Paignton station footbridge on fire 21/07/26

[DaveHarries]

For anyone interested it appears that Paignton will remain closed tomorrow (Wednesday 22nd) but in an interesting move (given that - as has been mentioned in this thread - the signalling and layout does not permit trains to turn back at Torquay) the Exmouth - Paignton services will indeed terminate at, and start back from, Torquay!

It seems that the schedule will be up to 3tph with services departing at various points past each hour: RealTimeTrains has this to give some idea:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:TQY/2026-07-22/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

I did wonder if someone had put in place emergency special working arrangements to allow one line to be worked in both directions (which would be interesting to see) but I have been told elsewhere that trains which arrive at Torquay will run empty to Paignton and cross-over before returning back to Torquay but for that they would have to use the platform at Paignton where the fire damage is so perhaps trains will be allowed access to at least part of Platform 2 at PGN.

Dave

 

[fgwrich]

For anyone interested, images courtesy of Newton Abbot and Totnes Fire Stations.

Newton Abbot D&SFRS

Another busy day for our crews here at Newton Abbot Fire Station which has seen us mobilised to 4 separate incidents throughout the day.

The most notable call out being when we were mobilised as part of a "make up" request for additional fire appliances at Paignton train station.

Upon our arrival, smoke and flames were still dramatically issuing from the building with numerous firefighting crews tackling the blaze whilst wearing BA (Breathing Apparatus).

Our crew was instructed to operate in sector 3, which was situated on the steam railway line side and included the footbridge and other buildings at risk. Our objective during this incident was to contain the fire and push back the flames within the sector. Our crews wore BA and utlised 51mm attack jets in order to beat back the flames and suppress the fire. We also used a variety of other tools including ceiling hooks and reciprocating saws to expose areas of the roof. This was done so that we could check for undetected fire spread and ensure the fire was out within our sector.

All the crews that attended worked tirelessly in hot, arduous conditions to bring the fire under control. Although now contained, at least one pump remains on scene to continue turning over the debris and ensuring all hot spots are knocked back and are fully extinguished.

We would like to extend a massive thank you to Gilpin Demolition Group for using their plant machinery to help us gain better access into the roof and for exposing areas of the building that were on fire for us. Their assistance without a doubt helped us limit the fire spread and therefore the overall damage caused. Welfare is always a really important part that keeps the firefighters going. This is why we would like to also thank Halletts the Bakers for supplying food donations through the incident for our crews. A separate thank you is also deserved for those who have sent us pictures of our crews hard at work.

Another one of the 4 call outs from today was a make pumps 4 incident for a separate large fire. This fire will be covered in a separate post, so for more info, please keep an eye out on our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CyeYrYG8i/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Totnes D&SFRS

A busy couple of days for the crews at Totnes Fire Station!

Over the last few days, our crews have been mobilised to incidents across South Devon, including a property fire in Plymouth, providing Incident Command Unit relief crews at the wildfire in Wembury, and today attending a significant fire at Paignton Railway Station.

On arrival at Paignton, crews were faced with a well-developed fire involving the station building. Working alongside firefighters from Paignton, Torquay, Newton Abbot and Brixham, as well as specialist command units from Honiton, our crew was assigned to Sector 1.

Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters removed sections of panelling to attack the fire from beneath, while colleagues in the Aerial Ladder Platform tackled the fire from above. Thankfully, Gilpin's Demolition Group were nearby and assisted by removing part of the roof, allowing crews to make a sustained attack using the ALP, hose reel jets and 51mm attack jets.

No sooner had we returned to Totnes this afternoon than Control mobilised us once again to a developing fire in the Cockington area of Torquay.

A huge thank you to all of the stations involved for their professionalism, teamwork and determination while working in arduous conditions. Finally, we'd also like to thank our families and our employers, whose continued support allows our on-call firefighters to respond whenever the community needs them.

Your support makes what we do possible.

#999 #emergencyservices #firefighting #emergency #totnes #devonandsomerset #bluelight #oncall #totnesfirestation https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DifF4exuw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

[CR165022]

For anyone interested it appears that Paignton will remain closed tomorrow (Wednesday 22nd) but in an interesting move (given that - as has been mentioned in this thread - the signalling and layout does not permit trains to turn back at Torquay) the Exmouth - Paignton services will indeed terminate at, and start back from, Torquay!

It seems that the schedule will be up to 3tph with services departing at various points past each hour: RealTimeTrains has this to give some idea:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:TQY/2026-07-22/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

I did wonder if someone had put in place emergency special working arrangements to allow one line to be worked in both directions (which would be interesting to see) but I have been told elsewhere that trains which arrive at Torquay will run empty to Paignton and cross-over before returning back to Torquay but for that they would have to use the platform at Paignton where the fire damage is so perhaps trains will be allowed access to at least part of Platform 2 at PGN.

