Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

It is good to note from the L&B website that after six weeks enforced absence, volunteers are once again working on essential maintenance at Woody Bay. It takes a lot to keep the Thursday Gang down!

It must be quite a challenge to work under social distancing guidelines. Thank you to all those involved. Stay Safe.

 

Hopefully today's announcement of easings will help things along, although I must confess it's getting very complicated now, with talk about gatherings of 6, barbecues, access to gardens, toilets, etc etc.
I just hope this translates into the outdoor working environment as a positive move.

 

News from Bratton Fleming station. The building is back on the market! Official reason is that the potential buyer lost a mortgage offer and is looking for alternative finance (though, maybe their solicitor told them about a railway due to go through their garden).
The fund to come up with an offer to secure BF station for the railway DESPERATELY needs cash fast to produce a counter offer in time. Please contact the fund at david@exmoor-associates.co.uk as soon as you can if you can help.
The Friends of Bratton Fleming station have established a fund separate from the L&B Trust and from Exmoor Associates. If the bid fails, all moneys will be returned in full. The Friends are asking for minimum 'slots' of £500 each, although multiple 'slots' may be purchased. Full details are available from David Cameron at the email address above; details and application form are attached to this post.

 

I have just bought a slot and give them my wholehearted support. I encourage everyone to help, they need 700 supporters!
But you will get something physical for your money, a station in Devon! They don't come up every day, so please help.

Small note: the appeal account is actually in the name of Exmoor Associates, not FoB. It's not very clear on the application form.

I just love the idea of slowly absorbing all of the 100 or so little bits of track as they come along. That is long term planning, but it works! You have to have a vision.

 

Thanks for the explanation, Jo, I might have struggled, otherwise. I've ust stuck in more than we can really afford, but its so strategically important, that one can't muck about, and who knows- with everything that has happened in the last few months, maybe we can get it below the guide price, this time.
I was looking on Stags earlier, and theres a property abutting the line at Churchtown, secluded, spacious, 3 bedrooms, garage, gardens all round, all for the same price. I'm not surprised the original purchasers of BF had a mortgage turned down. Its definitely overpriced.

 

I think the price is so high because they've got Lew stashed away in the garage...

 

I do wonder what world these estate agents live in as they say "there may be potential to convert the loft space into additional accommodation or to extend the property further subject to planning." but if this was done with the same existing roof pitch even a 5 year old child most likely bang his/her head on the highest part of the roof conversion as the whole building is only 10 foot wide inside.

 

Ridiculous. It wouldn't fit. Now, Excelsior, on the other hand ....

 

There is now a Facebook page - please publicize this to your friends and contacts!!
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsBrattonFleming/

 

There's now a JustGiving page for those who wish to donate less than £500: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/brattonfleming

 

From the Exmoor Associates website (the little company buying up the little pieces of former trackbed)

http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/06/bf-station-for-sale-again/

So far they have raised 187 of the required 700 x £500 slots to buy the station. That is good progress in a week, but they need lots, lots more, so please do help.
Details of how to support them are in Martin Ball's post 2265 above.

Let's hope no one steals it from them before they have got the money together.

Below are some more pictures of what is, and what can be:


Where the line ends at the moment - Killington Lane. Note the steepness of the line! The original trackbed dived under a road off to the right of the picture. It forms part of the next extension plans downhill towards Blackmoor Gate and Whistlandpound reservoir.


Some of the former trackbed is easy to recover, like here. Can you imagine it?


And some is more challenging and specific. This is looking over the top of Bratton Fleming station (a private house bottom left when the picture was taken) and you can see that the site is in a narrow, remote valley. You can't really route around that if you fail to buy it when given the opportunity.

And finally:


The magnificent Chelfham viaduct! It is intact, in good condition, and Chelfham station on the northern end of it is already in L&B hands.
It's all do-able, if they get enough support.

 

It is somewhat better than that post suggests, as there is a promise of 100 £500 slots that will be given to the campaign in due course (as and if needed when the time to bid arrives). So, in reality we're 40% there ....
Still need much, much more of course to be able to bid

 

Also, see https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/bratton-fleming-station-sale-friends-bratton

 

Do they need to purchase the viaduct? or is it Council (or similar) owned and can be used when the time comes?

 

I'm sure others will correct me, but I understood that Chelfham Viaduct (Grade II listed) was owned by th SR and then passed onto BR and then the BR Board (Residual) which passed it to the Highways Agency when BRB(R) was wound up, meaning that it is owned by DfT. Given that it was extensively restored in 2000 including new waterproofing, it is presumably available to the railway when it is ready to extend over it. Can't wait!

 

Tobbes, exactly right! The L&B did contribute to the cost of additional refurbishment in 2000, ensuring that it would be suitable for future railway use.

As I understand, when the time comes, the L&B will be able to purchase the viaduct for a nominal sum, but will then be responsible for its upkeep, so will be keen to delay that transfer until it is in a position to reopen Chelfham to traffic, which will be some years away.

 

The appeal fund to buy Bratton Fleming Station is now around 48% complete. BUT, we still need the rest if we wish to buy the station, and we need it fast in case the original bidder returns with their finance in place or other bidders emerge.
Please do consider buying a(nother) slot at £500, or donate (again) at the JustGiving site!
Message me for a fillable PDF form to buy a £500 slot, or for smaller donations please go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/brattonfleming
Thanks!!!

 

If the fund raising is successful and you succeed in buying the station, does a £500 slot buy a share or is it a pure donation?

 

Anyone buying a £500 'slot' is best advised to think of it as a donation rather than as an investment. One must not anticipate a string of dividends - the 'return' will be in the form of the satisfaction one gets in knowing the station and adjoining trackbed have been saved ready for the eventual extension of the line. I am sure we can all think of many other heritage railway 'share offers' which have been and are of a similar nature!

Mike

 

I asked because I had contemplated contributing to the Blackmoor Inn share issue, though I had not reached a decision on that.