Torbay Express
Encyclopedia
The Torbay Express is a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom
.
from London
Paddington
to Torquay
and Paignton
.
service which runs on certain summer Sundays and some Saturdays, each year from Bristol Temple Meads
, via Weston-super-Mare
and Taunton
to Torquay
, Paignton
and Kingswear
. The Torbay Express is operated by Torbay Express Ltd.
The summer of 2003 saw GWR 7802 Bradley Manor haul the First of the trains in August. Bradley Manor developed a hot axle box on the first run on 10 August and so was unable to haul the next two outings which saw 5051 Earl Bathurst step in. However Bradley Manor returned for the 31 August and 7 September trips.
The service has used the GWR 7800 Class 7802 Bradley Manor
, GWR 6000 Class 6024 King Edward I
, GWR 4073 Class 5051 Earl Bathurst
, LNER Class A4 60009 Union of South Africa
, LNER Class A1 60163 Tornado and SR Battle of Britain Class 34067 Tangmere locomotives.
The Torbay Express name is also used by First Great Western
for it's 1000 service from London Paddington to Paignton, and the 1415 return.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Great Western Railway
Historically, the Torbay Express name was applied to services operated by the Great Western RailwayGreat 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...
from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Paddington
Paddington station
Paddington railway station, also known as London Paddington, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex.The site is a historic one, having served as the London terminus of the Great Western Railway and its successors since 1838. Much of the current mainline station dates...
to Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
and Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
.
Revival
In recent years, the name had been reused for a passenger charter steam locomotiveLocomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
service which runs on certain summer Sundays and some Saturdays, each year from Bristol Temple Meads
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...
, via Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
and Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
to Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
, Paignton
Paignton
Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the United Kingdom Census of 2001 was 48,251. It has...
and Kingswear
Kingswear
Kingswear is a village and civil parish in the South Hams area of the English county of Devon. The village is located on the east bank of the tidal River Dart, close to the river's mouth and opposite the small town of Dartmouth...
. The Torbay Express is operated by Torbay Express Ltd.
The summer of 2003 saw GWR 7802 Bradley Manor haul the First of the trains in August. Bradley Manor developed a hot axle box on the first run on 10 August and so was unable to haul the next two outings which saw 5051 Earl Bathurst step in. However Bradley Manor returned for the 31 August and 7 September trips.
The service has used the GWR 7800 Class 7802 Bradley Manor
GWR 7800 Class 7802 Bradley Manor
7802 Bradley Manor is a 7800 'Manor' Class 4-6-0 steam locomotive. Built by the Great Western Railway at its Swindon Works in January 1938 it had an operating life of 27 years being withdrawn in November 1965...
, GWR 6000 Class 6024 King Edward I
GWR 6000 Class 6024 King Edward I
Great Western Railway 6000 Class 6024 King Edward I is a preserved steam locomotive.The locomotive was built at GWR's Swindon Works in June 1930. For most of its working life it was allocated to Plymouth Laira MPD. Transferred to Old Oak Common MPD, London, in March 1959, and finally to Cardiff...
, GWR 4073 Class 5051 Earl Bathurst
GWR 4073 Class 5051 Earl Bathurst
Earl Bathurst is a Castle class locomotive. It still works, and is run by the Didcot Railway Centre.It was originally built as Drysllwyn Castle in May 1936. Its first shed allocation was Swansea Landore. Renamed Earl Bathurst in August 1937; the name coming from a de-named GWR Dukedog Class. It...
, LNER Class A4 60009 Union of South Africa
LNER Class A4 4488 Union of South Africa
60009 Union of South Africa is an LNER Class A4 steam locomotive built in Doncaster in 1937. Originally named Osprey, it is one of six surviving Gresley A4s and is presently undergoing an extensive overhaul.-Names:...
, LNER Class A1 60163 Tornado and SR Battle of Britain Class 34067 Tangmere locomotives.
The Torbay Express name is also used by First Great Western
First 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....
for it's 1000 service from London Paddington to Paignton, and the 1415 return.
External links
- Torbay Express website
- Part 1 Part 2 YouTube videos