The first section of the line from a junction west of Taunton to Wiveliscombe opened on 8 June 1871; there was one intermediate station, at Milverton. A station was opened at the junction on the main line on 1 June 1873; it was named at Norton Fitzwarren. The section from Wiveliscombe to Barnstaple opened on 1 November 1873 with nine new stations, but two more were added later, one in 1928 and the other in 1932. The stations are described here from east to west. Unless otherwise stated, each opened with its respective section of line; goods services were withdrawn from 6 July 1964, and the stations closed after the passage of the last passenger train on 1 October 1966.
Norton Fitzwarren The Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER) was opened through
Norton Fitzwarren, west of , in 1843. The
West Somerset Railway (WSR) was opened from Norton Junction to in 1862, and when the D&SR opened in 1871 it made a connection to the WSR just west of the original Norton Junction. A station was opened on the main line on the east side of the junction on 1 June 1873 to serve all three routes. On 7 February 1937 the connection to the D&SR was moved from the WSR to its own junction direct to the main line, and the line was doubled as far as Milverton. The station was closed for passenger traffic on 30 October 1961, and public goods traffic on 6 July 1964. Small traces remains of the station a staircase down off the original platform.
Wiveliscombe Wiveliscombe station was in Somerset and acted as the temporary terminus of the line from 8 June 1871 until 1 November 1873. During this time it had a
turntable for turning the locomotives, but this was moved to Barnstaple when the line was extended there. Trains could pass at Wiveliscombe and two platforms were provided. The main stone-built offices and signal box were on the eastbound platform while a waiting shelter was provided on the opposite platform. The goods yard and brick goods shed were behind the station buildings and accessed from the line to the east of the station. Goods traffic ceased from 6 July 1964. The main station building and goods shed remain as part of an industrial estate that has built up on the site.
Venn Cross A single platform and siding were provided on the southern side of the line at the western end of the Venn Cross tunnel. The station's location, in a cutting above sea level, meant that it was prone to being blocked by snow. One of the signals was of a special design with a central pivot to allow it to be seen through Venn Cross tunnel. A crossing loop was installed with a second platform in February 1905. The station had a signal box on the westbound platform. The goods shed and the western end of the platforms were in Devon, while the main station buildings were in Somerset. Goods traffic was withdrawn from 30 September 1963. The station building and the station master's house are still in residential use and the goods shed has also been converted into a house. Some GWR railings and signals remain nearby.
Morebath Junction Halt The Tiverton line joined the D&SR at Morebath Junction but its trains continued to Dulverton, the next station towards Barnstaple. A small, unstaffed station was opened at the junction on 1 December 1928. Trains on both lines called there, so it had a more frequent service than at Morebath station, and the halt was much nearer the village, but could be reached only by an often muddy footpath across fields. From 1 August 1884 it was also the terminus of trains to which from 1 May 1885 ran through to . The station was used as a location setting for the
Ealing Studios 1944 film
The Halfway House. The station was host to a
GWR camp coach from 1936 to 1939. A camping coach was also positioned here by the
Western Region in 1952, 1953 and 1955. Goods traffic ceased from 30 September 1963. Both the station building and the goods shed have been converted into houses.
Bishops Nympton and Molland A single platform was provided on the south side of the line two miles south-west of the village of
Molland in Devon. A passing loop and second platform were added in 1876. From March 1876 the name was changed from 'Molland' to 'Bishops Nympton and Molland'; the village of
Bishops Nympton was three miles south-west of the station. A small goods yard with a goods shed was provided on the south side of the station, with rail access from the west end. The signal box was on the south side of the line, initially towards the east end of the platform. In 1902 the loop and platforms were lengthened westwards and a new signal box was provided in the goods yard. The loop was again extended in 1937, this time eastwards, and a larger signal box was built at the east end of the platform. Goods traffic was retained until 3 August 1964. Since being closed both the station building and the goods shed have been converted into houses and the eastbound platform remains within the station house's garden. Goods traffic was withdrawn on 3 August 1964; the former goods shed is in industrial use. The station building survived until about 2003 but was then demolished. The railway route west of this point now forms the majority part of the
North Devon Link Road. It remained a single-platform station through 1876 and 1902 capacity improvements along the line, but on 20 June 1937 was given a passing loop and second platform, although no shelter was provided for this. The original signal box at the east end of the original platform was replaced at the same time by one in the goods yard. The goods yard was closed from 3 August 1964 and the signal box and loop likewise on 6 September 1964. After closure to passengers the station building was used as a house until it was demolished when the
North Devon Link Road was built through the site. The goods shed is now a private residence called the sidings.
Barnstaple The D&SR terminus was on the eastern side of
Barnstaple in Devon. The long single platform was on the north side of the line; the track on the south side of this was mainly used for the arrivals while a shorter track on the north side used for departures. The passenger building was wooden. An extensive goods yard with a large stone goods shed was on the south side of the station, while at the eastern end of this was the small locomotive shed and turntable. The station was known simply as 'Barnstaple' by the GWR but from 26 September 1949 became 'Barnstaple Victoria Road' to differentiate it from the other stations in the town:
Barnstaple Junction and . All passenger services were diverted to Barnstaple Junction from 13 June 1960, but Victoria Road remained open for freight traffic until 1970. The station buildings have now been demolished and the site is part of an industrial estate, however, the goods shed survives and is used as a church. ==Motive power==