1000 which we used to replace the plastic sheets on the toilet roof and station canopy with toughened glass.
2009 Phone box arrives – hauled all the way from car park.
2010 Crossing gate across Network Rail connection finally fitted and fully painted. (It was removed in 2018 as no longer adequate for Network Rail standards). Phone box complete and in situ with working light and a faux A&B telephone.
2011 The TMD (Formerly a Traction Maintenance Depot) is transported from Staverton and erection is nearly complete. Now TMD stands for Totnes Maintenance Depot
2012 Water tower completed by the fitting of its lid. The wagons under repair are now covered by the huge tent to provide cover while work goes on.
2013 Second lamp hut from Bridgwater arrives and is our garden machinery store. The first of 2 GWR 5-plank wagons is restored .
2014 The log store is completed. We start work on refurbishing our CCT, (Car Carrying Transport) removing umpteen layers of paint. It will be painted in brown and new lettering applied as in the British Railways era. The MICA becomes our magazine store.
2015 Second 5-plank restoration complete. Installation of the bike rack begins. The ‘new’ spear fencing begins to arrive.
2016 Another award – probably the best! The Heritage Railway National Interpretation Award was given to us for recreating an authentic GWR station from nothing, using buildings etc from other parts of the region, together with new buildings where required. The presence of the Rare Breeds Farm was also a contribution as giving visitors another option.
2017 The name reverts to Totnes Riverside.
AFTER 50 YEARS THE WORK GOES ON…………
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