Torbay Express
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Torbay Express is a named passenger train operating in the United Kingdom.
The Torbay Express departs from Bristol Temple Meads railway station on summer Sundays at approximately 09:15 with arrival back in Bristol at about 20:10 (depending on the route).
Torbay Pullman
The Torbay Express was a named train run by the Great Western Railway between Paddington and Kingswear, with a departure time from Paddington of 11:50. Originally the down train also included a slip portion for Ilfracombe, this being detached at Taunton.[1] The departure time from London was changed to 12 noon before the First World War and continued at the same time until after World War II although the slip portion had ceased by 1918.[2]
From 1961 the train, now the 12:30 from Paddington, split at Exeter St Davids with the other portion continuing to Plymouth, and in 1967 the name was dropped from the daily service and applied to a separate train running on Saturdays only and departing from Paddington at 10:50.[2] In 1983 the name was again applied to a daily service when, in the summer timetable, the 9:20 Paddington to Paignton and 12:55 return had the name applied.[2]
In addition to the Torbay Express, in the summer of 1929 the GWR introduced an all-Pullman train leaving Paddington at 11:00 and arriving at Paignton at 12:25. The eight coach formation was then prepared for the return departure at 16:30. The service was not a commercial success and ceased in 1930.[2]
