Torrington Station & Tarka Valley Railway
Built by the North Devon Railway, Torrington Station opened on the 27 July 1872, operated by the London and South Western Railway.
From 1880 it connected with the narrow gauge freight only Torrington and Marland Railway. On grouping in 1923 the Torrington to Barnstaple line became part of the Southern Railway. In 1925 the narrow gauge Torrington and Marland Railway was rebuilt as a standard gauge line and opened through to Halwill Junction as the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway.
A passenger service operated until 1965 when the line again reverted to carrying goods only until the line through Torrington was closed completely in 1982.
The station was closed for advertised passenger services in 1965 under the Beeching Axe. Freight trains and the occasional passenger special and railtour used the station until September 1982.
After full closure, the station building was converted to a public house known as the Puffing Billy though today it operates as a licensed café.
Back in October 1979 I travelled to Torrington on the Wirral Railway Circle “Atlantic Coast Express” Railtour from Chester which called at other locations on the former “Withered Arm” – the Southern Railway lines in the West Country. My last visit to Torrington Station was in September 1982 on the day the final freight train ran – but I managed to miss it!
Since then I have past by a few times this was the first time I have stopped for a look around probably since 1985. The former ICI fertilizer depot in the good’s yard is now a cycle hire business. There is a small collection of rolling stock at the station which is the base for the Tarka Valley Railway Group which aims to rebuild the railway back to Bideford.
Read MoreFrom 1880 it connected with the narrow gauge freight only Torrington and Marland Railway. On grouping in 1923 the Torrington to Barnstaple line became part of the Southern Railway. In 1925 the narrow gauge Torrington and Marland Railway was rebuilt as a standard gauge line and opened through to Halwill Junction as the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway.
A passenger service operated until 1965 when the line again reverted to carrying goods only until the line through Torrington was closed completely in 1982.
The station was closed for advertised passenger services in 1965 under the Beeching Axe. Freight trains and the occasional passenger special and railtour used the station until September 1982.
After full closure, the station building was converted to a public house known as the Puffing Billy though today it operates as a licensed café.
Back in October 1979 I travelled to Torrington on the Wirral Railway Circle “Atlantic Coast Express” Railtour from Chester which called at other locations on the former “Withered Arm” – the Southern Railway lines in the West Country. My last visit to Torrington Station was in September 1982 on the day the final freight train ran – but I managed to miss it!
Since then I have past by a few times this was the first time I have stopped for a look around probably since 1985. The former ICI fertilizer depot in the good’s yard is now a cycle hire business. There is a small collection of rolling stock at the station which is the base for the Tarka Valley Railway Group which aims to rebuild the railway back to Bideford.
