Atlantic Coast Express
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic Coast Express (ACE) was an express passenger train in England
between Waterloo station
, London
and seaside resorts in the south-west. It ran between 1926 and 1964: at its peak it included coaches for nine separate destinations.
(L&SWR) and its historic rival the Great Western Railway
(GWR) for traffic between London and the cities and holiday resorts of south western England.
However, in 1923 the Railway Grouping Act
came into force, creating four new companies to run Britain’s railways, and the former London and South Western Railway became part of the new Southern Railway
(SR).
This was an era when air travel was still in its infancy and journeys by road uncomfortable and slow, and in consequence Devon and Cornwall were fashionable destinations for London’s wealthy and cultured society and the railways their preferred mode of transport.
The GWR had been left virtually unchanged by the railway company mergers, and the directors of the new Southern Railway recognised that some initiative was needed to publicise their services to the South West, and in addition show they were ready to compete with “the old enemy” once more. They decided on a competition open to all employees to choose a name for the principal West Country express of the day, the 11.00 a.m. departure from Waterloo
. The winning entry was submitted by Mr F. Rowland, a guard from Great Torrington
in North Devon
, who won a prize of three guineas for suggesting "Atlantic Coast Express", soon abbreviated to "ACE".
and two in Cornwall
.
Plymouth
, by far the largest city in Devon, was served via Okehampton
and Tavistock. The steep gradients and tortuous nature of the route beyond Exeter
meant that it was not possible to compete with the Great Western Railway’s "Cornish Riviera Express" in terms of speed, but it was a useful alternative route, particularly for passengers from the South and South East of England, who could make a connection at Salisbury
and thus avoid travelling via London.
Okehampton was the junction for the two Cornish destinations: Bude
, a small but growing resort on the most northerly part of the Cornish coast; and Padstow
, a fishing port at the mouth of the River Camel
and the Southern Railway’s most distant outpost, 260 miles from Waterloo. The two portions of the train normally continued together as far as Halwill Junction, where the Bude carriages were detached and the Padstow section turned south to Launceston, skirting the edge of Bodmin Moor
before reaching Camelford
. A swift descent to Wadebridge
followed, through countryside described by Poet Laureate
John Betjeman
. The route was completed following the River Camel.
The North Devon portions of the "ACE" followed the route from Exeter Central
through Crediton
to Yeoford before turning north west and reaching the valley of the River Taw
at Lapford. Thereafter the line hugged the river to Barnstaple Junction
, the junction for the two North Devon destinations of the "ACE". From here the Torrington portion followed the estuary of the Taw westward to Instow
before turning south along the River Torridge to Bideford
and its destination of Great Torrington
. The portion for Ilfracombe
, another port that owes its status as a holiday destination to the coming of the railways, continued northwards. Started from Barnstaple Junction, the branch for Ilfracombe
headed north through Barnstaple Town
and climbed to Mortehoe
before descending steeply to the terminus at Ilfracombe.
In the winter timetable one train was sufficient for all of the branches, and stops were made at all but the most insignificant stations west of Exeter. Significant delays were frequent at the junctions, as coaches were detached or attached and shunted between the various sections of the train, belying the name of "Express".
In later years a carriage was detached at Salisbury
to join a following stopping train along the main line, and two carriages were detached at Sidmouth Junction, one for Sidmouth
and one for Exmouth
via Budleigh Salterton
. The restaurant and buffet cars were normally removed during the major division at Exeter Central
.
Services continued in much the same pattern until the outbreak of World War II
, which necessitated substantial deceleration on all lines, and named trains were no longer deemed appropriate.
, had been working during the war years; Bulleid's two new designs of express locomotive, the "Merchant Navy
" class Pacifics for services between Waterloo and Exeter Central and the lighter "West Country
" and "Battle of Britain
" class for the branches beyond, enabled improvements in timekeeping and reliability and facilitated the introduction of heavier trains. Initially there was little increase in overall speeds owing to the poor state of the track, which had suffered neglect during the war.
