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Location notes
A reasonably busy station (albeit 7 miles from the town it gets it's name), Tiverton Parkway is a 1980's built, 2 platform station located on the Great Western Main Line between Taunton and Exeter.
Railway type and traffic
Tiverton Parkway (3 letter code TVP) is a fairly busy main line station, with approximately 2 - 3 trains per hour in each direction. All trains have to pass through the station, with most passenger trains stopping, services are operated by Cross Country Voyagers, FGW and Cross Country HSTs, plus a variety of FGW DMUs (mainly 150 and 153, with 143s putting in very occasional appearances). There are also sparse freight movements through the station, invariably operated by Class 66s, currently including a Colas log train. Network Rail test trains come through fairly often.
Environment
The station is fairly busy, although most people are generally very pleasant, the station seems to have very little disturbance/anti social behaviour, and is staffed until about 22:30, staff are very considerate towards rail enthusiasts, indeed at least 1 member of the staff is an enthusiast himself! The station has a warm waiting area where the trains can be easily observed.
Road directions
The station is about a mile off of Junction 27 of the M5, the station is very well signposted from the M5, it is also well signposted from the A361 Barnstaple - M5 link road, which joins up with Junction 27 of the M5.
There are a few short stay free car parking spots at the front of the station, these are well into single figures now, with a lot of the adjoining spaces being for disabled use. There are usually plenty of spaces in the two main car parks, although parking is �4.20 after 10:00 in the cheaper of the two... Some people do park on the generous road that leads to the station, is is not recommended however, with the 'authorities' cracking down on this practice.There are a few short stay free car parking spots at the front of the station, these are well into single figures now, with a lot of the adjoining spaces being for disabled use.
Public transport
Frequent train services from London, Bristol, Taunton, Birmingham and the north operate on the down, with fast and semi fast services operating from Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance, plus a lot of other places in Devon and Cornwall. There are hourly bus services from Tiverton, Cullompton and Exeter on the No. 1 Stagecoach service, do bear in mind that these services finish in the early evening, with the last service in each direction being at about 18:30.
Decent toilets are available on the station, plus there is a very well stocked small independent shop called 'Parkway Pantry' in the main station building, this is open until about 18:00, there are also vending machines offering confectionery and hot drinks on the station. There are two pubs and a post office in the nearby village of Sampford Peverell, this about a 15 minute walk from the station (WARNING: there are few pavements and it is unlit between the station and Sampford Peverell).
Accommodation
There is a B&B in Sampford Peverell, and a Travelodge at the nearby motorway services (M5 J27)
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin: It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Tiverton Parkway
The sun can inhibit pictures taken towards the South and East in the Morning, and the West in the late afternoon/evening. Both up and down trains are equally visible, the footbridge is rather uninspiring, and does tend to inflict itself on pictures taken of stationary trains, a road overbridge on the north end of the station can spoil some pictures of taken from the platform ends in that direction, although a good zoom should remedy this. 2 interesting angles are available here, vegetation clearing from around a lake on the station access road has created an angle of southbound trains that was not previously available, there is also a position from a grassy area in front of the short term parking area in front of the station that give some interesting angles of stationary trains, although some railings have to be overcome, or incorporated into your picture. Videographers have it good at this station, with some low level traffic noise from the nearby motorway the only real concern, but this has never affected me.
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