Nestled in the River Barle valley, the former Dulverton Station holds a history etched not just in its weathered bricks and iron tracks, but also in moments of human tragedy.
One such incident, forever ingrained in local memory, is the 1935 railway accident that claimed three lives.
According to Freddie Huxtable, a local railway historian and author of "The Taunton to Barnstaple Line, a History of the Devon & Somerset Railway," the accident stands out as the most devastating on the line.
"It involved a young woman, Mrs Thomas, her son, and a man named Albert Tarr," Mr Huxtable recounts.
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Mrs Thomas, having disembarked from the Exe Valley train laden with shopping bags from Tiverton, opted to use the barrow crossing near the porter's hut instead of the footbridge.
Tragically, fate intervened. Mr Huxtable said: "At the same time a train was approaching from Barnstaple." Further compounding the situation was the fact that Albert Tarr, who was waiting for his own train to East Anstey, was deaf and mute.
Mr Huxtable describes Mr Tarr's selfless act. He said: "Unable to shout a warning, he physically tried to push them out of harm's way." This valiant effort, however, proved futile. "All three were tragically wiped out."
Mr Huxtable described it as 'awful', expressing sympathy for the driver who had to witness such a horrific scene.
While Mr Huxtable refrained from dwelling on the graphic details of other incidents, he acknowledges that there have been "one or two other small incidences of drivers getting injured." These events, he adds, are documented in his book.
The Exe Valley line closed in October 1963, while Dulverton station closed with the Taunton - Barnstaple line in October 1966.