Dave

There's now new services added for an hourly shuttle between Torquay and Newton Abbot all day, so presumably all those Exmouth services will start/terminate at Newton Abbot.

 

[dk1]

By the time Exeter resignalling was carried out in the mid-late 1980s, Torquay SB had already closed, with all pointwork and signals removed, leaving Torre as the sole block post between Aller Junction and Paignton North. Torre was typically open only on Summer Saturdays, being switched out at other times, and since the last sidings had been removed in 1969, retaining just a single trailing left-hand crossover. That was not equipped with FPLs and was signalled using shunting discs. The crossover survived until 1984.

Thank you. It does seem extremely shortsighted. At least these days resignalling schemes tend to be a little more flexible.

 

[Falcon1200]

I wonder why apart from cost (obvious really) that no turn back facility was provided at least from the down platform at Torquay. Seems very penny pinching but so very 1980/90s BR.

And because in normal circumstances all trains would run to and from Paignton, with no operational or traffic need to turn short at Torquay?

 

[TastyMaltesers]

From the GWR website;

No trains will run to Paignton on Wednesday 22nd July 2026.
The usual Exmouth to Paignton service will terminate at / start back from Newton Abbot.
We are running a limited shuttle train service between Newton Abbot and Torquay calling at Torre.
All trains will use Platform 1 at Torre and Torquay. (Platform 2 at both Torre and Torquay stations will not be used).

Implies some sort of emergency bi-directional line use with 1 train in section from Newton Abbot Jn to Torquay.

 

[RPI]

GWR journey check appears to think it will.

Trust me, @Jrocks is probably more in the know than journey check.

 

[DelW]

From the GWR website;



Implies some sort of emergency bi-directional line use with 1 train in section from Newton Abbot Jn to Torquay.

Discussed up-thread, the plan (if/when it happens) is for reversal at Paignton as normal, but running ECS each way between Torquay and Paignton.

(Please ignore, missed the significance of the platform numbers quoted).

 

[trainophile]

Are there RRBs in place for Paignton to Torquay? The bus station is just over the road so maybe there’s rail ticket validity on the regular buses.

 

[Warrior2852]

Are there RRBs in place for Paignton to Torquay? The bus station is just over the road so maybe there’s rail ticket validity on the regular buses.

Yes to both, per the NR disruption page:

Incident: Paignton | National Rail

No trains between Torquay and Paignton until the end of the day. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Rail replacement buses will run between Torquay and Paignton half hourly, departing at XX:00 and XX:30. These will show in online journey planners.

Your ticket can be used at no extra cost, in both directions on the following local Stagecoach bus routes:

Route 2: Exeter bus station, Starcross station, Dawlish Warren, Dawlish (The Green), Teignmouth, Newton Abbot (Sherborne Road)

Route 7: Dawlish Warren (Station), Dawlish (The Green), Teignmouth, Torquay (Riviera Centre)

Route 11: Dawlish Warren station, Dawlish (The Green), Teignmouth and Torquay (Riviera Centre)

Route 12: Newton Abbot station, Torre station, Torquay (Grand Hotel) and Paignton bus station

Route 22: Torquay (Strand) and Paignton bus station

Route 38: Exeter bus station, Marsh Barton, Ivybridge, Plymouth

Route 39: Exeter bus station, Marsh Barton, Newton Abbot (Sherborne Road)

Route C: Digby & Sowton (Park & Ride), Exeter (High Street), Exeter St Thomas, Marsh Barton

Routes A, E and P: Exeter (St Thomas), Exeter (High Street)

 

[John Luxton]

It has been reported that three teenagers have been arrested in connection with this incident.

"Three teens arrested after Paignton train station fire"​

"British Transport Police said the boys - aged 13, 15, and 16 - were arrested on Tuesday evening in Paignton and were taken into police custody for questioning. They have since been released on conditional bail."

Teens arrested after train station fire

The station remains shut today

www.devonlive.com

 

[Russel]

It has been reported that three teenagers have been arrested in connection with this incident.

"Three teens arrested after Paignton train station fire"​

"British Transport Police said the boys - aged 13, 15, and 16 - were arrested on Tuesday evening in Paignton and were taken into police custody for questioning. They have since been released on conditional bail."

Teens arrested after train station fire

The station remains shut today

www.devonlive.com

Always amuses me how quickly the various police forces can act when the case is high profile...

 

[John Luxton]

Always amuses me how quickly the various police forces can act when the case is high profile...

Quite early yesterday morning on social media quite a few were saying it was arson which seemed to be jumping to conclusion very quickly.

