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The station is the headquarters of the Railway. All main departments are based here - Operating, Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Signal & Telegraph and Administration.
The Station was first opened in 1874 when the Railway was extended to the town from Watchet. Part of the original station building exists along with the Goods Shed (which is now part the Locomotive Shed).
The station has been extended at least twice and now it houses the main offices of the present Company and the Retail Outlet "Buffer Stop". The platforms are probably the longest on any preserved railway and can accommodate a sixteen coach train plus locomotive!
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• Minehead and surrounding area...
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Minehead is situated on the coast under the spectacular North Hill. The history of the town can be traced back to prehistoric times, and until the last century, it was a small fishing village. The name Minehead is thought to be derived from the Welsh "mynedd" meaning mountain.
After the Railway was opened in 1874, the number of visitors increased, and the town expanded to meet the demand. In the 1960s, Billy Butlin's Holiday Camp opened, built on reclaimed grazing marshes, along Warren Road, and it became the largest of its type in the country. It is said that, when full, the population of Minehead is doubled! Despite the influx of visitors, there are many quiet places in Minehead, many woodland walks and wonderful views everywhere.
The Harbour has a lifeboat station, sea fishing trips, Bristol Channel cruises and old cannons on Quayside.
Old thatched cottages can be seen along Quay Street, one of the oldest parts of the town.
The church that so dominates the hillside above the seafront, is St Michael's Church, dating from the 14th century, linked to the lower town by a steep footpath, Church Steps, between more thatched cottages, with super views over the town.
Blenheim Gardens, right in the middle of town, boasts a bandstand, a cafe and putting green, with concerts during summer weekends.
The town centre has a wide range of shops, cafes, restaurants and the Regal Theatre.
Quirkes Almshouse, presented to the town in 1630, can be found in Market House Lane.
Aquasplash, in Seaward Way, is an indoor leisure pool with fun features, spa and fitness centre.
Butlin's, on the seafront, is a large entertainment complex open to day visitors, with a funfair, cinema, go karts, bowling alley, leisure pool and live music.
North Hill dominates the backdrop, rising steeply from the shoreline, with a nature reserve and spectacular views over the Bristol Chanel and Exmoor, also a camp site and picnic areas.
The seafront and beach have benefited from a new sea wall with improved access to the beach for disabled visitors and families with pushchairs, Amusements, takeways and a cafeteria line the front. The bathing water at Minehead meets EU requirements for quality.
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Minehead Station
