FORTY FOUR years ago it looked like being a miserable start to their honeymoon for a young Scottish couple heading for South Devon.

They had already been  travelling for eight hours.

The train was running late, and  they had been forced to hang around at Bristol station for nearly two hours to catch a connection.

Then to cap it all they were told the train did not stop at their Teignmouth destination after all!

It was the final straw for the tired honeymooners who looked like having to get off at Newton Abbot after midnight and then taking a taxi to their Teignmouth hotel.

But a kindly guard on the train took pity on them.

Hearing of of their plight he arranged for the train to make an unscheduled stop at Teignmouth, and arranged for the station to be opened up with a guard and taxi waiting for them.

The gallant gesture put a smile on the faces of Keith and Elaine Bryce from Hamilton, and earned praise from the owner of the New Strathearn Hotel, Derek Oram.

Keith, a 22 year-old engineer, said: ‘It was all British Rail’s fault for selling us a ticket from Motherwell to Teignmouth when there was no connection on that particular train in the week.

‘But they more than made up for it by going to all that trouble for us.

‘We were getting a bit fed up because nobody at Bristol seemed sure whether the Plymouth train stopped at Teignmouth or not, but finally we were told  it was.

‘When the guard saw our tickets he immediately knew it would not be stopping at Teignmouth, but when he heard how much we had already been messed around, he went into action.

‘He got off the train at Taunton and telephoned through to arrange for a stop at Teignmouth.

‘We were extremely relieved because we did not fancy of getting off at a strange town at night and then trying to find a taxi to take us to Teignmouth.

‘They certainly pulled out all the stops for us and the kindness really made a good start to our honeymoon,

‘We are having a great time in Teignmouth and have found all the people here to be very friendly and helpful.’

Mr Oram added: ‘British Rail often get a lot of kicks, but on this occasion I think they were magnificent and deserve a real pat on the back.

‘It must be highly unusual to stop a train and open up a station like that.’

Keith Lewis, the Exeter area manager of British Rail, praised the guard for his initiative.

‘Of course it is not always possible to do this kind of thing, but when it is we are only too happy to oblige.’