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Newton Abbot Railway History, GWR Museum, Newton Abbot, South Devon UK
Newton Abbot sits conveniently at the head of the pretty Teign Estuary, with easy access to both Dartmoor National Park and Torquay and the English Riviera. Newton Abbot, as you'll discover, is a bit of a cross-roads hence the heavy traffic on-route down to Torquay or back up to Dartmoor. Persevere through this though and you'll discover a friendly and busy market town, with a renowned livestock market.
Newton Abbot is particularly famous for two tourist attractions - the superb Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum, a journey through Devon's railway heritage, and Tuckers Maltings which is the only working malthouse in the UK and it's open to the public!
Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum
The railway was crucial to the growth of market town Newton Abbot, so it is fitting that the superb GWR Railway Heritage Museum should be located here. Journey through the history of the Great Western Railway. There are many revived steam railways back up and running in South Devon including the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, and you can learn more about these historic railways here at this museum. Hear social history commentary from people who worked on the Great Western, and marvel at the many artefacts and memorbillia here at this important GWR Railway Museum.
There's a local history focus as well, as Newton Abbot seems to have attracted rather a few characters. Of particular note is the collection of Aller Vale pottery, oil paintings and water colours. Railway heritage enthusiasts and South Devon holiday visitors alike will love it, and it's Free entrance! The social history recordings of people who were either passengers or who worked on the Great Western Railway are especially fascinating, called 'Steam Stories'. You can't beat a bit or oral history to bring history alive. There's a well preserved signal box here as well!
Open Mon-Thurs, 10am-4pm, Fridays 10am-12pm, Saturdays 2pm-4pm, closed Sundays. Closed Bank Holidays, group parties welcome. Entrance is FREE! The nearest Car Park is on the other side of Queen Street close to the ""Maltings"". Just follow the 'Brown Signs'.
Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum, 2a St Pauls Road, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 2HP. Tel: 01626-201121.
Tuckers Maltings, Newton Abbot
For Devon beer head here to Tuckers Maltings. Tuckers has been producing malt in Newton Abbot for over 100 years, and is ingrained in the history of the town. The beer shop here has on sale over 200 varieties of beer, a veritable beer and real ale haven! If you're looking for a particularly rare bottle of beer, you'll probably find it here, as well as Edwin Tucker's own particular brand. Check the Tuckers Maltings website to the right as well for mail order service if you can't wait! (note the Tuckers Maltings head of security and executive team!!)
Tours of Tuckers Maltings involve learning all about how barley is turned into malt - a fascinating process and various exhibitions on the processing of Tuckers Malt are on show. Of real interest are the variety of beers, especially the Tuckers brands and labels. They're all here, Tuckers Vintage, Tuckers Pale Ale, Tuckers Maris Otter and Edwin Tuckers Choice Old - fantastic.
Tuckers Maltings was actually founded in Ashburton in 1831, but the working malt house was later based in Newton Abbot, chosen as the malt house site in 1898 by Edwin Tucker's eldest son John Parnell Tucker, and first opened in November 1900. This malt house is rather special, as it's the only remaining one in the South West, and the only malt house in Britain open to the public.
Tuckers Maltings, Teign Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4AA. Tel: 01626 334734
Newton Abbot Racecourse
South West horse racing anyone. Head to renowned Newton Abbot Race course, where there's a variety of race packages available. Check the Newton Abbot Race Course website to the right for full details!
Newton Abbot Races Ltd, The Racecourse, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 3AF. Tel: (01626) 353235
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