A £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to Devon Libraries is enabling improved access to the Railway Studies Collection at Newton Abbot’s Passmore Edwards Centre.

It is one of the largest collections in the country and is an essential resource for Britain’s railway enthusiasts, boasting more than 25,000 books, pamphlets, maps, periodicals and timetables along with almost 60,000 images.

New signs designed by young people and learning resources and games for children to play are encouraging youngsters to explore the collection.

A new website has also been launched to provide visitors with all the information.

It displays thousands of images from the collection and is fully searchable. Visitors to the website can get in touch with those who manage the collection to tell them more about the images they hold and contribute their own images too.

The collection was started in 1991 by David St John Thomas, of publisher David and Charles.

A railway enthusiast, he had a vision to set up a railway-related collection for researchers in Newton Abbot. The town owes much to the introduction of the railways. As well as the main line station it had a large locomotive shed, engine repair depot and carriage/wagon works.

At its height most people in the town were employed on railway business.

The collection continues to grow, thanks to generous bequests. The latest of these will be arriving soon from the family of Mr St John Thomas, who died in 2014.

In 1992 a Friends group was formed to support the collection by fundraising, volunteering and giving specialist advice.

Cllr Roger Croad, Devon County Council’s cabinet member responsible for Devon Libraries, said it was excellent news that people would now find it easier to access the collection.

‘Special thanks must go to the many volunteers who have worked tirelessly on this project, generously giving thousands of hours of their time,’ he said.