The railway line was originally opened in 1862 and closed in 1971, but it was reopened by the West Somerset Railway on 28 August 1976. Doniford Beach Halt was opened on 27 June 1987 to serve the holiday camp built on the site of the nearby former Doniford army base.[1]
Trains run between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard at weekends and on some other days from March to October, daily during the late spring and summer, and on certain days during the winter. Trains only call by request so passengers waiting to join are asked to make a clear signal to the driver as the train approaches, and people wanting to alight need to inform the train’s guard in good time.[2]