Paignton station footbridge on fire 21/07/26

[Russel]

Went down Saturday morning 25 July 2026 at 100hrs and 1700hrs to see out the Kingswear-Southend tour train. The dry weather has meant the tour trains in the last few weeks have not picked up a steam locomotive at Taunton.

Notices were up today and three station staff were sitting at a table behind the wire fence. All staff gone at 1700hrs. No work being carried on at the station or the demolition opposite. Gilpen don't work weekends. I suppose that's why Tuesday is the mooted date for reopening to the public. No rush down here. No priority. There is still a smell of acrid smoke in the air.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Jul 2026 ==

From today

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Thanks for the up to date photos, it seems the damage could have been much worse.

 

[MarkyT]

In a local Facebook group, someone posted an interior photo of a railway telecoms cable cabinet on the platform in the vicinity of the fire.

The damage was considerable, with terminal blocks and cable insulation melted and misshapen, and much smoke blackening.

Phones and some data comms may be down, but as Paignton is locally controlled, there's no remote control telemetry coming in via these types of cables, as is the case at other interlockings nearby that are remotely controlled by Exeter, such as Totnes.

Paignton interlocking, situated well away from the fire near Sands Road crossing, seems to be working fairly normally, suggesting the signalling circuits are all or mostly routed away from the fire site and have escaped damage.

 

[REVUpminster]

The station is expected to open tomorrow. The car park is closed today, but after it already filled up. Access will be via the car park and a portacabin ticket office is being brought down (forgot where the chap said it was coming from) although might not be open tomorrow.

The trains are going to pull up the far end of platform.

 

[Russel]

The station is expected to open tomorrow. The car park is closed today, but after it already filled up. Access will be via the car park and a portacabin ticket office is being brought down (forgot where the chap said it was coming from) although might not be open tomorrow.

The trains are going to pull up the far end of platform.

Has there been any indication on how long repairs will take to the footbridge/canopy?

 

[brad465]

The trains are going to pull up the far end of platform.

If this is required does that mean trains above a certain length will not be allowed to call there? This would certainly rule out 9-car IETs if true and possibly also 5-car ones depending on the limit (the local services usually being 2-4 car).

 

[Haywain]

I note that trains have today been running ECS from Torquay to Paignton and back in order to achieve (relatively) normal operations.

 

[RPI]

I know that a temporary ticket office is being installed this week by the side entrance.

 

[REVUpminster]

I note that trains have today been running ECS from Torquay to Paignton and back in order to achieve (relatively) normal operations.

Been doing that since last Thursday and Intercity trains terminating at Exeter.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jul 2026 ==

I know that a temporary ticket office is being installed this week by the side entrance.

Not the side entrance by the taxi rank but in the car park by the entrance they use at the air-show. The car park will be closed. Sign up today.

 

[dk1]

Local passenger services resumed with 2T06 arriving Paignton at 07:53 this morning.

 

[REVUpminster]

Local passenger services resumed with 2T06 arriving Paignton at 07:53 this morning.

I wonder if it was to coincide with the staff working hours.


175003 came down just before it on it's training run. The earlier diagrams still ran empty Torquay-Paignton-Torquay.

 

[Sporty60]

Surprising that XC and Paddington trains are not serving Torre and Torquay yet, unless perhaps they can't use Goodrington sidings where they often rest up,

If this is required does that mean trains above a certain length will not be allowed to call there? This would certainly rule out 9-car IETs if true and possibly also 5-car ones depending on the limit (the local services usually being 2-4 car).

They are very well used services especially around this date.

 

[CR165022]

Surprising that XC and Paddington trains are not serving Torre and Torquay yet, unless perhaps they can't use Goodrington sidings where they often rest up,


They are very well used services especially around this date.

It's more that they would only have half of the platform to use at Paignton. The GWR ones overhang anyway but it's not exactly ideal to only have access to half of the train. And XC would overhang too and they don't have SDO

 

[REVUpminster]

I note the Hull-Paignton train came into platform 1. Looking at the dwell times at Torquay forward and return they must have chucked the passengers out there; unless the station staff unlocked the gate on platform 1 at Paignton.

Paignton is packed with visitors. The funfair is doing well. the circus, smaller tent than usual, is setting up to open Friday. Last Sunday's classic car show was packed. Motorcycles every Wednesday evening does well.

 

[Russel]

I note the Hull-Paignton train came into platform 1. Looking at the dwell times at Torquay forward and return they must have chucked the passengers out there; unless the station staff unlocked the gate on platform 1 at Paignton.

Paignton is packed with visitors. The funfair is doing well. the circus, smaller tent than usual, is setting up to open Friday. Last Sunday's classic car show was packed. Motorcycles every Wednesday evening does well.

As grotty as certain parts are, Paignton certainly still draws in the tourists over the summer.

