“Way back in 1969 when the South Devon Railway reopened for its first reincarnation under the Dart Valley Railway’s ownership, the heritage steam railway phenomenon was very much in its infancy with just a handful of lines able to run trains, and with steam traction still banned from the national network after its August 1968 swansong.

“So, our embryonic steam line embarked upon a remarkable journey into the unknown – one that no one could really know how long it might last or whether the line might even survive its first season.  There was, and still is, a world of difference between the events of the classic British comedy film ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’ and reality.

“Four decades later, and with a very successful 40^th anniversary year under our belt, the railway has answered all those who doubted if we had a future and the SDR is now carrying around 100,000 passengers every year. The SDR Trust has been running the line now since 1991, and we expect to shortly have the formal transfer of the Transport & Works Order to us.

“The success over the years is largely due to the recreation of a very friendly and quintessentially GWR branch line which has appealed to visitors of all ages and interests. But let’s not forget none of it could have been achieved without great efforts by a host of people who have supported the line through both thick and thin, and there are happily a good number still with us today who have been around the railway almost from day one.