Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

This is a really good photo to show the amount of in-fill there has been, and what the level will be when the halt is reinstated, albeit (presumably) as a two platform station given that there will be a loop, rather than as a single platform on the single line as it was.

And what a step forward - and a fitting memorial to Rick & Barbara Sayers, long-time supporters of the L&B whose legacy has provided a substantial part of the funding.

That's also my understanding of Grampian Conditionality and the (very sensible) rationale for it, too. Which means that there's some way to go, but that once everything is in place, the whole Phase IIA extension will get built in one hit.

 

<<Combined Above>>

 

It should be noted that the ENPA remit applies only to that part of the line north of the road-bridge at Blackmoor. The line south from there to Whistlandpound comes under the separate planning permission given by NDC (without any Grampian) and construction on that has started already in the form of the two Bridges recently rebuilt. In theory therefore the railway could start building from BR to WD almost straightaway and probably have it completed long before the ENPA section, but without connectivity to the existing Phase 1 and also no depot facilities at BR (as that will be north of the road) then such activity is unlikely to serve any useful purpose at the moment.

 

Charles Blackmore signed the petition by Owners, Lessees and Occupiers to the House of Lords Committee as did his brother Henry Robert, owner of the Fox & Goose Hotel. Charles owned about 19 chains of the southerly part of Parracombe embankment (then called Holwell) and another 13 chains up to about 5o yards short of where the waiting hut was built later. (1 chain = 22 yards) Court place was going to be 50 yards or so from the rails, although he told the Committee in evidence that it was '10 or 15 hand yards.' Charles said he objected because the line was planned through 'eight or nine of my best meadows', and 'To having the toy railway, I prefer having no railway at all.' He 'would prefer a proper railway' and was 'greatly in favour of the Filleigh line.' When asked under cross-examination how the house in what way he became owner, he agreed it was settled property and he was a life tenant. His brother Henry probably objected because the Fox and Goose was the stop on the Barnstaple - Lynton and Ilfracombe-Lynton coach routes and the only licensed house at Parracombe. He stood to lose business if the Barnstaple coach ceased running on the opening of the railway. In fact he sold the hotel a few years later. Charles also signed the petition to the House of Commons when the Bill reached that House. The railway included '& Parracombe' on its nameboard at Blackmoor, presumably until the Halt opened about a year after opening. That Henry was responsible for the Halt opening is new to me - may I have the reference please ?

 

Meanwhile, my photo of the shelter taken in 2017.

I note that when I took a similar view in 2004 the red PO Box was still affixed to a post next to the Barnstaple end - the box has gone now, but the post was still there in 2017!

 

A view of the bungalow from the other end, taken in 2009.
It's a fair old squat!
Note the road bridge (in stone) almost buried by the cutting infill.

 

A detail of the road bridge, from which the bungalow picture was taken.

I guess the fence is probably original.

 

It's at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parracombe_railway_station which quotes the L T Catchpole history book as a reference (sadly don't have access to the book)

 

Looking uphill from the same (infilled) road bridge, this was the situation in 2009.

Equally tricky, I thought. The neighbouring house has bought the trackbed and extended the garden.



I believe this section was also acquired, by buying the house, then putting it back on the market without the former trackbed.
The same as Udiam farm on the KESR....

 

It did not look much different in 2017....

 

What I might think it appropriate to infer in public is that having gone to the trouble and expense of a planning application thay must be reasonably satisfied that the

BR to WD?

The WSR thread is bad enough for these station codes and at least I know all the WSR stations having travelled through them many times.

 

I just gone through it, and can't find any reference to this in my "enlarged" seventh edition. Has Mr Catchpole written some more since 1988?

 

This photo clearly shows how meagre the Parracombe Halt building really is. It is obviously insufficient for the rebuilt Parracombe New station particularly given that Parracombe is the only sizeable settlement served directly along the whole line between Barnstaple and Lynton, which furthermore will act as a patronage attractor in its own right.

Historically the shelter is important, but in a modern setting it will not be good enough.
It should remain on the new up platform (perhaps re-sited) as additional shelter and in recognition of its original status. As part of the reborn L&BR however, it is surely just an historical anachronism; a not particularly interesting piece out of Exmouth Junction's brutalist concrete structures?

It will be interesting to see what emerges concerning architecture proposals for Parracombe New station.

As for the BR and WD abbreviations, just exactly to what do they refer?

 

I am assuming that BR is Blackmoor and WD is Whistlandpound - I suspect that these are not "official" code but I could be wrong.

 

Thanks for checking, the Parracombe station's Wikipedia page should be updated with a warning that some historical information can not be verified.
A quick check shows the entry has been updated 50 times since 2005 by various editors, some names may also be on this forum and might be able to update the page?.
With water now available at Woody Bay a water tower may now not be needed at Parracombe halt. The Southern railway changed the wooden shelter for a concrete one, they could have made a larger building with a ticket office to replace the Post Office selling tickets, but wonder why they did not?.

 

If there is to be more than one platform at ParracombE (PE) then I would expect the shelter to be on the Down platform, not any new Up platform.

WD = WhistlandpoundD BR = BlackmooR

Sorry about the codes, force of habit from shorthand after so much writing about Phase 2A design issues

 

Thanks Mr RailWest. I can see the sense in using codes, and once one is familiar with the format it becomes clear. Personally I would prefer three letter codes (as NR use) which might make it clearer but then if we all know they only apply to L&BR stations then confusion evaporates.

 

Woo Hoo .... I guessed right! Has TT been reserved for the estuary crossing the L&B will need to access NR at BN, or do odds on any SG reopening in the IE direction suggest that's an unneccessary long term contingency?

It's probably for the best that the old GW terminus at Barnstaple doesn't figure in L&B thinking.

 

On the other hand, it will be advantageous to have two nearby water sources on a steam railway, particularly near the top of a steep gradient. Otherwise, what could happen if a single tank at Woody Bay were to spring a leak on a busy day?

Pre-1935, the population of Parracombe village was only about 400 and few people ever used the railway. There was therefore no need for a manned station with a ticket office. However, I understand that Tom Trickey, a porter at Blackmoor (BR) would occasionally walk to Parracombe Halt (PH) to sell tickets and afterwards return by train. Tickets were also I understand available elsewhere other than from Parracombe Post Office. No doubt Michael B will be able to clarify that.

Chris, the latest L&B procurement is to recreate "Parracombe Halt". The name is formed of two separate character strings so will more likely be referred to as PH. Also, note the correct spelling for WD is "Wistlandpound".

 

Maybe, but AFAIK - like many other things for the future - there has been no official decision yet on nomenclature. In any case, any possible signal-box/block-post there (again, yet to be decided) has been assumed by the S&T design group so far to be named purely Parracombe (it was not uncommon for boxes to be named differently from the station at which they were sited) hence the PE code.