Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

this is what it looks like now with top ballast finished

 

Y'all need a pump trolley!! Cavan and Leitrim railway will build one for you
(for a price!)

 

Just got a message to say Bratton Fleming has been sold to someone else, price and buyer unknown.
Dang!

 

AIUI an offer has been accepted from an unknown buyer. Maybe eventually it will not go through....nil desperandum

 

That's disappointing, L&B stations are unlikely to come onto the market particularly regularly, but I'm not particularly surprised

 

https://mr0.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/property_asset/image/3980/5093/NX7R90LiUkmmN4BWpK60hA.pdf

In case you are interested

 

I'm a bit surprised the agency hasn't mentioned much specifically about the L&B in present time, as it certainly isn't closed anymore, or indeed the fact their technically in its eventual path either.

After all surely a wouldbe owner might want to know that a railway will surely eventually come right up to their doorstep virtually! Probably talking long term here, but all the same I reckon it's not the question of if the railway will reach this station, but when.

 

It would be good if the eventual buyer is someone who is supportive of the L&B and will be prepared to accommodate the railway passing by their garden, if if it isn't, surely then the vendor, might have grounds against the agency who handled the sale.

 

One would hope so, though I'm sure someone once said the present and soon to be past owner of the station was a supporter of the railway right? Or have I got that wrong.

 

Let's see what happens with the conveyancing - if the estate agents and vendors haven't mentioned it, I'd certainly expect it to come up in the survey and legal searches.

 

and the trackbed is now protected under the NDDC long term plan so nothing should be able to be built forward of the platform edge

 

The buyer's solicitor ought to stumble across it although there have been cases of public rights of way or major redevelopments being missed by solicitors...

 

From my recollection when last involved with selling a property, the purchaser's solicitor sends a form for completion which seeks various bits of pertinent information and there is an obligation for the vendor to state anything which may be 'of relevance'. A steam railway thru' your front garden might just fall into that category.....

 

It'd come up in any searches the purchasers solicitors would conduct regardless

 

The FR agreed the the WHHR could build the section from Penymount to Pont Croesor at their expense on the FR's behalf. Unfortunately, the WHHR were unable to complete this task so the FR had to step in and finish it. I think, the WHHR built about half the line; I remember riding on it.

 

Will the collapse of Shearings have any significant impact on future 'group bookings' at the L&B?

 

No more than for many other lines .... nor, unfortunately, any less.

 

No doubt another enterprising coach operator (or operators) will be happy to fill the void when the railways are able to reopen and people will be able to think about holidays again.

 

You're doubtless correct, although the economics of PSV and railway operations generally looks unlikely to return to the pre-CoVID paradigm any time soon. Buses, coaches and trains alike aren't magically gonna cost a whole lot less to operate for carrying less bums per seat per ton .... worst luck.

 

I read that something like a quarter of the usual passengers will be able to travel on public buses at any one time.The Government are making funding available to maintain tram and bus services. Coaches, rather like heritage railways, are lower in the pecking order I suspect.