Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 10th Anniversary: Looking To The Past & Future

The problem being, that if you increase the length of trains, then you obviously need to increase platform length, and this could lead to a dilution of the charm that made the railway attractive in the first place! It's a balancing act to get as many passengers as possible on the trains and visiting stations, buying tea & buns without ruining the attractiveness of the railway. Preservationist's dilemma!

Keith

 

Mhhmm, do you really think that the L&B would run 4 trains in the future? I guess with Lynton to Pilton (I assume we'll never get back to the centre of Barnstaple), this would be about 18 miles or so. From what I can work out from the WHR high season timetable, they only run 2 trains at any time on a similar length line. My guess is that it'd be unlikely there'd be enough demand for a 4 train in operation service. So, the current locos and the future new builds should be sufficient.

How do the projected passenger numbers stack up with a 2 x 4 coach heritage train? After all, if the business case for the planning is for particular numbers, those folk have to be catered for. FR Trains are somewhat longer and there's more than 2 most days. I'd hazard a guess that 3 trains (or 2 steam and a diesel) will be needed for off peak and probably four in the peak, and they'll probably need to be 5-6 coaches. Perhaps the L & B should think about designing some battery-electric brake vans that could be remotely cut in on the steeper gradients to allow longer trains.

 

As I had said before in my previous comment, I'm speaking purely in speculative terms, debating on how the railway could possibly turn out.

I can't say for certain how things will turn out and how popular/busy the railway will become, just as you yourself can't either.

Circumstances between the WHR and the L&B are quite different in numerous respects, so we can't instantly assume how things work for one railway, will suit another. I suppose ultimately we have to look at it like this: you ask would the railway really run a 4 train service in the future? But I'd in turn ask do you really think for certain they wouldn't?

 

Okay guys - purely speculative, and that can be fun too
So: on the premise one needs 1 steam loco for each train, one in reserve, and one being overhauled or getting ready for that; plus one large enough rescue/standby diesel, the L&B would need 6 steam locos and the diesel if running 4 trains simultaneously.
Plans are to rebuild all the originals, thus 5. There are currently 3 others: Axe, Isaac and C Wytock; we can assume at least one of those may still be available in 10/15 years' time when the line is completed. The large diesel (Pilton) is already available.
On the issue of train lengths, I gather all the locos existing or planned could pull at least 5 coach trains and that the platforms at the main stations were designed to cope with this. Also, the current L&B management at least wouldn't be looking to extend platforms beyond what the original line used. Platform length is a different matter with the halts like Caffyns, Snapper, etc. Even here, passengers could just be directed to specific coaches if intending to alight at any of the halts.

 

I see North Devon Council are discussing plans for a new pedestrian bridge across the Taw, roughly in the position of the old Ilfracombe line viaduct. I wonder whether such a bridge could also bear narrow gauge trains in the future, providing a link from Barnstaple Town to Barnstaple junction, as was?

 

Exciting news in the latest Newsletter about the Blackmoor Station plans!

 

Mind sharing a link to it for the rest us please? Be curious to see for myself.

 

You mean, you're not a member yet?
You can join online, you know

 

Seriously, no links available yet, as the newsletter is actually on paper!
Suffice it to say, the L&B will shortly have yet another original station in its holdings - and a profitable restaurant/bar, to boot. Shares will be available soon, with probable dividends to be paid (unlike most heritage railway shares!). Watch this space - oh, and do join!!

 

Well considering I've had a lot of increasing interest for this railway for some time, I may very well do just that, though money for me is a little tight at the moment, but once it improves I'll certainly look into it.

And good to hear they'll have another station in their care, I wonder which one this could be... Blackmoor perhaps? They had it laid out in their latest plans, so stood to reason to go for that property next.

 

So, of the 10 original stations, 3 were halts (Caffyns, Parracombe, and Snapper), 6 were full stations (Lynton, Woody Bay, Blackmoor, Bratton Fleming, Chelfham, and Barnstaple) and one was a goods only station (Pilton). The current L&B plus associated organizations now own (or are about to) 3 of the original stations, and one halt (Woody Bay, Blackmoor, Chelfham, and Snapper). Not bad going - just need to start filling in the gaps in the track bed - and I understand from the Newsletter we should expect some announcements in the near future in that regard. .

 

Well it's good to see all the progress that's been made so far, certainly as far as acquiring the stations and halt are concerned, as I'm sure it's taken a lot of time, money and effort to get the ones they have already.

Apart from the Lynton and Barnstaple stations then (which both could not realistically be reused now), the main effort of acquiring stopping points on the line would appear to be just halts now. The one notable exception is Bratton Fleming station, though my knowledge is somewhat limited as to what it's current situation is.

Could someone perhaps be so kind as to give the lowdown on this station? Be much appreciated.

 

From what I can find out, Bratton Fleming station is currently privately owned as a house. Of course, it'll be a long time before BF is reached in the phases after the next. AFAIK there is no currently plan to by-pass the station, so I assume that at present the hope is that the station will come on the market in due course and before the track arrives at the outskirts of the station yard!!

 

I visited the L&B for the recent Vintage Weekend and had a magnificent day. We managed a ride in all four heritage coaches, including the centre observation seats of coach 7 and the first class observation compartment of coach 17. I have to say that the first class observation compartment of coach 17 is really something special, and riding in it from Wistlandpound to Woody Bay (and beyond) will be an unforgettable experience. In fact, when the extension is completed, I think another observation car is definitely required for the second train.

I see that the Great Central Railway just got awarded £10 million from the National Lottery (for a new NRM museum at Leicester). Let's hope the L&B will be successful at obtaining some large grants, when planning permission is confirmed.

 

Hear hear, re the grants!

The current management team are top-notch (IMHO), so I've no doubts some applications are poised to go in after the Planning Permission hearings and after the TWAO.

 

From what I was told BF is now owned by someone who is known to the L&BR Trustees it was brought so it would not fall into the wrong hands, while it is not owned directly by the Trust the current owner has said that they would like to see the Trust to be the next owners of it when the right time comes.

 

You may care to view the newly uploaded News report on the Exmoor Associates website which details the progress of maintenance and restoration work at their Snapper Halt site.

See >>> http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2015/06/work-progress-at-snapper-halt-june-2015/

Chris

 

It is rumoured that Exmoor Associates has recently purchased a significant stretch of trackbed between Chelfham and Bratton Fleming, but no mention yet in the News section of their website.

 

Not true. The map on the 'Property' webpage details the current situation.

Chris

 

A further news item has been published by Exmoor Associates, appealing for additional volunteers and materials to meet their increasing maintenance and projects.

See >>> http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2015/07/appeal-for-volunteers-and-materials-july-2015/

Chris