All aboard the Enchanted Pumpkin Express for an autumn adventure
Families are being invited to climb aboard a steam train, explore a pumpkin patch and meet some unusual farmyard residents as the Enchanted Pumpkin Express returns to South Devon Railway for October half-term.
Running daily from Saturday, October 24, to Saturday, October 31, the seasonal attraction promises a family day out combining heritage rail travel, autumn colours and a little Halloween magic.
The journey begins at Buckfastleigh, where passengers board a specially decorated heritage train featuring vintage luggage, mysterious owl cages and seasonal garlands to create an enchanted autumn atmosphere. The steam train travels through the Devon countryside to Totnes, where families can step off to discover a Pumpkin Patch alongside the station before visiting Totnes Rare Breeds Farm. Admission to the farm is included in the ticket price.
Visitors can spend up to two hours exploring the farm and meeting its animals before catching a later train back to Buckfastleigh. For those wanting to take home a seasonal souvenir, pumpkins can be pre-ordered for £4 each, ready to be chosen and collected from the patch during the visit.
South Devon Railway General Manager Ernest Elsworth-Wilson said: “Autumn is a wonderful time to travel on the railway and we wanted to make it even more special this year. The line has a very different character in October, with the autumn colours, steam hanging in the air and that slightly mysterious atmosphere you get as Halloween approaches.
“The Enchanted Pumpkin Express is deliberately more magical than scary. There are pumpkins and a few surprises on the train, but it is really about giving families a lovely autumn day out which combines a steam train journey with the Rare Breeds Farm. And, of course, anyone who wants to can take their own pumpkin home ready for Halloween.”
Reserved seats on the Enchanted Pumpkin Express are available from Buckfastleigh at 10.30am, 12.10pm and 2.15pm each day. Passengers should allow time at Totnes to visit the Pumpkin Patch and explore the Rare Breeds Farm before returning to Buckfastleigh on a later service.
The attraction offers a chance to experience the railway in a different season, with the autumn scenery and steam-hauled journey adding to the atmosphere of a traditional half-term outing.
For more information and to book visit www.southdevonrailway.co.uk