 

[CR165022]

I note the Hull-Paignton train came into platform 1. Looking at the dwell times at Torquay forward and return they must have chucked the passengers out there; unless the station staff unlocked the gate on platform 1 at Paignton.

I don't see why they'd even need to close platform 1 when passengers can just head down the ramp to the high street instead of going over the bridge to leave the station?

 

[REVUpminster]

I don't see why they'd even need to close platform 1 when passengers can just head down the ramp to the high street instead of going over the bridge to leave the station?

It's been locked ever since the fire.

 

[dk1]

As grotty as certain parts are, Paignton certainly still draws in the tourists over the summer.

Certainly does. The now enlarged Wetherspoons once again struggles to cope. Large hotel chains popping up both here and at nearby Torquay.

 

[REVUpminster]

Certainly does. The now enlarged Wetherspoons once again struggles to cope. Large hotel chains popping up both here and at nearby Torquay.

Torbay does have six theatres; only one in Paignton and they have some good shows. Two multiplex cinemas and with five new hotels and another proposed at Torquay on the Debenhams site at the harbourside have upped the quality of hotel which was always a criticism.

You have to time Wetherspoons between the cheap afternoon offers and the free street parking at 6pm.

Paignton and Torbay was killed when Paignton lost 5000 jobs overnight when Nortel closed in 2008. It's taken 10 years before sign of recovery and becoming a commuter town for Exeter.

 

[dk1]

You have to time Wetherspoons between the cheap afternoon offers and the free street parking at 6pm.

I would never be in a car in Torbay or Devon for that matter. Always use rail and very occasionally bus.

 

[REVUpminster]

This fire might bring forward Torbay's regeneration plans for the area which include new station building with flats above on the station car park. A new multi-story carpark behind the library on council and railway land.

 

[RPI]

This fire might bring forward Torbay's regeneration plans for the area which include new station building with flats above on the station car park. A new multi-story carpark behind the library on council and railway land.

A cynic would say it's all very convenient, thankfully, I'm not a cynic.....

 

[REVUpminster]

A cynic would say it's all very convenient, thankfully, I'm not a cynic.....

Children do anything for a Happy Meal.

I may have already posted this.

 

[TastyMaltesers]

There's now a level crossing failure at Paignton and once again no trains are able to access Paignton station.

 

[REVUpminster]

I've just come back from Paignton and they were expecting the xcountry until the level crossing failure as there is enough platform for a five car train.

There are two platform 2 entrances. The portacabin did not arrive and is expected today.

 

[sharpener]

I would never be in a car in Torbay or Devon for that matter. Always use rail and very occasionally bus.

+1 to that.

It's my least favourite place to drive, what with the hilly terrain, restricted parking and a maze-like one-way system that even satnav finds hard to cope with.

Paignton and Torbay was killed when Paignton lost 5000 jobs overnight when Nortel closed in 2008.

Went on a site visit to Plessey/STC as I think it then was by train decades ago, the HST failed on the return and I recall waiting ages at Exeter while they brought a coupling adaptor from somewhere ?Newton Abbot.

 

[Lucan]

I don't see why they'd even need to close platform 1 when passengers can just head down the ramp to the high street instead of going over the bridge to leave the station?

It's been locked ever since the fire.

Being locked could be solved with the turn of a key. I believe the OP was asking if there were any better reasons for closing it.

 

[REVUpminster]

I suppose they don't trust that pieces of wood or roof will not fall from the footbridge. Maybe engineers think the steel frame maybe too weak to just replace the wooden flooring.

No part of platform 2 under a canopy is in use.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jul 2026 ==

Terrific drone video here; must have been last Saturday. Fire damage at Paignton station and departure of the Kingwear-Southend tour train. Good view of Happy Valley sidings owned by the steam railway and views of Paignton in the vicinity of the railway.

 

[MarkyT]

Terrific drone video here; must have been last weekend. Good view of Happy Valley sidings owned by the steam railway.

At the end, it shows how busy Torbay Road level crossing is currently, with pedestrians as usual in the summer, but also with motor vehicles due to all the town centre gyratory traffic being diverted via the seafront around the demolition site.

 

[Russel]

I would never be in a car in Torbay or Devon for that matter. Always use rail and very occasionally bus.

Indeed, we visit Devon most summers for a week, camping in Dawlish, as soon as we turn the engine off on arrival, the car doesn't move until it's time to go home.

The trains along the sea wall are too good not to use, we did do the bus from Paignton to Dawlish a few years ago and vowed to never do it again, it took an age due to serving every housing estate in South Devon, or at least that's how it felt at the time!

 

[D6130]

it took an age due to serving every hosing estate in South Devon, or at least that's how it felt at the time!

At least with the current drought restrictions there'll be no hosing going on in those estates!