Dawlish Warren railway station
Encyclopedia
Dawlish Warren railway station serves the seaside resort
and holiday camps of Dawlish Warren
in Devon
, England
, at the mouth of the River Exe
. The station is on the Exeter to Plymouth line
10½ miles (17 km) west of Exeter St Davids
. From here to Teignmouth
the railway runs along the Sea Wall
.
No station was provided between Starcross
and Dawlish until the summer of 1905 when Warren Halt was opened by the Great Western Railway
. This was not on the site of the present station, but nearer to the Sea Wall by the footbridge which had been built across the line in 1873.
The original 150 feet (45.7 m) long platforms were lengthened to 400 feet (121.9 m) for the next summer to allow longer trains to call. From 1 July 1907 the station was provided with offices and staff and was therefore renamed Warren Platform. It received its final name of "Dawlish Warren" on 1 October 1911.
Work soon started on a new station. A goods yard was opened on 10 June 1912 on the landward side of the line, and the new station, now 440 yards (402.3 m) nearer to Starcross, was opened to passengers on 23 September 1912. The platforms were now 600 feet (182.9 m) long. The building on the 'Down' platform (nearest the beach) was destroyed by fire on 9 January 1924.
In 1935 a camp coach was stationed in the goods yard which could be rented by holiday makers but the facility was withdrawn in 1940. Camp coaches were reintroduced in 1952, and by 1959 there were nine coaches stationed here. After 1964 the public camp coach service was withdrawn but the coaches at Dawlish Warren continued to be managed by the British Rail Staff Association for its members. The old coaches were replaced for the 1982 season by the current vehicles, since when the connection to the goods yard has been removed.
The Great Western Railway
was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. Goods traffic was withdrawn on 5 August 1967 and on 3 May 1971 the station became unstaffed. From 1974 to 1984 the buildings on the Up side housed the Dawlish Warren Railway Museum with its model railway. This building too burnt down in 2003, but in 2007 a new residential building was built on the site which is outwardly the same design as the former Dawlish Warren signal box. This had been located at the north end of the 'Down' platform until made redundant on 14 November 1986 by the West of England resignalling; it was demolished in May 1990.
The station has step-free access to both platforms. A narrow and low bridge beneath the line immediately south of the station allows access between the platforms.
Behind the platform used by trains towards Paignton is a golf course and the salt marsh
and dune
s that make up the Dawlish Warren
National Nature Reserve
.
trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run between Exmouth
and Paignton
; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids
and Paignton. The route from Exeter St Davids through Dawlish Warren to Paignton is marketed as the "Riviera Line
".
A few trains run from Bristol
or from London Paddington station, otherwise passengers travelling east or north change into main line trains at St Davids, or at Newton Abbot
if travelling westwards.
CrossCountry
trains between the north east and south west pass through Dawlish Warren, but do not stop.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
and holiday camps of Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren is a small seaside resort near the town of Dawlish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon in England. Dawlish Warren consists almost entirely of holiday accommodation and facilities for holiday-makers especially caravan sites....
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, at the mouth of the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
. The station is on the Exeter to Plymouth line
Exeter to Plymouth Line
The Exeter to Plymouth line is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter, to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line...
10½ miles (17 km) west of Exeter St Davids
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
. From here to Teignmouth
Teignmouth railway station
Teignmouth railway station is on the Exeter to Plymouth line and serves the town of Teignmouth, Devon, England. It is operated by First Great Western.-History:...
the railway runs along the Sea Wall
South Devon Railway sea wall
The South Devon Railway sea wall is situated on the south coast of Devon in England. It is probably the most photographed section of railway in the United Kingdom as a footpath runs alongside the railway between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish, and another footpath forms a continuation to the sea front...
.
History
Starcross railway station
Starcross railway station is a small station on the Exeter to Plymouth line in the village of Starcross, Devon, England. It is on the shore of the River Exe estuary and is linked to a pier used by the ferry to Exmouth on the other side of the estuary...
and Dawlish until the summer of 1905 when Warren Halt was opened by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
. This was not on the site of the present station, but nearer to the Sea Wall by the footbridge which had been built across the line in 1873.
The original 150 feet (45.7 m) long platforms were lengthened to 400 feet (121.9 m) for the next summer to allow longer trains to call. From 1 July 1907 the station was provided with offices and staff and was therefore renamed Warren Platform. It received its final name of "Dawlish Warren" on 1 October 1911.
Work soon started on a new station. A goods yard was opened on 10 June 1912 on the landward side of the line, and the new station, now 440 yards (402.3 m) nearer to Starcross, was opened to passengers on 23 September 1912. The platforms were now 600 feet (182.9 m) long. The building on the 'Down' platform (nearest the beach) was destroyed by fire on 9 January 1924.
In 1935 a camp coach was stationed in the goods yard which could be rented by holiday makers but the facility was withdrawn in 1940. Camp coaches were reintroduced in 1952, and by 1959 there were nine coaches stationed here. After 1964 the public camp coach service was withdrawn but the coaches at Dawlish Warren continued to be managed by the British Rail Staff Association for its members. The old coaches were replaced for the 1982 season by the current vehicles, since when the connection to the goods yard has been removed.
The Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. Goods traffic was withdrawn on 5 August 1967 and on 3 May 1971 the station became unstaffed. From 1974 to 1984 the buildings on the Up side housed the Dawlish Warren Railway Museum with its model railway. This building too burnt down in 2003, but in 2007 a new residential building was built on the site which is outwardly the same design as the former Dawlish Warren signal box. This had been located at the north end of the 'Down' platform until made redundant on 14 November 1986 by the West of England resignalling; it was demolished in May 1990.
Description
There are four tracks through the station with platforms on the outer pair which allows fast trains to overtake trains stopped at the station. Trains towards Dawlish use the platform nearest the beach, which is only a few yards away.The station has step-free access to both platforms. A narrow and low bridge beneath the line immediately south of the station allows access between the platforms.
Behind the platform used by trains towards Paignton is a golf course and the salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
and dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s that make up the Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren
Dawlish Warren is a small seaside resort near the town of Dawlish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon in England. Dawlish Warren consists almost entirely of holiday accommodation and facilities for holiday-makers especially caravan sites....
National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
.
Services
Dawlish Warren is served by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run between Exmouth
Exmouth railway station
Exmouth station serves the town of Exmouth in Devon, England and is south east of -History:The railway to Exmouth was opened on 1 May 1861. New docks designed by Eugenius Birch were opened in 1868 and a short branch was laid to connect them to the goods yard.A branch line with a junction...
and Paignton
Paignton railway station
Paignton railway station is the railway station serving Paignton in Devon, England. It is the terminus of the Riviera Line from Exeter and is also an interchange between National Rail services and the preserved Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.-History:...
; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
and Paignton. The route from Exeter St Davids through Dawlish Warren to Paignton is marketed as the "Riviera Line
Riviera Line
The Riviera Line is a local railway line that connects the city of Exeter to the "English Riviera" resorts of Torbay in Devon, England. It is closely linked with the Exeter to Plymouth Line with which it shares the route along the South Devon sea wall...
".
A few trains run from Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
or from London Paddington station, otherwise passengers travelling east or north change into main line trains at St Davids, or at Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is from London on the Exeter to Plymouth line via the Reading to Taunton line, at the junction for the branch to . For many years it was also the junction for Moretonhampstead and the site of a large locomotive...
if travelling westwards.
CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
trains between the north east and south west pass through Dawlish Warren, but do not stop.