There was birthday cake and free commemorative linen shopping bags for passengers to mark Cranbrook station’s 10th birthday recently on 15 December 2025.
Cranbrook Town and East Devon District Councillor Kim Bloxham cut the cake in an event at the station joined by fellow East Devon District Councillor Kevin Blakely and Andrew Ardley, Regional Development Manager (West) for South Western Railway.
To the joy of local residents and businesses, Cranbrook station opened on Sunday 13 December 2015. The £5 million station was funded by Devon County Council and Cranbrook New Community Partners. It is on the East Devon Line and is served by the hourly South Western Railway service between London Waterloo, Axminster, Honiton and Exeter.
The station had an estimated 120,374 users between April 2024 and March 2025. That’s an increase of 5% on the previous year and 12% up on the last full pre-Pandemic year, 2018-19 (Office of Road & Rail, Estimates of Station Usage).
Councillor Vikki Wright, Chair of Cranbrook Town Council said “We are delighted to celebrate 10 years of Cranbrook Railway Station. Since its opening, it has been a vital link for our community, making travel easier, supporting the growth of our town, and promoting sustainable travel. We look forward to seeing it continue to serve residents and visitors for many years to come.”
Cllr Paul Arnott, Leader of East Devon District Council and Chair of the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, said: “Cranbrook railway station plays a crucial role in supporting the local economy by providing a fast and sustainable transport link for both business and leisure travellers. It offers a valuable commuting route for people travelling to work at key employment sites within the Enterprise Zone, including Exeter Science Park, Skypark and Cranbrook town centre, while also providing a direct and convenient connection into Exeter city centre. This strong connectivity continues to help attract investment, support business growth and strengthen East Devon’s economic competitiveness.”
Andrew Ardley, Regional Development Manager (West) for South Western Railway said “‘It was great to be at Cranbrook station to celebrate its 10th birthday. The station has a huge amount of potential with the continued growth of the town and now the plans for Marlcombe, a few km to the south. This is demonstrated by how busy the car park already is and the growth in patronage in recent years.
“We are continuing to work with local and industry partners to make the case for the Devon Metro scheme that would double the service frequency here and improve performance through an additional section of double track. This is one part of a wider modernisation plan for the line that includes the replacement of the current diesel rolling stock by the mid 2030s – should however see shorter term improvements as the current fleet goes through its refurbishment programme including improved information systems and charging points “
The event was organised by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership and supported by Cranbrook Town Council. The cake was supplied by James’ Patisserie, Honiton.