The South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA) is the regional film archive for the South West of England. Established in 1993, SWFTA's core collection comprises of the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and TSW (Television South West). The archive also cares for a significant number of donated film collections, both amateur and professional, dating back to the early 1900s.
This film is part of Free
Bicton Woodland Railway
Bicton Woodland Railway reopens to passengers for the summer season
From the collection of:
Overview
The Bicton Woodland Railway (BWR) is a family attraction set in woodland in Bicton Park. It is an 18-inch small gauge railway with a route set around the 18th Century landscaped grounds of Bicton House in East Budleigh. The line was built in 1962 with two locomotives the Woolwich and the Carnegie coming from the Ministry of Defence's Royal Arsenal Railway in Woolwich. Opening to passengers in 1963 BWR is the first 18-inch gauge leisure line passenger railway in the UK.
In 1998 Bicton Park was put up for sale and the two steam locomotives sold in favour of a diesel-powered replica engine, the Sir Walter Raleigh. The steam trains went to the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey. Bicton Park is located within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In 1735 Henry Rolle laid out plans for the formal Italian Gardens and James Veitch had the Monkey Puzzle Avenue planted in 1842. Bicton Park has an English Heritage Grade 1 landscape listing. Bicton Farm Institute was founded in 1947 when Devon County Council leased part of the estate. In 1967 it became Bicton College of Agriculture and in 2002 Bicton College working with Plymouth University.