Photowrap Review

Easy access from A38, great cafe, good staff and fantastic steam railway. Pretty scenery along the River Dart. Highly recommended.

Enthusiastic amateurs run this restored steam railway. The journey is not particularly scenic as it runs through steep embankments for much of the trip, with occasional glimpses of the river through the trees. However, a great experience for those that wish to hark back to a bygone age.

An absolutely brilliant footplate experience day on the South Devon last Sunday. Sprung on me as a great birthday present ('you're going tomorrow...') - so no time for anticipation! But the whole day was first class. I was surprised and delighted by how 'hands on' it all was - four trips up and down the line, with plenty of opportunity for driving and firing. Great fun indeed. Also, greater appreciation of the skills and commitment on the footplate - the countless thousands who have gone before and those who are still at work.
But the real stars of the day were our driver Ben and fireman Rob. They were throughly professional - competent, friendly, clear, patient, great at giving just enough guidance and support, while letting us feel we really were 'driving the train'. And young! So good to know that Devon's railway heritage is being passed on to a new generation of railwaymen.
Viva Souh Devon Railway!

Lovely day trip - combined with butterfly and otter park. Staff very helpful with Grandad who is in a wheelchair

Something for all the family, from children through to grandparents.

A unique day,a pannier tank with autocoaches being driven as they were designed to be driven.Staff all friendly and helpful.Pity the shop didn't want to stay open a bit longer I could have done with a browse and big spend but that's a small point,well done SDR.

Literally Severn Valley Railway but in a far better part of the UK. Worth the visit!

Very disappointed hardly any views of the river nothing to see at the end of the jouney

Operated by volunteers and represents a fantastic rural GWR branch line. Locomotives and rolling stock are what you would have expected to see sixty years ago when it was part of the national network.

Re-live steam railways on a former branch line between Buckfastleigh and Totnes with a station stop between. There is also a service run using a diesel rail car on the same line, if that's more your thing. Return ticket permits you to travel openly during the day so multiple trips covering steam and diesel are possible.
The sheds at Buckfastleigh have maintenance underway whenever we have visited and provide interesting big engineering to view and sometimes ask the team about.

Went on Santa by steam today, a truly magical Christmas afternoon. A lovely traditional steam train with wonderful staff! Would thoroughly recommend a visit

Excellent, fair prices "rover" ticket, use all day as much as you like free museum and free parking!

Always a good place to visit interesting for all ages nice to take a train ride on a steam train through the countryside

Amazing model shop we got a combo return ticket wich meant we took the line out to totnes and back to have some lunch in the cafe and then go see the otters and butterflies a very enjoyable day out and the staff are super friendly with one of the cafe staff chasing us down to give back the headband that fell off our 4 month olds head

Very good heritage railway with excellent shop ,museum , restaurant, and other attraction, otters and butterflies.

Well looked after and the staff are very knowledgeable.

Will never visit here again,dreadful service from management and only interested in how much money they can rip off you,there be sorry this time.

Interesting place with plenty of helpful volunteers but be warned toilets close at 4pm on the dot but nobody tells you this !!

me my son and mum went on the Santa train and was great really enjoyed it will do it again next year but hopefully some more trips in the meantime

Great experience, good train service, staff informative and helpful

A Wonderful railway and a good reminder how trains used to be. Well worth a visit and a trip on the train through picturesque Devon.

Great afternoon ride by the river. Good cafe with entertainment for grandson. Tempting shop for all ages. Recommend for wet weather.

Fantastic little steam railway .lots of Interesting memorabilia. A good day out for all the family. The rare breed farms was also interesting.

Wonderful day out with 2 smaller kids, enjoyed every minute, lots to see and do along the way and the train experience itself is fabtastic

We didn't go on the train, we just walked around and had a look at the river and gift shop.

Nice afternoon out on the preserved historical steam trains, well worth a visit.

