Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

LAND UPDATE

Taken from the L&b website https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/story/update-not-quite-chelfham-close

Nigel Thompson has sent us this brief update regarding the trackbed between Chelfham Viaduct and Goodleigh Road Bridge. We now have a licence from Highways England for the trackbed immediately south of Chelfham viaduct. Only 260 yards, but it is a part of the old BRB Property holding – including Chelfham Viaduct - that is reserved for our use when we are ready to adopt it.

Given that the Secretary of State signed the licence, we are at least now on their radar!


1. This concrete telegraph post has survived intact surrounded by overgrown trees. Nigel Thompson removes the dead ivy.


2. Visiting volunteer Ian James helps to feed the bonfire after clearing much of the scrub at this location.


3. A view looking north looking along the trackbed from Goodleigh Road Bridge. Approximately 30 metres was cleared this week. More clearance may take place later this year and over the winter as part of the maintenance programme for this stretch of trackbed.

Photo No.1 by Ian James. Photos 2 & 3 and captions by Nigel Thompson.

 

From Exmoor Associates website. Spot the difference!
The only thing thats missing now is track:

There have been other things going on at the southern end of the line, so heres the link to EA:
http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/news/

 

It always amazes me with this Railway how much infrastructure is still in place after all this time, long may it continue.

 

I was thinking the same just last night.
Apart from the Barnstaple end, the only station lost was Caffyns. Extraordinary, and so fortunate, although there are still major hurdles of overcome.

 

It's pot luck whether bridges survive on closed lines, but not too surprising that a line across moorland hasn't been interrupted by new buildings.

 

Considering that the S&D ran through some very thinly populated areas its interesting how much of that has been lost compared with the L&B

 

Big difference though between just how “thinly populated” Exmoor and the rural South West are, not least comparing, say, the approaches to Lynton with the approaches to Bournemouth etc.

The other point is that, including branches, the S&D was almost six times as long as the L&B. So one mile of lost trackbed on the L&B would be as much proportionately as six miles on the S&D, but psychologically the six miles on the S&D would feel like far more lost trackbed.

Tom

 

The S&D ran through very different countryside in comparison with the L&B. The agricultural activity on the Somerset Levels and the slopes of the Mendip Hills bears little relation to the moorland grazing that occurs on Exmore. The former, by its nature, is far more destructive of the countryside than the latter.

Peter

 

I was going to say that the pressure for development on Exmoor is much less, and it is proteted as a National Park too, so the infrastructure has mostly just gently crumbled and been overtaken by vegetation as opposed to being knocked down and built on, or had roads built over it

 

Unfortunately a significant length of the L&B has had a road built along it and getting south of Whistlandpound will be very challenging.

 

Having driven that road a few times, the lack of traffic has been noticeable; I find it hard to believe that no workable and affordable solution will be possible if the railway can break out of a railhead at Wistlandpound.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Once again, I hope Tony Nicholson will forgive me for reposting this picture from the latest L&B magazine, but there is something incredibly poignant about it.
The earliest known colour view of the railway, shows Blackmoor in August of 1940. This is shared by Cyril Perrier, who was with his father when he took this photograph from the bridge. Looking at this peaceful scene of rural tranquility, is almost impossible to imagine that at that moment in time, Britain was fighting for its very existence. One can almost hear the birdsong, whilst further afield, across southern Britain, the larks would rise daily into the warm morning air, the very same air in which the fate of the civilised world hung in the balance:

 

Interesting photo. How much of the station and its buildings survive today?

 

Virtually all survive, albeit somewhat modified. If you pop down to North Devon this coming weekend you will be able to attend the L&BR Spring Gala at Woody Bay - please see the poster on the L&B website https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/ for details.

While you are in the area you will be able to visit the property seen in the photo above and compare the photo with what is there today. The building is now known as the Old Station House Inn at Blackmoor Gate.

Parking for the Gala will be in the livestock market at Blackmoor Gate with a free shuttle bus to and from Woody Bay. The livestock market is the proverbial 'stone's throw' from the Inn.

Mike P

 

Is it just a coincidence that just about every livestock market I can think of has a pub close by?
Ray.

 

Thanks for that info.
The L&B Gala sounds like a good event. It's a shame that (a) I have other things arranged for the weekend and (b) Woody Bay is too far from London for a day trip.

 

Where else would farming folk meet before or afterwards often to settle a deal, have refreshments and maybe a meal? All part of the way of life it seems.

 

DH, To give you an idea, here is the modern-day view taken from just about the same point.
as you can see, the original buildings have been expanded across the track bed, and the small building in the foreground is part of the base of the original water tower. The concrete signal post, although very possibly original to the railway, was planted in more recent times to publicise the Inn.

 

From my experience of cattle markets and the farmers and haulers who's businesses are transacted there, I'd say no coincidence at all. Even in the 21st century, Wednesday at Frome market is still the big day out for most local farmers and their wives. The bar is well used, as well as the restuarant