Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Not quite sure what you mean - the default Chrome homepage is Google

Keith

 

If you're not too sure what you're doing, it is possible for another website to establish itself as your default home page. I've had to undo that for one of my friends.

But this is serious thread drift.

Returning to the L&B, why not register several domains including "lyntonandbarnstaple.uk", "l&br.uk", etc and have them all point to the same front page, with links from there to "Find us", "Timetable", "History", "Volunteering", "Locomotives", etc?

 

Sadly due to the current worldwide epidemic situation, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway has cancelled the Spring Gala over the weekend of 9th/10th May, and for L&BR Trust members also the AGM that Saturday evening.

 

Plus the March working weekend.
This really is a wretched business for everyone, isn't it?

 

Nice new website - but they need to keep it accurate... The website says the railway is closed from 20 March for foreseeable future, but they are still advertising the Mother's Day special on 22 March. Time to fix that methinks, or some patrons might indeed turn up and find it closed (already spotted someone on Facebook who was posting about the 22 March event).

Edit: Special Events page now states all events cancelled.

 

Just seen that Bratton Fleming is up for auction: https://www.stags.co.uk/properties/12843867/sales

 

Not a lot of spare land (to sell on) for £325k! Suspect all former railway land?

Will

 

The property has been on the market for some weeks and the railway is aware of the sale.

 

I see no mention in the brochure of the prospect of a rebuilt railway passing close by in the next few(?) years...

 

Presume Exmoor Associates will make a bid as that is what it was set up for, and then rent it out until the railway gets closer?

 

I'm not so sure there is any legal obligation for the agent to do so (but stand to be corrected). That is why buyers are recommended to employ a solicitor to investigate that sort of problem.

The safeguard the railway does have however is that because the L&BR trackbed has been incorporated into the Devon County Plan for future railway use, it is no longer possible to build across or on the former railway alignment.

 

Exmoor Associates are exploring ways to perhaps fund the purchase, although it does seem over-valued, particularly bearing in mind the current virus situation . Whether or not they will proceed to make a bid, I don't know, but if not now, there will be other opportunities in time.

 

EA might perhaps consider making a lower bid, maybe 100K lower than the asking price. If no-one else bids above that, they might even get it at a more reasonable price?

 

Or they might just p*ss off another property owner, and turn them into another recalcitrant opponent.
Hope not, but the railway doesn't have 100% support in the area, particularly with immigrants.

 

Indeed. Can't help but think that the best way we can serve the railway right now is to keep schtum about such matters, tempting as it is, especially as many of us are going to have a lot of time on our hands, now!
Speaking of which, this whole matter will probably go on ice for the foreseeable, now.

 

Feedback from EA is that most members favour a bid (though at what level I don't know). EA are exploring various funding options including the time-share route already used by the L&B elsewhere, or possibly a long-term lease. The problem with time-share is that I would reckon a place of this size could only comfortably fit one family at a time, which would mean you'd really need to fill time-shares all the year round if you wanted to raise the money solely through time-shares. Assuming, as elsewhere, that any one time-share moves around the calendar from year to year, that might still result in Bratton Fleming in November for someone every now and then!

 

Snapper Halt platform was purchased by Exmoor Associates in 2010, followed in 2011 by a further acquisition of more land extending their total trackbed ownership at that site to a little over 800 yards. Since then, considerable effort has been given to enhancing and improving the property by recreating the original station, firstly by clearing the invading vegetation and restoring the platform shelter, then providing a modern replica of the station's 'running-in board' (donated by the L&BR - Surrey Area Support Group). This was followed by the provision of the various other items of platform furniture. The most recent improvement completed last year was to lay a section of railway track alongside the platform.

The recreated site as it now looks can be seen in the photograph below which is borrowed from Facebook where it was published yesterday.......


Photo: Mitchell Pluck-Wyatt

For those of you who are wondering, Snapper Halt is the first stop out of Barnstaple so it will be some years before the rebuilt railway from Woody Bay reaches this site.

 

Step by step! It is wonderful to see that the L&B is steadily returning from its long sleep....