The South Devon Railway (SDR), situated in the Dart Valley, are well underway with work to get the railway’s staff, volunteers and trains ready for passenger trains to resume from Monday 17th of May 2021.

With months of closure, ensuring footplate staff, who operate and drive the steam trains, can remember how to work and handle any issues effectively is very important.

To help footplate crews and signalling staff, starting from Monday 12th of April, the railway will be running a month of ‘shakedown refreshers’ to allow crews time to test their skills and practice them before carrying passengers. These trains will not be carrying passengers.

Site Open Days, which began on the 12th April, allows visitors to explore Buckfastleigh Station and see some steam trains pass through the station with the ‘shakedown refreshers’.

For more information, to support or to plan your visit to the South Devon Railway, please visit their website here

SDR Commercial Director Alan Taylor comments: “Throughout the day on Wednesday, we were met with enthusiastic waves and smiles all the way along the line. Walkers, motorists, residents at Staverton, and passengers on main-line trains were all pointing, smiling and waving at us. I gather the Buckfastleigh Town Facebook page has received many ‘welcome back’ comments too, such as: ‘it’s great to hear the whistle again’, and ‘normality returns’! The feel good factor is definitely still alive and well for the SDR in Devon!”

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