Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Is this a wind-up?

 

That's the $64,000 question of our time! But there is certainly no need to respond or engage whatever it is.

 

No - just lack of knowledge.
I have PM'd you.
Mike

 

As in the other direction for an extension. If the track is blocked going one way and no one will sell it to them. Is it able to go the other way wher the shed is now

 

In another question how many coaches are there now and how many are being made right now extra being worked on?

 

Hi. They've got 5 coaches now, and getting ready to build the next one. The large grey van is being worked on as well, but the lockdown has slowed up the work quite a bit.
As for going the other way, they haven't got permission to yet. It will happen, but not for a long time, as there's so much to do already.

 

This is good progress they are doing well. I hope the person will move athat stops them going further as the line at the moment needs to be longer

 

ive actually always thought this might have been the better option,move the 'works' to Killington lane end and push back to Lynton,theres probably much less resistance going that way but the main reason is looking at how people think,as i understand it,the main reason is to create a park and ride for Lynton because Lynton has limited parking facilities.If you start at Blackmoor gate you park and ride to Woody bay then you will probably have to get onto a shuttle bus to Lynton ,a four mile ride away,that may suit train enthusiasts,singles and couples but the majority of holiday makers are younger families so would you really bother to unload the family at Blackmoor,ride to Woody bay then take a bus to Lynton when it would be easier to just drive to Lynton.On the other hand if you start at Woody bay, the car park is already there and it would be a nice scenic run down to Lynton.once there, getting as close to the old station as possible the shuttle to the town centre would be a five minute journey and a lot less hassle if you've got a couple or three kids in tow.Of course,getting the railway to Lynton would require considerable works but the same can be said for going to Blackmoor

 

I have read these recent comments with interest. I know that we are all keen to see the railway extended and are frustrated that this has not happened yet. However it would seem that there is a lot going on in the background at the moment. As I understand it the entire line is in the local plan which protects it from development other than the railway. Planning consent has been obtained for the line from Killington Lane to Blackmoor and on to Wislandpound and a TWAO application is in preperation. Looking at the map on the website there are a few portions of the route which are not yet in L&B ownership and I am sure that discussions are ongoing with the landowners. So a lot of time and expense has already been committed to this extension. There is no reason to suppose that the obstacles cannot be overcome. According to the L&B website this will be followed by the extension in the other direction.
For those interested in the objections to the scheme - these are in the public domain on the planning portals of the appropriate local authorities - there is even a youtube video of a local news report which features comments from those objecting to the scheme.
I think patience is needed a little longer.

 

Thanks Railwest for your reply
Is it possible to see where the piece of trackbed is that the owner is refusing to sell? Is it easy to see on Google Earth perhaps or a map? Roughy how long is this stretch of trackbed?
Also, is it possible that this can be compulsory purchased if it has to come to it?

Thanks

 

Go to https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe....102825&z=18&mid=1ait_38mDALZOXlxQGr3tIdXDUSQ and look at the two yellow sections at Parracombe. The northern one is the bungalow at the station, the southern one is the other land-owner.

AIUI the ppossession of a TWAO - assuming that one is granted in due course - will allow the railway to apply for a CPO if it so wishes. That application then has to be determined by the relevant official body and may - or may not - be granted depending upon whether or not they think that it is justified.

As you will appreciate this is a delicate situation and too much public discussion is best avoided please.

 

Exactly. Patience is needed a little longer

 

I think that there is a big difference between a property acquired years ago when there was no reasonable expectation that a railway would be built at the bottom of the garden and one bought recently with the full knowledge that that would probably happen. In the former case the L&B might possibly be expected to make a mitigating provision, in the latter case (particularly when the estate agents details went out of their way to raise this issue) it is up to the buyer to accept the issue/problem and the price no doubt reflected that.

 

Once again I have been requested by a member of the L&BR Board to ask you guys to kindly NOT mention compulsory purchases on this public forum on land needed by the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway. At this time it is not the railway's intention to pursue any procurements for the remaining land purchases using the forceful method you mention. Such comments may well be winding up those landowners who own the relevant properties.

 

In order to lighten the tone of the thread, I have just finished watching Tuesdays edition of "Architecture the Railways Built", and I've got to say I've not seen a better advertisement for our railway on terrestrial TV. Tim Dunn's sheer enthusiasm for his subject carries one along on a current.
His love for the Lynton and Barnstaple, its history, folklore and future is very apparent, and it was a pleasure to watch his evangelism in action, not just at Woody Bay, but at Blackmoor and Chelfham as well. How well he conveyed its mystically magic spell. I wonder if he's a Trust member?
If not, he deserves an honorary membership just for that presentation alone.
Incidentally, I loved Tony Nicholson's remark about railway, that "It died young, and remained beautiful"

 

There is also Rob Bell's Walking lost railways s3 ep1, still on ch5 catch up, and the BBC 2 part documentary from 1985 still on Youtube.

 

Thanks for the link, that’s really helpful. And apologies, as a newbie on here I didn’t realise there were rather delicate issues that were best not mentioned. So away from these, are there possibly any other areas of concern along the already acquired trackbed in getting the TWAO?

 

AIUI the basic purpose of a TWAO is simply to authorise the railway company to operate a public railway service, including the ability to cross over/under public highways. That decision will take into consideration factors such as the proposed design of the railway, bridges etc, the method of operation (eg signalling, safety procedures etc), conformance to required standards etc etc. AFAIK the fact that the railway may not yet own some parts of the proposed trackbed is not relevant (much in the same way that you can obtain planning permission to do something on land which you do not own), so such things per se should not be an obstacle to grant of TWAO. For example, there is still a gaping hole in Parracombe Bank which will need to be repaired, but the railway could obtain a TWAO long before that work is done on the basis of how it is proposed that the rebuilding will be done.

 

Individual railway societies do not, of course, control the content of National Preservation (for which we must be thankful!). I feel it must be faced, therefore, that if the L&B does not acquire these unmentionable powers there will be no extension through Parracombe. The people concerned show no sign of changing their minds or moving and the daughter of the house seems as adamant as the parents. Above it was noted there is no by-pass possible of this stretch of trackbed. There also appears to have been problems at the Blackmoor end of the proposed extension too though, hopefully, these can be resolved. The prospect of decades to wait at Parracombe is daunting (if what was said above is true about the 'powers' not going to be sought/used). Maybe the Trust and Exmoor Associates should be looking more urgently at Bratton to Snapper via Chelfham - at least most (all?) or this is outside the national park ....

 

With respect, I would refer you back to Post No 3156.

Please give this particular topic a rest. Simply not mentioning things and/or people by specific names does not hide the subject of your comments from those 'in the know' . Too much public speculation, however well meant, may serve only to make the restoration of this lovely railway even more difficult than it is at the moment.