 Residential development around Honeybourne partly due to its proximity to Long Lartin prison, as well as pressure from the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, led to the ceremonial reopening of the station on 22 May 1981, with the first public services running two days later.The southernmost of Honeybourne's five former platforms was reopened, in what was British Rail's 66th station reopening since 1966.Passenger facilities were very basic and consisted only of a Portakabin and a Portaloo.