Birthday celebrations were in full swing at both Honiton and Axminster stations last month as part of celebrations to mark the 165th anniversary of the Yeovil to Exeter railway and both stations, which all opened on 19 July 1860.
On Saturday 19 July, the festivities kicked off at 12:30pm at Honiton Station, where Richard Foord MP, joined by Honiton Mayor Cllr Andrew Pearsall and Devon County Councillor for Feniton & Honiton Richard Jefferies, first cut the special birthday cake and then unveiled a commemorative blue plaque, before Honiton’s new Town Crier Caroline Kolek read out a message of celebration on the station platform.
The focus then moved to Axminster where, at 1:30pm, Axminster Mayor Cllr Jill Farrow, joined by Richard Foord MP and Paul Hayward, Axminster’s Devon County Councillor, cut the special cake there and then unveiled Axminster station’s commemorative blue plaque.
The events at Honiton were organised by the Friends of Honiton Station and those at Axminster by the Railway Kitchen, the Ale Way Micropub (both of which are based at the station) and local charity For the Love of a Railway. Both events were supported by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and South Western Railway.
Martin Long, chair of The Friends of Honiton Station, said: “We were delighted to welcome people to the station, to celebrate the tremendous contribution the station and its outstanding staff make to our community.
“In this year of Railway 200, it was good not just to look back to the founding of our railway, but to look forward with hope to the vital role it can play in the future.”
Richard Foord MP said: “It was a joy to mark the 165th anniversary of railway stations at Honiton and Axminster. South Western Railway has just entered public ownership, and with this significant development, as well as the 200th anniversary of British entrepreneurs who laid the first track in 1825, it was well worth getting together with local businesses, councillors, station staff and service users. Here’s to the next 165 years – and hopefully more trains!”
Andrew Ardley, regional development manager (West) for South Western Railway, said: “The two events at Honiton and Axminster epitomise all that is great about the railway in this area – a partnership between the railway industry, community organisations and local businesses where everybody works together to achieve more than the sum of the parts.
“We have been so pleased with the number and quality of events at stations on the SWR network in this 200th year of the modern railway, which have really showcased what stations mean to their local communities. Thank you to everyone involved in making the celebrations such a success and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.”
Cllr Jill Farrow, Axminster Town Mayor, said: “Our railway is without doubt one of Axminster’s greatest assets. It’s impossible to put a value on its contribution to this community, and it’s highly appropriate that we celebrate and support it. We have the advantage of living in a gloriously beautiful part of the world and, you can get to London in less than three hours!”
Learn more about South Western Railway’s work in the community here.
Keep up to date with future news, projects and events from the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership via their website.
Header photo, courtesy of Barrie Hedges, from L-R: Leanne Watterson, off-duty Axminster Station staff; Andrew Ardley, regional development manager (West) at South Western Railway; Axminster Devon County Councillor Paul Hayward; Richard Foord MP; Axminster Mayor Cllr Jill Farrow; Jack Price, Railway Kitchen; and Rob Wilbor, the Ale Way.
