AXMINSTER has officially opened its new “for the love of a railway” visitor centre.

The centre has been hailed as an “extraordinary” contribution to the town’s economy and a valuable new social asset.

The praise came from Town Mayor Cllr Jill Farrow as she performed the opening of the new centre in Chard Street, Axminster with a blast on a guard’s whistle.

Jill said: “How proud am I of this group of people who are doing amazing things for our town,

“All of you who are involved in this have done something quite extraordinary for Axminster. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

She added: “You have delivered something that is of economic benefit - and my word don’t we need that. You have also done something that is of social benefit because this is a safe space where people can work together in fellowship, and that brings enormous mental health benefits. It is very impressive.”

“For the love of a railway” chairman Geoff Hicks described the journey the group had undertaken to “put Axminster on the map in a new and positive way.”

It started little over a year ago when a small group hatched an idea to fill an empty shop window with a model of the old Axminster to Lyme Regis line. 

They put the model in the empty windows of the former River Cottage just before Christmas and won wide public acclaim for “injecting life into the town centre while reviving memories of a quirky railway that was much loved” throughout its 62-year life (ahead of its eventual closure in 1965 because of the Beeching review).

That model ran successfully until the spring of this year, when the property owners needed to use the space.

Recognising the initiative as one that should continue, the group negotiated the full use of another empty shop and set about redecorating and renovating it. 

Today, that building has not one but two huge models taking shape.

Currently nearing completion is a model named Axminster’s Railway destined for the town’s Community Waffle House.

The second layout is a mark two version of the original “Lyme Billy” model, but this time with a lot more detail. It is being treated by the group as a work in progress that will evolve over time, albeit with trains running. 

Mr Hicks thanked all those who had helped bring the project to fruition. He gave special credit to the team of volunteers, who have worked “tirelessly” behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Axminster Heritage Centre manager Nigel Sadler said: “The centre is a visitor attraction that provides not only another reason to come to Axminster but also extends the town’s tourism potential to a wider audience”.