Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

My - apparently careless - choice of life partner also resulted in the situation where our wedding anniversary often coincides with one annual heritage railway event and her birthday with another. The fact that both events only became well established some years after our wedding apparently means they can't take precedence... Nothing usually coincides with my birthday other than bad weather :-(

 

Looks like Exmoor Associates are at it again - they've only bought another stretch of trackbed - and yet another on the way!

Well done to all those involved in brokering the deal.

 

Any details please? Most recent website news was back in November and with no update in over 10 months, they seem to have forgotten completely that they've got a Facebook page!

 

The trackbed (which is a very decent length), is from the boundary with South West Water, south of Wistlandpound, to the beginning of Twitchen Lane, (the section which was tarmacked down to Narracott bridge).
What is particularly heartwarming is the excellent relationship which is very apparent between the vendors and EA. This was the section which unfortunately fell through last year. Also, the roof finials for Bratton have been recreated by a local Potter from Appledore, and very handsome they look, too. All in all, a great pre-Christmas tonic, and a huge vote of thanks to Mike, Andy and Paul!
Incidentally, Howard, the info comes from the latest edition of Trackbed Trails, the newsletter for EA shareholders, which was published this afternoon. I guess it's only right they should get first dibs on the lowdown!

 

They did ask for more administrative help at the last meeting. Perhaps someone would like to offer theirs? One of the things involved is putting the newsletter together.

 

Damned right too! Many thanks for the update.

 

So to get news early - become an EA shareholder.

 

So I understand it, does the acquisition extend northwards to the dam at North Thorne (where Bridge 48 used to be) ? Or as my reading of the EA website that it goes to Water Shute 46 at South Thorne. I thought the trackbed in between is South Thorne's access road.

 

The northern boundary is about 30 feet south of the water Shute

 

Excellent news - a very merry Christmas from EA! Another piece slotting into the jigsaw puzzle.

 

Would that it were an option.

 

Which water shute is that in the picture?

 

It looks like SR number 46 at South Thorne.

 

Yes, that's apparently correct.

 

as Michael B says its at south thorne

 

Interestingly 'Bridge' 46 does not appear on the google map linked from the L and B Website.

 

That looks very dodgy... seems to be made of concrete, now spalled to pieces.
We had a steel open channel at Stanton on the GWSR, and replaced that with a box section of steel. Tricky to get watertight at the upstream end.
The box section should be a relatively cheap replacement here.

 

bridge 46 is there but 45 is missing or should i say un-numbered and put down as a culvert with a question mark,you have to zoom in quite a bit to separate the icons

 

Hi Meatman - found it now thanks - I have also found Bridge 45 - which is shown as Miles Cattle Creep. I have looked a couple of times this morning - the earlier result was different so I wonder if an update to the map is underway. It would be good if the trackbed recently acquired by EA was shown in due course.

 

It would seem from the descriptions from EA and Meatman that the whole section purchased is shown on the attached 25 inch 1904 OS map. The trackbed up to the top of Hunnacott Embankment is a public road (built in the 50s), this road turning right above the H of Hunnacott. The purchase starts here - Bridge 44 (now buried/disappeared) above the E of Barnstaple, Bridge 45 above the word Spring. The acquisition finishes just beyond here, and as Meatman says the water shute he illustrated is in the cutting 30 foot further on.