The 1950s marked the highpoint of the "ACE", with the first mile-a-minute timing on the Southern Region (as the Southern Railway had become) with a 12.23 pm arrival in Salisbury, 83 miles from Waterloo. Gradual improvements in schedules continued until the final acceleration in autumn of 1961, when the journey time from Waterloo to Exeter Central came down to 2hr 56min.
In 1963 control of all lines west of Salisbury was handed over to the Western Region – still the hated Great Western Railway to most of the Southern employees – and changes to the "ACE" followed swiftly. From June 1963 the Bude, Torrington and Plymouth through carriages were withdrawn except on summer Saturdays. The remaining services survived through the summer of 1964, the last "ACE" running on 5 September 1964.
The radical pruning of the railway system from 1966 by Dr Richard Beeching
affected the West Country. Torrington lost its passenger services in 1965, the North Cornwall branches in 1966, the Plymouth line in 1968, and Barnstaple to Ilfracombe in 1970.
introduced a single daily High Speed Train
(HST) service to Newquay
, during the summer, branded the "Atlantic Coast Express". This service is an extension of the 09:06 London Paddington departure to Plymouth
via the Reading to Taunton Line
, calling only at: Reading
, Taunton
, Tiverton Parkway
, Exeter St Davids
, Newton Abbot
, Totnes
, Plymouth
, Par
, and Newquay
.
There is also a return service from Newquay at 15:04. This service does not use the West of England Main Line
as its predecessor did, nor is it run by South West Trains
, the successor of the London and South Western Railway
, but by its rival First Great Western.
First Group also runs a regular bus service from Exeter to Bude, via Oakhampton and Holsworthy (service X9), which has been branded 'Atlantic Coast Express', with this name appearing on the indicator board of the bus and also on bus stops. The bus has to make a diversion around the back streets of Holworthy to avoid a low bridge - one of the surviving overbridges of the old railway route.
The Bluebell Railway
operates some of its BR Mk. 1
coaching stock with ACE roofboards.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
between Waterloo station
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and seaside resorts in the south-west. It ran between 1926 and 1964: at its peak it included coaches for nine separate destinations.
The origins
The First World War inevitably brought an end to competition between the London and South Western RailwayLondon and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
(L&SWR) and its historic rival the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) for traffic between London and the cities and holiday resorts of south western England.
However, in 1923 the Railway Grouping Act
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
came into force, creating four new companies to run Britain’s railways, and the former London and South Western Railway became part of the new Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
(SR).
This was an era when air travel was still in its infancy and journeys by road uncomfortable and slow, and in consequence Devon and Cornwall were fashionable destinations for London’s wealthy and cultured society and the railways their preferred mode of transport.
The GWR had been left virtually unchanged by the railway company mergers, and the directors of the new Southern Railway recognised that some initiative was needed to publicise their services to the South West, and in addition show they were ready to compete with “the old enemy” once more. They decided on a competition open to all employees to choose a name for the principal West Country express of the day, the 11.00 a.m. departure from Waterloo
Waterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
. The winning entry was submitted by Mr F. Rowland, a guard from Great Torrington
Great Torrington
Great Torrington is a small market town in the north of Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below...
in North Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, who won a prize of three guineas for suggesting "Atlantic Coast Express", soon abbreviated to "ACE".
The route
From the beginning the "ACE" effectively had five destinations, three in DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and two in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, by far the largest city in Devon, was served via Okehampton
Okehampton
Okehampton is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated at the northern edge of Dartmoor, and has an estimated population of 7,155.-History:...
and Tavistock. The steep gradients and tortuous nature of the route beyond Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
meant that it was not possible to compete with the Great Western Railway’s "Cornish Riviera Express" in terms of speed, but it was a useful alternative route, particularly for passengers from the South and South East of England, who could make a connection at Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
and thus avoid travelling via London.