Perhaps the culprits were known and it wasn't difficult to track them down?

 

[TastyMaltesers]

Quite early yesterday morning on social media quite a few were saying it was arson which seemed to be jumping to conclusion very quickly.

Perhaps the culprits were known and it wasn't difficult to track them down?

As said yesterday, it was known to internal sources from the word go that it was arson. Perhaps the signaller caught them in the act?

 

[fairlie]

...and presumably the station has CCTV?

 

[SwindonManor]

As I first suspected a one track service

From the GWR website;



Implies some sort of emergency bi-directional line use with 1 train in section from Newton Abbot Jn to Torquay.

I hope they can preserve the station where possible but this will likely be very hard or impossible.

Due to a fire at a station at Paignton the line is closed. Disruption is expected until 23:59 24/07.

GWR website. Expects services by Friday.

 

[Crossover]

GWR website. Expects services by Friday.

Saturday, I would say, reading that

 

[voyagerdude220]

So what is happening? Dont just post that reply with no further detail. It isn't helpful.

I strongly agree with you. It's pointless stating something will or won't happen without any sort of supplementary reasoning behind your statement as to why you think it will/won't.

(Therefore I wouldn't pay any attention to any base less statements like that, regardless of who posted it and whether they have a reputation for being accurate or not.)

 

[SwindonManor]

Saturday, I would say, reading that

Well end of play friday/Saturday morning

 

[Sputnik89]

Always amuses me how quickly the various police forces can act when the case is high profile...

You just hear about it.

Meanwhile thousands of people arrested every day within minutes or hours of offences of levels of seriousness and you never hear a peep.

 

[dannyh73]

From their X account it sounds like GWR are planning to run a full branch line service between Newton Abbot and Torquay tomorrow

“From tomorrow, we plan to resume a full branch line service between Newton Abbot and Torquay; London Paddington services will terminate at Exeter St Davids, where customers can change onto connecting services.
Road replacement transport will continue to operate between Torquay and Paignton”

I’m due down on the charter from Southend to Kingswear on Saturday but that’s obviously dependent on being allowed through the station (and most likely not setting down) at the moment…

 

[sheff1]

Trust me, @Jrocks is probably more in the know than journey check.

So are the trains to/from Torquay, which NRE say are running, actually running or not ?

 

[Jrocks]

Today, trains have been shuttling between Newton and Torquay using the Down Torbay. This has included use of a Pilotman. This is not what people or Journey check was suggesting would happen last night.

Tomorrow, there should be a service, much like the one Journey check was illuding to last night. This is all subject to some final things overnight.

 

[Russel]

Today, trains have been shuttling between Newton and Torquay using the Down Torbay. This has included use of a Pilotman. This is not what people or Journey check was suggesting would happen last night.

Tomorrow, there should be a service, much like the one Journey check was illuding to last night. This is all subject to some final things overnight.

What does the pilotman do?

 

[edwin_m]

What does the pilotman do?

Pilotman is like a human single line token. They travel in the cab of each train (unless there are two in the same direction, which won't apply here) as confirmation that there is no other train in the section.

 

[D6130]

What does the pilotman do?

Acts as a human single line tokens to prevent more than one train from occupying the temporary single line section at the same time.

 

[dk1]

Acts as a human single line tokens to prevent more than one train from occupying the temporary single line section at the same time.

Such an everyday thing for anyone railway but I suppose alien for normals.

 

[Russel]

Pilotman is like a human single line token. They travel in the cab of each train (unless there are two in the same direction, which won't apply here) as confirmation that there is no other train in the section.

Acts as a human single line tokens to prevent more than one train from occupying the temporary single line section at the same time.

Thanks both, interesting to hear!

 

[Kentish RYS]

Thanks both, interesting to hear!

In case anyone want to see a detailed explanation of Pilotman Working being used in the 1950s (still generally similar but obvious differences, no Station Master Involvement and the interaction of the Pilotman, Signaller & Handsignallers is different and form done by Phone, not sent around IIRC, I'm not Mainline Operations Staff) this is a British Transport Films Video called Single Line Working* that has been uploaded to YouTube that is a staff instructional film.

* As someone said in one of the Paignton threads that Single line Working is working of Normally One Direction Lines incase of engineering work, accidents, etc. Whereas Working of Single Lines is the way in which a Bidirectional Single line is worked normally

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I note all trains between Newton abbot and Paignton cancelled, is there no suitable turning points in the Torquay area for the local trains to turn at?

Nearest I would have thought would be Torre. Is that a single platform, I haven't been down to Torbay for good five years?

Other than that the nearest is Newton Abbot, which would make sense as buses to Torbay pass the station front, would be more problematic at Paignton due to the bus station being across the road from the railway station.