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You are here > Visitor Info > More Information > Can you help South Devon Railway?

Can you help South Devon Railway?

6th April 2020

Categories: Visitor News

South Devon Railway was looking forward to the start of its second half century of bringing delight to thousands of visitors after celebrating its 50^th birthday in 2019. However, the SDR suddenly had to stop running trains on 17^th March following the outbreak of the Coronavirus. The lack of customers and enforced closure has meant that the railway now is struggling.

The SDR, a registered charity, now desperately needs your help to survive and has launched a video appeal to help raise funds. The video appeals for financial support and donations from volunteers, supporters, visitors and the general public in order to ensure that this scenic and quintessential former Great Western Railway branch line can be kept alive for future generations to enjoy. The SDR is determined to keep the line alive but needs help now to plug the financial hole to ensure the survival of the railway and all it brings to the economy and tourism in Devon for future generations. Any help whatsoever is vital to the railway at this difficult time.

The line is not expected to re-open for three months, or perhaps longer, and so, over halfway through the usual running season. The SDR estimates that it will need to raise up to £500,000 to stay in business. The appeal has gotten off to a good start with £20,000 pledged by the South Devon Railway Association.

Since steam trains first began running in 1969, the South Devon Railway has become the oldest heritage railway in the West Country and is one of the region’s most popular tourist attractions, contributing around an estimated £15 million to Devon’s economy every year. Normally steam trains run throughout the year from March to November carrying around 100,000 passengers every year. However, as a result of the enforced shutdown of the line, the SDR will lose some significant and normally busy events and revenue in 2020 including Easter weekend, May’s Day out with Thomas weekend, the VE Day bank holiday, Half Term and July’s military weekend. As a result, it desperately needs to replace that lost income in order to carry on with vital maintenance so it can get up and running again as soon as possible when the Government says it is safe to do so again.

To donate, please go online to www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/fundraising or to www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/sdr-sos.

The SDR will also be using the Facebook fundraiser feature for people to share with one another allowing them to also have the SDR as their Birthday Fundraiser, which is something a number of supporters plan to use. Please view the video here: https://youtu.be/wEuiTYBJeFM .