Okehampton was the junction for the two Cornish destinations: Bude
Bude
Bude is a small seaside resort town in North Cornwall, England, at the mouth of the River Neet . It lies just south of Flexbury, north of Widemouth Bay and west of Stratton and is located along the A3073 road off the A39. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric in Brittany, France...
, a small but growing resort on the most northerly part of the Cornish coast; and Padstow
Padstow
Padstow is a town, civil parish and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated on the west bank of the River Camel estuary approximately five miles northwest of Wadebridge, ten miles northwest of Bodmin and ten miles northeast of Newquay...
, a fishing port at the mouth of the River Camel
River Camel
The River Camel is a river in Cornwall, UK. It rises on the edge of Bodmin Moor and together with its tributaries drains a considerable part of North Cornwall. The river issues into the Celtic Sea area of the Atlantic Ocean between Stepper Point and Pentire Point having covered a distance of...
and the Southern Railway’s most distant outpost, 260 miles from Waterloo. The two portions of the train normally continued together as far as Halwill Junction, where the Bude carriages were detached and the Padstow section turned south to Launceston, skirting the edge of Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor
Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is in size, and originally dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history....
before reaching Camelford
Camelford
Camelford is a town and civil parish in north Cornwall, United Kingdom, situated in the River Camel valley northwest of Bodmin Moor. The town is approximately ten miles north of Bodmin and is governed by Camelford Town Council....
. A swift descent to Wadebridge
Wadebridge
Wadebridge is a civil parish and town in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town straddles the River Camel five miles upstream from Padstow....
followed, through countryside described by Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
. The route was completed following the River Camel.
The North Devon portions of the "ACE" followed the route from Exeter Central
Exeter Central railway station
Exeter Central railway station is the most centrally located of the railway stations in Exeter, Devon, England. It is smaller than St Davids which is on the west side of the city but it is served by trains on the London Waterloo to Exeter main line, and is also by local services to , and . From...
through Crediton
Crediton
Crediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...
to Yeoford before turning north west and reaching the valley of the River Taw
River Taw
The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. It reaches the Bristol Channel away on the north coast of Devon at a joint estuary mouth which it shares with the River Torridge.-Watercourse:...
at Lapford. Thereafter the line hugged the river to Barnstaple Junction
Barnstaple railway station
Barnstaple railway station is the terminus of a long branch line, known as the Tarka Line, north west of Exeter St Davids, in Devon.It was known as Barnstaple Junction from 1874 to 1970 as it was the junction between lines to , , and Exeter-History:...
, the junction for the two North Devon destinations of the "ACE". From here the Torrington portion followed the estuary of the Taw westward to Instow
Instow
Instow is a village in north Devon, England. It is on the estuary where the rivers Taw and Torridge meet, between the villages of Westleigh and Yelland and on the opposite bank of Appledore....
before turning south along the River Torridge to Bideford
Bideford
Bideford is a small port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is also the main town of the Torridge local government district.-History:...
and its destination of Great Torrington
Great Torrington
Great Torrington is a small market town in the north of Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below...
. The portion for Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
, another port that owes its status as a holiday destination to the coming of the railways, continued northwards. Started from Barnstaple Junction, the branch for Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe Branch Line
The Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
headed north through Barnstaple Town
Barnstaple Town railway station
Barnstaple Town was an intermediate station on the L&SWR line to Ilfracombe. The station replaced Barnstaple Quay – opened in 1854, and renamed Barnstaple Town in 1886 – which had been located on the Junction side of the Commercial Road crossing, a short distance up-line...
and climbed to Mortehoe
Mortehoe and Woolacombe railway station
Mortehoe and Woolacombe railway station was a station on the London and South Western Railway Ilfracombe Branch Line between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon, England .-History:...
before descending steeply to the terminus at Ilfracombe.
