This page was set up in 2018 to keep a year by year historical record of developments as they occur.

 

A great start to 2021 - our wish for the last 25 years achieved!

"BIDEFORD" NAMEPLATES PURCHASED !! 

 

In March 2021 we purchased  the nameplates and numberplate from 34019 "Bideford", bringing them back to the town where they belong.

Thanks to the Bideford Bridge Trust for their substantial grant and to others who made donations large and small.

The locomotive was named by the Mayor, William Chubb, at Bideford station in 1946 and it was scrapped by British Railways in 1967.   The nameplate will be an appropriate companion to the coffee table that was presented to Mayor Chubb at the naming ceremony.  This was donated to the Centre last year.

The plates werer exhibited at the Burton Museum & Art Gallery from August 2021 to February 2022.

 

2020 was COVID-year, when we used the time to maintain our sites and start collecting display items.

We purchased this original Instow station sign.  Being in WR brown it dates from 1963 when the line was taken over by the Western Region.  It is either from the running-in-board or the signal box.  We are trying to work out which.

Rob did some sterling work restoring the level crossing gates at Instow.

Steve and Spencer show off Rob Dark's brilliant "replica" of 34111's nameplate.  Photo taken on 1st April 2020.

In January 2020 the SR coffee table that was presented to the Mayor of Bideford in 1946 when the locomotive was named at the station was donated to us.  Many thanks to Jeanette Wills, the granddaughter of Mayor Chubb.

In 2019 the new Interpretation Centre was opened by the Mayor of Bideford and the Planet diesel locomotive was driven into the station after a lengthy overhaul.

Our sites restored by 2018.