Summary
Digby and Sowton railway station is on the Avocet Line in Devon, England.
Digby and Sowton  | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Digby, Exeter England |
| Coordinates | 50°42′50″N 3°28′26″W / 50.714°N 3.474°W |
| Grid reference | SX960914 |
| Managed by | Great Western Railway |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | DIG |
| Classification | DfT category F1 |
| History | |
| Original company | Railtrack |
| Key dates | |
| 23 May 1995 | Opened |
| Passengers | |
| 2018/19 |  0.666 million |
| 2019/20 |  0.624 million |
| 2020/21 | 0.299 million |
| 2021/22 | 0.570 million |
| 2022/23 | 0.891 million |
| Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road | |
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History edit
A small station known as Clyst St Mary and Digby Halt was opened by the London and South Western Railway on 1 June 1908 to serve Clyst St Mary and Digby Hospital. The 120 foot (37 m) long platforms were built from old railway sleepers. It was closed by the new British Railways on 27 September 1948.[1]
The present Digby and Sowton station, which was constructed at a cost of £700,000, was funded by Devon County Council and Tesco Stores Limited as part of an initiative to reduce traffic congestion in Exeter.[2] Construction began on 9 November 1994 and it opened on 23 May 1995.[3] It is situated about 380 yards (350 m) south of the site of the old station to serve new housing on the site of the now closed psychiatric hospital, and also a light industrial estate at nearby Sowton.
The station was operated by Wessex Trains, until 31 March 2006 when First Great Western (renamed Great Western Railway in 2015) took over the franchise.
Facilities edit
In 2009, it was included in a two-year scheme to improve local railway stations. Shelter space for passengers was doubled, better surface and lighting was installed, and a new footpath was created.[4] The cycle network connecting stations along the Avocet Line from Exmouth to Exeter, including the Digby and Sowton station, was improved.[4] The station is unstaffed[4] and an automated ticket machine sells tickets for immediate travel. As a result of this, the station is part of a new Penalty Fare Zone, where passengers could be charged a £20 penalty fare if a ticket is not purchased, prior to joining the train.
Location edit
The station serves the Sowton Industrial Estate via a long foot/cycle path that runs along the railway line and the housing estates around the former Digby Hospital through a step free access bridge, with divided sections for cycles and pedestrians. The station is also a short walk to/from the Sandy Park rugby ground, the home of the Exeter Chiefs.
Passenger volume edit
There has been considerable growth in passenger usage of Digby & Sowton. During the twelve months ended March 2003, over 120,000 people used the station, and this doubled within five years.[5] In 2009, over 275,000 passengers used the rail station, making it one of the busiest unstaffed railway stations in the area.[4][needs update]
| 2002-03 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entries | 60,818 | 68,208 | 78,811 | 101,063 | 125,299 |
| Exits | 59,687 | 66,596 | 77,011 | 100,891 | 122,153 |
| Total | 120,505 | 134,804 | 155,822 | 201,954 | 247,452 |
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.
Services edit
The station is served by all trains on the Avocet Line between Exmouth, Exeter St Davids and Paignton.
| Preceding station |  National Rail
|
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polsloe Bridge | Great Western Railway Avocet Line |
Newcourt | ||
References edit
- ^ Oakley, Mike (2007). Devon Railway Stations. Wimbourne: The Dovecote Press. ISBN 978-1-904349-55-6.
- ^ Abbott, James, ed. (July 1995). "Three new stations in summer timetable". Modern Railways. 52 (562): 388.
- ^ Maggs, Colin G. (1997) [1980]. The Exeter and Exmouth Railway. Locomotion Papers. Usk: Oakwood Press. p. 41. ISBN 0-85361-430-X. LP203.
- ^ a b c d "Exeter rail station wins revamp cash". Express & Echo. 20 August 2009. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013.
- ^ "Station Usage". Rail Statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
External links edit
- Train times and station information for Digby and Sowton railway station from National Rail