The service
The heavy reliance on holiday passengers meant that the volume of traffic was very seasonal. On summer Saturdays the "ACE" consisted of up to five trains departing Waterloo in the 40 minutes before 11.00a.m., stretching resources on the long single-track branch lines to the limit.In the winter timetable one train was sufficient for all of the branches, and stops were made at all but the most insignificant stations west of Exeter. Significant delays were frequent at the junctions, as coaches were detached or attached and shunted between the various sections of the train, belying the name of "Express".
In later years a carriage was detached at Salisbury
Salisbury railway station
Salisbury is a railway station serving the city of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Located southwest of London Waterloo, the station is the crossing point of the West of England Main Line and the Wessex Main Line...
to join a following stopping train along the main line, and two carriages were detached at Sidmouth Junction, one for Sidmouth
Sidmouth railway station
Sidmouth railway station was a fully operational single platform station located in Sidmouth, Devon, England until its closure in 1967. The station is now a privately owned property at the top of Alexandria Road, Sidmouth...
and one for Exmouth
Exmouth railway station
Exmouth station serves the town of Exmouth in Devon, England and is south east of -History:The railway to Exmouth was opened on 1 May 1861. New docks designed by Eugenius Birch were opened in 1868 and a short branch was laid to connect them to the goods yard.A branch line with a junction...
via Budleigh Salterton
Budleigh Salterton
Budleigh Salterton is a small town on the south coast of Devon, England 15 miles south of Exeter. It is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designated East Devon AONB.- Features :...
. The restaurant and buffet cars were normally removed during the major division at Exeter Central
Exeter Central railway station
Exeter Central railway station is the most centrally located of the railway stations in Exeter, Devon, England. It is smaller than St Davids which is on the west side of the city but it is served by trains on the London Waterloo to Exeter main line, and is also by local services to , and . From...
.
Services continued in much the same pattern until the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, which necessitated substantial deceleration on all lines, and named trains were no longer deemed appropriate.
The zenith
With the end of hostilities the Southern Railway lost no time in reintroducing its most prestigious express. The company’s locomotive design department, under its innovative Chief Mechanical Engineer, Oliver BulleidOliver Bulleid
Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid was a British railway and mechanical engineer best known as the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway between 1937 and the 1948 nationalisation, developing many well-known locomotives.- Early life and Great Northern Railway :He was born in Invercargill,...
, had been working during the war years; Bulleid's two new designs of express locomotive, the "Merchant Navy
SR Merchant Navy class
The SR Merchant Navy class , was a class of air-smoothed 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotives designed for the Southern Railway of the United Kingdom by Oliver Bulleid...
" class Pacifics for services between Waterloo and Exeter Central and the lighter "West Country
SR West Country Class
The SR West Country and Battle of Britain classes, collectively known as Light Pacifics or informally as Spam Cans, are classes of air-smoothed 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive designed for the Southern Railway by its Chief Mechanical Engineer Oliver Bulleid...
" and "Battle of Britain
SR West Country Class
The SR West Country and Battle of Britain classes, collectively known as Light Pacifics or informally as Spam Cans, are classes of air-smoothed 4-6-2 Pacific steam locomotive designed for the Southern Railway by its Chief Mechanical Engineer Oliver Bulleid...
" class for the branches beyond, enabled improvements in timekeeping and reliability and facilitated the introduction of heavier trains. Initially there was little increase in overall speeds owing to the poor state of the track, which had suffered neglect during the war.
The 1950s marked the highpoint of the "ACE", with the first mile-a-minute timing on the Southern Region (as the Southern Railway had become) with a 12.23 pm arrival in Salisbury, 83 miles from Waterloo. Gradual improvements in schedules continued until the final acceleration in autumn of 1961, when the journey time from Waterloo to Exeter Central came down to 2hr 56min.
Terminal decline
In common with lines all over the country, the 1960s were a period of steady decline for services to the West Country as car ownership increased.In 1963 control of all lines west of Salisbury was handed over to the Western Region – still the hated Great Western Railway to most of the Southern employees – and changes to the "ACE" followed swiftly. From June 1963 the Bude, Torrington and Plymouth through carriages were withdrawn except on summer Saturdays. The remaining services survived through the summer of 1964, the last "ACE" running on 5 September 1964.
