Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

The Crowdfunding page is showing 461 donations and a total of £21,600 - I'm sure the EA £500 "Slot" fund is also growing. Given that we are in difficult times, this is a fantastic sign of confidence in the re-born L&B. A great job by all concerned.

 

Just to update this....486 donations and the total is now £22550......A final push to reach that total......and get the septic tank sorted!

 

Update on FoB fund. The exciting news today is that, with all the extra effort people have put in over the last few weeks, the Fund has now reached the agreed price for the Station and grounds! (Subject to one large donation that has yet to reach the FoB accounts.) We have also enough money for some of the extras (Tax and legal fees). We do need a little more to cover the costs of the septic tank (surprisingly more expensive than we'd hoped due to underlying bedrock and the costs of going through that). If supporters could carry on adding to JustGiving or sending direct amounts via the bank transfer form, that'd be appreciated. The JustGiving fund will not have its target increased again and will expire after that target is met.

There is potentially more exciting news!! The trackbed (and part of the station platform) immediately south of Long Acre just might be offered for sale! If this happens, we will let you know and establish a new fund raising system to meet this challenge. At the moment we have no idea what price would be asked, even if the owners do decide to sell it.

Thank you everyone!!!

P.S. Does anyone have a map showing just how much trackbed is within the current bounds of Quarry House?

 

Excellent news Martin. More exciting times for the L & B.
Is that regarding the grey area under the "0.632" in earlier post #2419?

 

It stretches southward from about half way down the platform at BF, but I'm not sure quite how far it goes and where the boundaries of Quarry House are today. I'm not even sure if Quarry House is the building shown just above where it says 'Quarries' on this map (https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.94516959232364&lat=51.12894&lon=-3.94295&layers=168&b=1) - but I assume it is. If anyone has a modern map of the area showing such boundaries that would be helpful!

 

The approach to Bratton from the south is shown on the linked video. Image attached.
Please be aware that this film seems to have been taken without permission and that the route taken is very much private land.

 

Many thanks, Lester. I wonder how many properties the line runs over beyond Quarry House southwards/westwards before it gets to railway owned land again at Bridge 24?

 

what is the provenance of the track from c4m30-8ish minutes?

I assume it can't be original?

 

Correct. Not original, though it could fool many people.
It was laid (please correct me if I'm wrong, anyone) by Mr. David Moore, the owner of this stretch of line, sometime in the 1970s-80s for his private use.
This stretch has since come into Trust ownership, mainly I believe, because Mr Moore was finding the maintenance of his landholding increasingly onerous. The track has been lifted, and a substantial amount of clearance work undertaken during one of the working weekends, about a year or so back.

 

so does the Bratton Flemming station site join the section owned by the Trust? - who owns the ground under Station Road?

 

Yes.
Dunno, but the fence line suggests Long Acre.

 

Is BF where the original turntable was?

Will

 

It is the responsibility of the highways authority - probably NDDC? AIUI It will need a TWAO to join the two sections with track that can be used.

No, that was at Pilton. Sold to RHDR on closure - now in Trust ownership. See https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/work-progress-18th-october

 

The original turntable was situated at Pilton depot in Barnstaple.

 

Wonderful news. well done to all, and especially the Exmoor Associates team!

I've long presumed that there would come a tipping point where landowners along the line will see that the line is coming back, and will become more inclined to sell. I'm not saying that we're there yet, but being able to mobilse resources to buy BF for cash free and clear in a matter of weeks in the middle of the COVID recession is a remarkable demonstration of intent and of the breadth and depth of support for the L&B.

"Perchance it awaketh!"

 

£23,665 in the Justgiving fund now and 516 donations. This is an amazing effort and now that the L & B is running again, as Tobbes said "Perchance it awaketh!"

 

Hopefully we will soon get an update on the progress of the two L&B New build locomotives now that the lock down is being eased.

 

Have you seen this update from April? https://762club.com/news/april-2020-news-update

 

Thanks OKB and yes I had read that. I am just an impatient keyboard warrior....