Dawlish railway station

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Dawlish railway station serves the seaside town of Dawlish in Devon, England. It is on the Exeter to Plymouth line and is about 206 miles (331 km) from London Paddington. The station sits on a sea wall, and the line runs along the coast, with five tunnels further south through the cliffs.

History and features:
The station opened on 30 May 1846 by the South Devon Railway. It began with one platform, and a second platform was added in 1858. The original wooden station burned down in 1873 and was rebuilt, reopening in 1875 with an iron bridge connection and a glass roof. The South Devon Railway joined the Great Western Railway in 1876, and the line was converted to standard gauge in 1892. The station buildings are Grade II listed and include a booking office with an ornate ceiling; there is a café on the street frontage and two friendly, two-storey station blocks.

Sea wall and improvements:
In 2014 a severe storm washed away part of the track bed and breached the sea wall north of the station. A major reinforcement and replacement project ran from 2020 to 2022. During this work, the sea wall walkway was raised to platform level, the platforms were resurfaced, and lighting was improved. An accessible footbridge, replacing the previous at-grade crossing, opened on 15 March 2024.

Layout and access:
The station has two platforms. The main entrance is at road level on the side served by trains to Exeter St Davids. Step-free access is available via a car park gate. Access to the opposite platform is by a covered footbridge. Staff can escort passengers across the barrow crossing if needed.

Nearby and recognition:
Nearby features include the Colonnade Viaduct and the Coastguards Footbridge, with Brunel’s Boat House between the line and the beach. The station is noted for its scenic location and is listed as one of Britain’s best stations by Simon Jenkins in 2017.