Seaton Junction Station

Seaton Junction Railway Station is four miles from Seaton in Devon. It was formally known as the Colyton Junction.

Because of the challenging terrain between Salisbury and Exeter made it difficult for the main line to serve several important towns near its path. Branch lines were constructed to serve them, in many cases promoted by local interests. Most of the branch lines made a junction with the main line at a remote location away from towns, which reduced the commercial effectiveness of the route.

The Seaton branch was constructed by the Seaton and Beer Railway Company. It opened on 16 March 1868 from Colyton Junction with intermediate stations at Colyton Town, Colyford and Seaton. The line was leased by the London & South Western Railway from 1 January 1880 and absorbed by it on 1 January 1888 as goods traffic declined in favour of tourism. The L&SWR was incorporated into the Southern Railway in 1923, and in its heyday the line's motive power was provided by M7 Tank locomotives, with through coaches coupled to Waterloo-bound trains at Seaton Junction.

Seaton Junction Station was rebuilt in 1928 with four tracks, the platforms being served by loops.

British Railways closed the Seaton to Seaton Junction branch line as part of the Beeching cuts in March 1966. After the removal of passenger services the signal-box was closed and the line was singled. All the track on the down side being recovered. Lines on the up side were retained to serve the Express Dairies creamery and these connected to the single line at the Exeter end.

The station buildings still remain on the Up side and a long concrete footbridge carries a public path across the line.