Located within the grounds of Trago Mills Regional Shopping Centre near Newton Abbot, Devon, the Bickington Steam Railway is a 10¼ inch gauge miniature railway with a rich and unusual history that blends educational ambition, relocation, and expansion.
The railway was originally conceived by Brian Nicholson, headmaster of Waterhouses School in Staffordshire. His initial goal was to recreate part of the historic Leek and Manifold Light Railway, a narrow-gauge line that once served the Staffordshire Moorlands. However, due to various logistical and planning challenges, Nicholson’s vision was redirected. The railway equipment was first relocated to Rudyard Lake, then moved to the Suffolk Wildlife Park, before finally finding a permanent home in Devon in 1988, where it was reassembled and opened to the public.
At its inception, the Bickington Steam Railway featured a double loop around two lakes with a single station named Trago Central. Over time, the railway expanded significantly. In 2006, a new extension was added, reaching the front car park of Trago Mills. This included the construction of Riverside Station, a three-track terminus with a turntable, allowing for efficient train operations and improved passenger flow. A third station, Goose Glen Halt, was introduced in 2008 to serve visitors at the far end of the site, offering a convenient return route to the car park and reducing the uphill walk from the shopping complex.
The railway’s route is both scenic and technically impressive. Trains depart from Riverside Station, cross a road via an automatic level crossing, and run alongside and over a river before joining the original circuit. The track layout includes multiple parallel tracks on different levels, a 23-pier viaduct, and several loops and crossings that add visual interest and operational complexity.
The line spans approximately 1½ miles, making it one of the longer miniature railways in the UK. It operates daily, with trains running from 11am to 5pm Monday to Saturday, and 12pm to 4pm on Sundays, offering both leisure and practical transport between different parts of the Trago Mills site.
The railway’s rolling stock includes several notable locomotives, such as:
Today, Bickington Steam Railway is more than just a ride—it’s a living tribute to British railway heritage, educational ambition, and the enduring appeal of miniature engineering. It continues to delight families, railway enthusiasts, and curious visitors alike, offering a unique blend of nostalgia and innovation in the heart of Devon.
This historical summary was generated using AI and draws on publicly available sources including Miniature Railway World, Cornwall Railway Society, and Wikipedia.
