Platform One

Shopping in Dartmouth today. In 1864, the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway (part of South Devon Railway), took the unusual step of connecting Dartmouth to the railway network via a ferry service from Kingswear station on the opposite side of the River Dart. Building the local railway line had thrown up numerous problems, due to difficult terrain (including marshland) and the need for tunnels and viaducts. Extending that line by building a bridge across the Dart would've been too challenging from both a financial and practical perspective. So the railway company put its faith in passenger ferries instead. Victorian Dartmouth found itself in a unique position: it was officially part of the region's railway network, but its station featured a floating landing stage rather than platforms and was reached by river not track! Dartmouth railway station was certainly distinctive, and yet passengers were able to take advantage of the same kind of ticket-booking and parcel-processing services offered by any typical station at the time. Once the original, simple structure was replaced by a more suitable building in 1890, they had access to a proper booking office and waiting facilities too. The station was popular with Dartmouth's residents and visitors alike. Also, during the First and Second World Wars, special train and ferry services helped to ensure that members of the armed forces could easily reach Britannia Royal Naval College.

The railway station served Dartmouth well, not closing its doors to passengers until 1972, when the railway to Kingswear became a heritage line. At that point, the building was purchased by a local family, who reopened it as the Station Restaurant. In 2018, Dartmouth railway station was transformed again, becoming the Platform 1 Champagne Bar & Restaurant. Its vintage exterior, complete with original railway signs, is complemented by a crisp, modern interior. The clientele sip Pol Roger champagne while drinking in the panoramic view of the Dart and surrounding area.

I have only been in when it served tea. I know my place.