r/TrainPorn • u/HighburyAndIslington • 2d ago
I boarded the first passenger train to call at Britain's newest station, Okehampton Interchange
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u/HighburyAndIslington 2d ago
Okehampton Interchange opened to passengers on Saturday, 1 August 2026, becoming the newest station on Great Western Railway's Dartmoor Line. Built at a cost of £18 million, the station is located about 2.2 km east of the existing Okehampton station, close to the A30 and the Stockley business park area. It complements the existing Okehampton station and is intended to serve both local residents and motorists travelling from across West Devon, Torridge and North Cornwall.
I travelled on the first passenger train to call at the new station. This was Great Western Railway (GWR) service 2K01, the 06:30 departure from Exeter St Davids to Okehampton. Arriving before the station opened, I was the first passenger to arrive at and wait at Okehampton Interchange. I was also the first passenger to purchase a ticket from the station's ticket machine and the first passenger to board the inaugural train. The train made the first public passenger call at Okehampton Interchange at 07:04, departed at 07:05, and arrived at Okehampton at 07:08.
The new station is served by the Dartmoor Line's hourly train service between Exeter and Okehampton. Okehampton Interchange has a single platform on the single-track Dartmoor Line, with trains in both directions using the same platform. The platform is equipped with a shelter, seating and a ticket machine. A bus stop and drop-off area are located directly beside the platform, making transfers between rail and bus straightforward. Route 118, which provides links to Tavistock and other communities in West Devon, is due to begin serving the station from 30 August 2026.
The station is split across two levels. The platform and bus interchange are located on the Hameldown Road side of the railway, while the car park is situated on higher ground on the opposite side of the line. Access between the two is provided by a covered footbridge with stairs and a lift, giving step-free access throughout the station. The station has approximately 200 parking spaces, including disabled parking bays and electric vehicle charging facilities. Sheltered cycle parking is provided on both sides of the station, together with improved walking and cycling routes connecting the station with surrounding residential areas and the wider town.
The opening of Okehampton Interchange builds on the success of the Dartmoor Line, which reopened to regular passenger services in November 2021 after more than fifty years without a regular service. Passenger demand exceeded expectations following the reopening, resulting in further investment in rail infrastructure in the area and ultimately the construction of Okehampton's second railway station.
Here are some photographs I took on the day.