Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Sadly our holiday to the South was cut short and so I was not able to visit the L & B ........
I will have to be satisfied by the regular updates of progress on here!

 

Nice to see that "Lynton Line #4" has been put on-line on the L & B website.
They are doing a good job of keeping the local people informed of their activities and shows the positive impact of the railway both environmentally, socially and economically.

 

https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/files/pdfs/The_Lynton_Line_4_v2_2_online.pdf

 

Is this from "Lynton Line #4" the first public confirmation of the GM?
"Staff Changes The time has come for Martyn Budd (right), our General Manager since 2007, to retire. He will be greatly missed, but we welcome Stuart Nelhams who has been appointed to replace him. Stuart comes to the L&BR from the nearby West Somerset Railway where he has been both a volunteer and a staff member for many years. The railway has also taken on a local 18-year-old apprentice to be trained in conjunction with Bridgwater and Taunton College and to assist with the maintenance and operation of the railway. As the line is extended to Wistlandpound we will need further staff and apprentices."
Wish him well in this interesting time for the railway. Also good to see they have taken on an apprentice.

 

It’s a great little read, I’m not connected with the the L&B but the railway seems to understand the importance of communicating with the outside world and using different media to keep telling its story. It’s impressive how much trackbed has been secured, which allows for steady progress with preparatory works and the potential to earn some revenue in the meantime.

 

I visited the railway for the first time yesterday. It is delightful and the staff were very friendly and obliging. I hope the railway's development goes well.

 

Brilliant 5 page spread on the L&B in this months Trackside magazine, together with another piece in the main news section.

 

Nice newsletter. It's also good to see the local government are with them.

 

Looking to the stated policy of preferring local contractors, you'd have to imagine so is an increasing percentage of the local business sector.

I trust Martin Budd's decamping from his executive role (after a very accomplished stint) won't affect his other role, driving the chunky yellow things around.

 

It will do. He's going 'cross the pond. (Well, the Solent, anyway)

 

Here's to hoping the L&B has someone else as deft with a digger!

 

Another Works Progress Report now online reporting the works undertaken last week between Bridges 54 and 55.

See >> https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/works-bridwick-farm-and-rowley-moor-farm-july-2021

Also, if you are looking for a volunteering opportunity in carriage & wagon construction and maintenance, the L&BR EAST {East Anglia Support Group) are seeking additional volunteers at the railway's Carriage & Wagon Workshop near to Colchester in Essex, then please
see >>> https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/trust/groups/pages/east-group-update-july-2021

There will be another Works Progress Report published shortly.

 

Thanks Chris......and of course the "Culvert Team!"

 

Another news page did not happen. It was eventually decided to add what we had to the page already online as an addendum. The update includes another map and photos.

 

As the L & B and EA gradually buy more of the track bed, is it the intention to allow for walks along suitable sections, before the rails get to them? Are there already such walks?

 

Interesting question and sounds like an idea with merit. I'd imagine much depends on the extent of any purchased plots, beyond what's needed by the railway formation itself, the juggling of which is the raison d'être of EA.

Although built with a far more generous loading gauge than most Welsh NG lines, cuttings and embankments still aren't massively over-generous. With enough to occupy them in reassembling the jigsaw of the track bed, I wonder whether EA and the L&B Trust mightn't prefer to pass that particular buck on to ENPA, DCC or even (tin hat ON) Sustrans.

 

I think Phil meant as a temporary measure when a reasonably long section has been bought but may not be used for many years. The walking route would then be removed when the track was relaid.

 

Rereading it, so it does. Senior moment on my part. While it sound eminently sensible, quite how the L&B could protect it's right of way against claims of such a facility becoming a permissive footpath, most especially resulting from delays in the reinstatement schedule, would be one for the line's "learned types" to go belt and braces on.

 

If a permissive path then right of access can be withdrawn at any time by the landowner.