Zoo Memories Trail: Lakeside • Paignton Zoo

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Lakeside view

Visitors have been able to enjoy the view of the lake over tea and cake since the zoo first opened – our guidebook from 1930 shows a café in the location of the Island Restaurant. The lake also provided the focus for a trip on the Jungle Express: the popular miniature railway which ran from 1940 until its final departure in 2022.

tea rooms 1941 — ^{The view over the lake onto the tea room.}

cafe lawn edited scaled — ^{The café was a central gathering point for visitors.}

jungle express 1941 — ^{The Jungle Express miniature railway was a popular feature of the zoo from 1940 until 2022.}

jungle express4 — ^{A colourised photo of the Lakeside Station.}

^{The garden in front of the restaurant is still a popular lunch spot today.}

aerial restaurant — ^{Aerial view of the restaurant.}

jungle express — ^{The Jungle Express looped around the main lake for a different perspective of the zoo.}