TRAIN services between Newton Abbot and Paignton resumed this morning following a huge fire.

Great Western Railway and Network Rail said the station was to reopen a week after the blaze caused significant damage to the station building and surrounding railway infrastructure.

Local stopping trains between Paignton and Newton Abbot resumed this morning.

But fire damage means the platform will remain temporarily closed to nine carriage Intercity Express Trains that provide direct services between Paignton and London Paddington.

Long-distance services will continue to start and terminate at Exeter St Davids or Newton Abbot until further notice.

Temporary ticketing facilities will also be put in place following damage to the former ticket office, however these will not be in place immediately.

Customers can buy an electronic ticket on the GWR app or should speak to staff on board. The car park also remains closed to cars.

GWR Business Assurance Director Joe Graham said:

‘After seeing the extent of the damage last Tuesday evening, getting services running to Paignton within a week felt like a really ambitious target.

‘It has only been possible because of the huge effort from Network Rail and GWR colleagues working together and I'm delighted services will resume tomorrow.

‘The station will not yet be fully open while repair work continues.

‘We are sorry for the disruption caused to passengers and the wider community, and we are grateful for their patience and understanding.

‘We would also like to thank Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Devon and Cornwall Police, British Transport Police and Torbay Council for the exceptional support they have provided throughout their response.’

All temporary facilities have been assessed to ensure they meet disability access requirements, and updated fire safety and evacuation plans and signage are in place ahead of reopening.

Route infrastructure engineer for Network Rail’s Great Western Route, Daniel Parkes, said: ‘Reopening Paignton station to train services one week after such a significant fire is a remarkable achievement and reflects the dedication of colleagues across the railway who have worked tirelessly to make this possible.

'The fire caused extensive damage to the station building, and while passengers will be able to travel to and from Paignton tomorrow, work to fully rebuild parts of the station will continue for some time. In the meantime, alternative arrangements for entering and exiting the station will be in place, via the car park.

‘We know how important Paignton station is to the local community and to visitors – especially at such a busy time of the year – so restoring services as swiftly and as safely as possible has been our priority.

‘We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we worked to achieve this and will update the community on the rebuilding work as soon as we’re able to share more about the anticipated timescales for these repairs.’