The Exe Valley branch ran in a northwards direction from its junction with the West of England main line at Stoke Canon Junction, about 4 miles north of Exeter. As with many Great Western branches, there were a number of halts on the line, but the first station up the branch was Thorverton, serving a small village about a mile to the west. An unidentified ‘1400’ Class 0-4-2T with its autocoach before heading off towards Exeter on 26th July 1963.
