The Southern Railway, and later British Railways’ Southern Region, extended its reach into Devon and Cornwall, competing with the Great Western Railway. The main line served Exeter and Plymouth and named trains such as the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’ and the ‘Devon Belle’ took holidaymakers to the coastal resorts, including Padstow, Bude and Ilfracombe. In addition, a network of lines served smaller locations in the two counties. Many of these lines were closed in the 1960s, during the Beeching era, and earlier BR’s Western Region had taken over the Southern’s lines in Devon and Cornwall west of Exeter.

With a wealth of fascinating period photographs, railway historian Robert Hendry documents the changing face of the railways on these lines, from the days of the Southern Railway into BR’s ownership.