KINGSBRIDGE and District Light Railway - locally known as the ‘little train’ - was received ‘really positively’ during a recent test run.

Owner Steve Mammatt laid around 30m of track on the Vintage Bus Running Day in September to give members of the public free rides and apart from a ‘slight technical hitch’ at the beginning of the day, Steve called people’s response to it ‘very encouraging’.

‘The excitement of the adults was almost more than the kids,’ said Steve, ‘people came over specifically to see it and have a go and they loved the station and the refurbished bench, everyone was really, really positive. One kid loved it so much I didn’t think we’d ever get him off!’

The new station, located at the end of the Quay, is named ‘Kingsbridge Ria End’, and Steve said the name was chosen because of ‘Kingsbridge’s unique position on this special geological formation, not to be confused with the Rhea - a South American bird related to the ostrich and emu - or the Rear End - also known as Donald Trump.

‘Apparently, the Kingsbridge Ria - a drowned river valley that remains open to the sea - is one of the best in the world, with one of the most famous being Sydney Harbour in Australia. Some people suggested that tourists might not get it, but a lot know more about Kingsbridge than residents do, and its only a Google search away!’ he added.

Steve thanked Kingsbridge Town Council, who covered his insurance for the day, and South Hams Council who have been ‘helping to move stuff along’. He said his ‘target’ was to have Father Christmas on the little train for Kingsbridge Celebrates Christmas, but with final notice going in about the project on October 28, he knows this gives him a ‘very small window’. He does however think he is ‘fully justified in hoping to have a service running by the Easter holidays.’