Leaflets everywhere (supermarkets, tourist information centres, etc.) have a timetable that clearly states alternate steam and diesel locomotive service all day. When we arrived there was only steam.
Also they did not inform us that the 1500 from Totnes was largely reserved for shearings holidays customers and so there was limited seating for everyone else.
Lastly the miniature railway only runs at weekends which we did not know beforehand.

Had a great day and a wonderful trip on the old bus at no extra cost.

Very nostalgic travelling in Steam trains lovely museum. Tea rooms great. Enjoyed rare breed farm at Totnes and otters and butterflies farm at buckfastleugh. Lovely day out for all the family

Particularly beautiful English museum line. The adjacent butterfly park with otter care is also special. You shouldn't miss that

Combined with the otter sanctuary and butterfly farm it's excellent value

Lovely day out for the whole family. The otters were a real highlight

Absolute fun. On the trains as much as you like. Good little museum. Get the ticket for the train and the butterflies and otters. Make a day of it.

A very good railway journey. The butterfly & otter sanitary is a must. Car park at Tonnes is a bit of a walk.

This place isn't just about trains, there are gardens to walk through a river to walk along. Trains run regularly and its lovely day out.

The trip takes about an hour and a half. The whole thing has been take authentic to the period which was pretty cool. A fun experience to ride on a proper old fashioned steam train

Wonderful trip on the Buckfastleigh to Totnes steam train

Really friendly staff nice train ride but the cafe is a bit on the steep side

I love it here and often find myself grabbing quick run on the resident diesels. Combo tickets for bitterly farm and otter sanctuary is good value

Awesome day out, friendly staff, plenty to do and see, the special events are allot of fun also! Totnes town center is a short walk from the Totnes station with plenty of picnic spots.

My favourite preserved railway. Lovely place to watch the world go by

Great authentic trip back to the days of steam on a sleepy branch line along the river dart. Great choice of trains all steam and great to have a family ticket covering the other attractions the rare breed farm (Loved the Owl experience) saw the others being fed and had butterflies land on my daughter. Only 2 things even though had an e-ticket still had to queue at booking office and a lack of menu choice at the cafe

Great to see these beasts on the track - great trip and time had by all

No trains at the moment, however you can look around the Buckfastleigh station site. Staff are helpful though and the shop, refreshment kiosk and Toilets are open.

A must for train enthusiasts, don't forget to visit the workshop. The cafe shop has lots of model railway kit for sale, bring your credit card with you.

As this photo shows even on a rainy day it's still a nice family day out

Really good day out we went on the Santa steam train it was great with Xmas music and entertainment for the whole trip well worth the money a great experience.

Very nice staff.... Lovely old Steam Line
We holiday near here MAINLY so I can go on this lovely line each year

Whether or not you are a Steam Train enthusiast, the station and Museum at Buckfastleigh is well worth a visit.
It boasts ample free parking, restaurant, snack bar (in the car park) and Museum as well as of course the steam trains themselves.

The train takes you on a magical journey along the beautiful river Dart to Staverton, near Totnes. There is also a rare breeds farm here.

The car park also allows you access to the Otter Sanctuary and Butterfly farm. It is adjacent to the river Dart weir and has picnic tables along the river.

Well peserved Historic Railway, with stuning views from the valley...

Good value for a full day out, hoping on and off heritage locomotives and carriages, with plenty else to see and do at Buckfastleigh Station. Something for all ages; I enjoyed it as a child many years ago, my daughter's enjoyed it as children as did I as a parent, and now just as a grown up (well, for some of the time at least) I still enjoy it!

We came to Santa by steam today and it was absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! We cannot recommend this enough... the staff were fantastic and very attentive! It was very magical for the kids and the snacks and drinks supplied were an added bonus!!! Very impressed thank you very much our kids loved it!

An absolutely excellent afternoon out with our little grandson on the santa steam train. Thourghly recommend this. Free parking as well. Teas and coffee available. Very friendly staff. Fantastic views along the river side.

Lovely place, lovely people, car park a bit small for a camper

Great steam railway x well run and beautifully kept x