Approaching the station from the town along Queen Street, people first saw the large goods shed. On the opposite side of the line was the pumping house for the atmospheric railway system that powered the trains for a short while. The passenger station was situated to the south of these buildings. It originally consisted to two – later three – small train sheds covering separate platforms for trains running in each direction to Exeter, Plymouth, and Torquay. It was rebuilt in 1861 as a single station with a larger train shed covering all three platforms.