Crediton Station

Crediton Station. . The main station building at Crediton, now the Tea Rooms, was built by the Exeter and Crediton Railway in 1847, and is thought to be the oldest station building, still in use as such, in the West of England., It is also one of the finest., The two waiting shelters are not much younger and, in addition to the historic significance of the three main buildings, all of which are largely as originally built, the footbridge remains little changed since its construction in 1878, and the London and South Western Railway Type 1 signalbox, possibly the oldest original example remaining in service on the national railway system, is still very much as built in 1875., All this history is concentrated in just one station., Though ready by 1847, political wrangling prevented the Exeter and Crediton from opening until 12th May 1851. The London and South Western Railway, always the leading influence in E&CR affairs, leased the line from 1st February 1862, purchasing it outright on 26th June 1879. Matters continued thus until 1st January 1923, when the LSWR became part of the Southern Railway., Friends of Crediton Station was set up in January 2002 to look after this unique, historically important, Grade II listed railway station, and to obtain funding for improvements. As a result, the station is now painted in the LSWE livery extant around 1900-10, and we hope to make as many improvements as practicable to evoke something of the comfort and elegance that characterised travelling by train during the Edwardian period., Friends of Crediton Station welcomes volunteers wishing to help care for this gem of Victorian railway heritage.