The radical pruning of the railway system from 1966 by Dr Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching
Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching , commonly known as Doctor Beeching, was chairman of British Railways and a physicist and engineer...
affected the West Country. Torrington lost its passenger services in 1965, the North Cornwall branches in 1966, the Plymouth line in 1968, and Barnstaple to Ilfracombe in 1970.
Revival of the brand
In 2008 First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
introduced a single daily High Speed Train
High Speed Train
There are three types of trains in Britain that have been traditionally viewed as high speed trains:* Advanced Passenger Train - Tilting trains which never entered into regular revenue-earning service....
(HST) service to Newquay
Newquay railway station
Newquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par railway station. It is operated by First Great Western and is situated close to the town centre and beaches in Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK.-History:...
, during the summer, branded the "Atlantic Coast Express". This service is an extension of the 09:06 London Paddington departure to Plymouth
Plymouth railway station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout...
via the Reading to Taunton Line
Reading to Taunton line
The Reading to Taunton line also known as the Berks and Hants is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line that diverges at Reading, running to Cogload Junction near Taunton, where it joins the Bristol to Exeter line....
, calling only at: Reading
Reading railway station
Reading railway station is a major rail transport hub in the English town of Reading. It is situated on the northern edge of the town centre, close to the main retail and commercial areas, and also the River Thames...
, Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
, Tiverton Parkway
Tiverton Parkway railway station
Tiverton Parkway railway station is on the London to Penzance Line, from London Paddington station; it is operated by First Great Western. The "Parkway" name signifies that the station is a distance from Tiverton town itself: it is actually located in the civil parish of Burlescombe, near...
, Exeter St Davids
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
, Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot railway station
Newton Abbot railway station serves the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. It is from London on the Exeter to Plymouth line via the Reading to Taunton line, at the junction for the branch to . For many years it was also the junction for Moretonhampstead and the site of a large locomotive...
, Totnes
Totnes railway station
Totnes railway station serves the towns of Totnes and Dartington in Devon, England. It is situated on the Exeter to Plymouth line and is operated by First Great Western...
, Plymouth
Plymouth railway station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is situated on the northern edge of the city centre close to the North Cross roundabout...
, Par
Par railway station
Par Station is a railway station serving the village and port of Par, Cornwall, England in the United Kingdom. It is the junction for the Atlantic Coast Line to Newquay. The station is operated by First Great Western, and served by trains operated by both First Great Western and...
, and Newquay
Newquay railway station
Newquay railway station is the terminus of the Atlantic Coast Line that runs from Par railway station. It is operated by First Great Western and is situated close to the town centre and beaches in Newquay, Cornwall, England, UK.-History:...
.
There is also a return service from Newquay at 15:04. This service does not use the West of England Main Line
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
as its predecessor did, nor is it run by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
, the successor of the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
, but by its rival First Great Western.
First Group also runs a regular bus service from Exeter to Bude, via Oakhampton and Holsworthy (service X9), which has been branded 'Atlantic Coast Express', with this name appearing on the indicator board of the bus and also on bus stops. The bus has to make a diversion around the back streets of Holworthy to avoid a low bridge - one of the surviving overbridges of the old railway route.
The Bluebell Railway
Bluebell Railway
The Bluebell Railway is a heritage line running for nine miles along the border between East and West Sussex, England. Steam trains are operated between and , with an intermediate station at .The railway is managed and run largely by volunteers...
operates some of its BR Mk. 1
British Railways Mark 1
British Railways Mark 1 was the family designation for the first standardised designs of railway carriages built by British Railways. Following nationalisation in 1948, BR had continued to build carriages to the designs of the "Big Four" companies , and the Mark 1 was intended to be the...
coaching stock with ACE roofboards.