2017: the South Devon Railway Year in Retrospect - South Devon Railway

The SDR Trust Museum’s popular social evenings are restarting for the New Year at the end of January. The first meeting will be a review of 2017 on the railway – the highs and lows, and particularly the people involved.

The season started with the visit of ex-London & South Western Railway 2-4-0WT No 30587, the Beattie Well Tank, for its first ever visit. It was a popular pairing with resident GWR No 1369, both locomotives having once worked the Wenfordbridge branch. The usual Real Ale festivals were held at Staverton station, and there were fish & chip trains and red bus tours.

The museum generally had a good year, starting slowly picking up later on to finish with good visitor numbers. It ended very strongly indeed, which is encouraging for the future. There was a huge amount going on behind the scenes. The free children’s activities during February and October half terms were again very popular.

As ever a very large number of enthusiastic volunteers and staff made it all happen, and the evening is a chance to see whether they made it onto the big screen. Did you make it into the limelight? If you think you would like to get involved, do come along and see some of the things that happen on the railway - many of them behind the scenes.

As usual, doors open at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start. The meeting will be held in Buckfastleigh Town Hall: parking is available in both the Victoria Woodholme and Mardle Way car parks. Entry is free. Refreshments and a prize draw will also be available, so do come along and join us – you will be very welcome