About the Project Team

We are a small volunteer project team living around Brixham and the Torbay area, headed up by Brixham based project manager Glen Gardner, who has put together a complete written heritage trail plan. This is needed to share our vision with the authorities in order to get the various permissions required to use and prepare the overgrown section of the line (Bridge Road to North Boundary Road) for walking and the placing of heritage trail boards.

Our project team now includes seven of us, each bringing different skill sets and knowledge to our existing project.

Glen Gardner
Project Lead Glen was inspired to start the project having moved back, along with his wife and two sons, to Brixham in 2021 after being away for 20 years.

While out rediscovering Brixham on his bike one evening Glen found himself up at Furzeham Green. Being a higher Brixham lad, Glen was not sure of where the old Brixham Railway Station used to be located so put a post our on Facebook and the response was tremendous.  Since then Glen has been fascinated with the story of the Brixham Branch Line and is determined to lead the project team in delivering a heritage and nature trail along the old track bed between Brixham and Churston.

Outside of the project Glen works as a cruise and sustainable tourism consultant with contracts in Plymouth, promoting the Green tourism programme, and building the city’s cruise business on behalf of Destination Plymouth, as well as developing shore excursion experiences for cruise line guests in the ports and destinations around the UK and Ireland on behalf of luxury travel company Abercrombie and Kent.

Carlton Jones

Carlton has long had a fascination with the Brixham Branch Line, after discovering the old Brixham Railway Station once existed just up the road from Brixham Environmental Laboratory where he worked for 19 years. After starting a personal hobby to research Brixham Branch Line in 2019, he met Glen off the back of Facebook posts during 2021.

Carlton has created, supports, and sponsors the Brixham Railway Heritage Trail project website, newsletters, and videos through his own company Lena Solutions to help provide awareness of the project.

Tasked with keeping the website updated, creating, and sending out newsletters to our subscribers, and filming and producing videos for the project, Carlton forms a key part of the team and the project. He is also a committee member of the Galmpton & Churston History Group and provides a link between the groups.

Les Morris
Les joined the team in 2021 and has been key to providing some amazing information about the Brixham Branch line, particularly about the little known bridge at Sun Valley Close.

Les lives in Brixham with his wife, his father in-law once worked on the Brixham Railway.

Helping to plan the route of the new railway walking trail, providing content for the many information boards which will be located along the new railway trail at specific points of interest, and supporting the team in many areas of the project we are delighted to have les ‘onboard’ with us.

Mark Waters
Mark brings to the project his excellent knowledge of ground works, which will be very important for when we undertake our work to create the walking trail along the old track bed.

As we plan and develop the walking trail, Mark will play a key role in advising on the works which will need carrying out. This will help with creating the schedule of works required, and in turn the costs.

Mark also is tasked with finding the various models of the Brixham Railway (we know at least three exist including the one in Brixham Heritage Museum), sourcing models of the engines and trains which once ran along the Brixham Branch Line, liaising with other local businesses and organisations which we hope to work with.

Mark lives in Brixham and has been long associated with the town in various capacities.

James Nightingale
James joined the team in the summer of 2022 and brings with him an enormous wealth of railway engineering experience.
With many years working on the railways in an engineering capacity James is integral to the planning, and works, of the route along the along the existing overgrown track-bed between North Boundary Road in Brixham, and Bridge Road bridge in Churston.

James is helping to inspect the old line, create a scope of works, and ultimately a schedule of works to help us develop the walking trail for the local community, and visitors to enjoy in the future.

Over and above this James’ practical advise on all aspects of the project are, and will be, vital to our success with delivering the Brixham Railway Heritage Trail.

James joined BR in 1978 in the S & T then joined the Civil Engineers in 1979. He did track surveying and design for renewals and maintenance, managed engineering standards, became a safety systems auditor for Railtrack and was AIIRSM for some years. He retired as Maintenance Protection, heavily involved in lineside maintenance and environment.

James moved to Brixham with his wife from Nottingham in 2015 and is enjoying his retirement in Brixham.

Mark Sanders
Mark is our photographic, and video expert using his amazing drone to produce some breath-taking photos, and video of Brixham. Mark has provided us with an excellent video of the entire route between Brixham and Churston stations, flying at the regulated heights while complying with all the rules.

Mark’s photography features regularly on Facebook, bringing to the community some incredible shots of our beautiful town.
With the new images, and video, taken by Mark it helps us to plan the route of the new heritage walking trail, and with being above to see what the state of the track bed is like from above.

Mark is also helping project team mate les with creating content for the information boards, with promoting the project and assisting with many aspects of the overall project.

Mark lives in Brixham, and works within the towns fishing industry.

Pauline Elliott
Pauline’s love of the railways is second to none, and over the years her knowledge and passion for steam has grown and grown. Pauline is tasked with researching photos, history of the Brixham branch, history of those who worked and were connected with it, reaching out to railway groups and organisations who may have information about our little-known branch line, and with supporting the project team.

Pauline has unearthed many fascinating images, is cataloguing all of our photo library, has come across some interesting items from the workings of the Brixham Branch Line, and will support project colleague les with imagery for the information boards.

Living in Newton Abbot, Pauline spends a good deal of time researching online and talking with the many groups and organisations relating to the railways.

George Coles
George is our latest recruit to the project team.  George is a financial wiz – more about George coming soon.

Are you interested in joining the volunteer project team? Can bring knowledge and skills to the team to help us deliver an outstanding community project?

Please email us at info@brixhamrailwaytrail.org.uk