HISTORY was made yesterday when a steam railway 'bought' the freehold for a seven-mile scenic route for just £1.

Charitable trust South Devon Railway took over the title of the route between Buckfastleigh and Totnes from the current owners Dart Valley Railway after years of negotiation.

A ceremonial handover of a large £1 coin, as well as the real thing, took place between SDR Trust chairman Alan Taylor and Dart Valley Railway general manager Andrew Pooley in front of a working Great Western Railway steam locomotive.

SDR spokesman Dick Wood said: "This is a highlight in the line's 138-year history."

The South Devon railway is the oldest heritage line in the West Country.

The former branch line was re-opened in 1969 by Dr Richard Beeching who, as chairman of the British Railways Board in the early 1960s, was the man responsible for the closure of many branch lines and stations up and down the country.

It was operated then by the Dart Valley Railway.

In 1990 the company pulled out to concentrate on its Paignton to Kingswear rail operation.

Since 1999, the line has been run as a charitable trust by SDR.

It has grown to become one of the West Country's top visitor attractions and carries more than 100,000 passengers a year.

Ten years ago SDR began negotiations with the Dart Valley Railway to buy the freehold of the line.

In 2002 the line was leased by the Dart Valley Railway to SDR on condition of a new Transport and Works Order (TWO) being granted.

The TWO is effectively a railway operating licence which allows the SDR to run trains in its own right, independently of the Dart Valley Railway which, as owners, held the previous operating licence for the line.

The Dart Valley Railway released the final transfer of the freehold title for a nominal £1 payment after the order was finally confirmed.

Mr Wood said: "It is a very special day for all of the people involved with the SDR who have worked incredibly hard in the background to complete the transfer of the line's ownership and achieve the granting of the Transport and Works Order.

"It will certainly be one of the highlights of the railway's 138-year history from when it was first opened in May 1872."