No station was provided between Starcross and Dawlish until the summer of 1905 when Warren Halt was opened by the Great Western Railway. This was not on the site of the present station, but nearer to the Sea Wall by the footbridge which had been built across the line in 1873. The original long platforms were lengthened to for the next summer to allow longer trains to call. From 1 July 1907the station was provided with offices and staff and was therefore renamed Warren Platform. It received its final name of "Dawlish Warren" on 1 October 1911. Work soon started on a new station. A goods yard was opened on 10 June 1912 on the landward side of the line, and the new station, now nearer to Starcross, was opened to passengers on 23 September 1912. The platforms were now long. The building on the 'Down' platform was destroyed by fire on 9 January 1924. Bristol In 1935 a camp coach was stationed in the goods yard which could be rented by holiday makers but the facility was withdrawn in 1939. Camping coaches were reintroduced by the Western Region in 1952, and by 1963 there were nine coaches stationed here. After 1964 the public camp coach service was withdrawn but the coaches at Dawlish Warren continued to be managed by the British Rail Staff Association for its members. The old coaches were replaced for the 1982 season by the current vehicles, since when the connection to the goods yard has been removed. The Great Western Railway was nationalised into British Railways on 1 January 1948. Goods traffic was withdrawn on 5 August 1967 and on 3 May 1971 the station became unstaffed. From 1974 to 1984 the buildings on the Up side housed the Dawlish Warren Railway Museum with its model railway. This building too burnt down in 2003, but in 2007 a new residential building was built on the site which is outwardly the same design as the former Dawlish Warren signal box. This had been located at the north end of the 'Down' platform until made redundant on 14 November 1986 by the West of England resignalling; it was demolished in May 1990.
Description
There are four tracks through the station with platforms on the outer pair which allows fast trains to overtake trains stopped at the station. Trains towards Dawlish use the platform nearest the beach, which is only a few yards away. The station has step-free access to both platforms. A narrow and low bridge beneath the line immediately south of the station allows access between the platforms. Behind the platform used by trains towards Paignton is a golf course and the salt marsh and dunes that make up the Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve.
Services
Dawlish Warren is served by Great Western Railway trains in both directions on an approximately hourly basis during the day. Most trains run between Exmouth and Paignton; on Sundays the service is less frequent and most trains only run between Exeter St Davids and Paignton. The route from Exeter St Davids through Dawlish Warren to Paignton is marketed as the "Riviera Line". A few trains run between Bristol & & points west, otherwise passengers travelling east or north change into main line trains at Exeter St Davids or at Newton Abbot if travelling westwards. The outside lines can accommodate an eight-carriage Great Western Railway service, but only selected doors are able to open due to the short platform. CrossCountry trains between the north east and south west pass through Dawlish Warren without stopping, except for 2 northbound services in the morning and 1 southbound service in the afternoon on summer Saturdays only as of the May 2015 timetable. During the weekday timetable, only one direct train from London Paddington calls at Dawlish Warren. This service is the 17:33 London Paddington to Paignton service calling at Dawlish Warren at 20:38. On Summer Saturdays there are three direct services from London Paddington to Paignton calling at Dawlish Warren with three return services. On Sundays there are no services to/from London, passengers to/from London have to change at Exeter St Davids.
