Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Err...what's the pipe for please ? 'X' marks the spot ??

 

Thats for planting the tree which will grow up to become the new signal post.

 

Sorry @DavidH,

I only just picked this up. I apologise if I’ve upset you in anyway. It’s true that I knew I was giving away a secret that had to be hidden from the public eye or rather those who pay hard earned money into the dream.

Maybe my screen name should be Whistleblower? What do you think???? After all, those in the wrong or with something to hide don’t tend to like Whistleblowers, do they!

By all accounts it seems you’ve given me a reputation as a bit of a fire starter or fireman as the case may be. With that in mind, I’ll keep you, and any other willing to listen updated as and when I receive anymore news. Hopefully this is the last you’ll hear from me.

Best Wishes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

.....but we still have had no AGM reports from anybody yet.....

 

yeah pretty much,it can be seen from down near the station and can be found easily if the undergrowth gets too bad lol

 

Lots of love, or laugh out loud or ?? (Sorry, wrong generation)

 

Lots of leaves

 

...or maybe Leaves On Line

 

Many thanks. Us 'older persons' have to try and keep up !

 

I have discovered posted on Facebook a recently created 12-minute video using Google Earth that shows the whole route being overflown from the site of Lynton & Lynmouth Station all the way to the site of Barnstaple Town Station.

See >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyW85R6RD9E&ab_channel=TomD

 

All very interesting but I must confess to having no idea where we were as it progressed. I couldn't recognise any of the intermediate stations or even Chelfham Viaduct!
Could someone add some location captions?? Anyone?? Please??

 

Chelfham Viaduct can be seen at about 9:07 - 9:14. But I agree that some places are hard to spot, eg Bratton Fleming :-(

 

Interesting watch, so much so, is there a gradient profile for the railway ? It looks a nice hilly route.

 

Collard Bridge to Woody Bay, mostly 1:50 up, Woody Bay Lynton, mostly 1:50 down.

 

I understand from a Facebook post that the vote at the AGM for trustees was declared null and void (presumably on procedural grounds) and will be re-run by post. So, we are to expect yet more ballots in due course (I think)...

 

actually, and I say this as someone who dutifully sent off both the previous iterations of ballot papers, whatever the messy flow of events that got us here, that's the right decision and pretty admirable.

 

The above images were scanned from the book "Lynton and Barnstaple Railway" by Brown, Prideaux & Radcliffe, edition 3 (the enlarged format edition published in 1996). The figures below the 'X' axis are line distance (miles) from Barnstaple Town Station, figures above the 'X' axis indicate the gradients. Note that 'L' = 'level'.

 

Less an analysis than a random musing:

Looking at the gradient profile kindly provided by @Axe +1, it occurs that the old line limited it's locos to five carriages. That - unfortunately - tended not to be a problem for the original L&B, before of after grouping. Likewise, old photos of the FR &WHR often depict none too taxing passenger trains.

Fast forward to today's F&WHR and the normal ten coach rakes needed to run (marginally more) cost-effective services and one can't help wondering whether the revived L&B would opt for shorter, more frequent services, or routinely double-headed trains the length of that needed on that far off, sad September day in 1935?

I seem to recall that any suggestions of a Garratt option finds little favour on Exmoor. If that remains the view, the obvious question becomes 'what longer term solution does the L&B envisage'?

Anyone for half a dozen olive liveried NG15's, fitted with Maunsell style smoke deflectors and N15 (SW Divn) bogie tenders? Thoughts, anyone?

 

If I recall previous discussions on this topic, it is envisaged that the new locos will have been tweaked such that they would be able to pull 8 carriages. The new Lyn, I believe, has a higher boiler pressure than the original and presumably can also pull more than 5.
I am happy to be corrected on this, though!

 

The theoretical capability of an engine to pull N number of coaches is one factor, but another crucial one for a single-line is the length of the passing-loops and station platforms. AIUI at the moment the Up platform at Woody Bay can take 5 coaches + engine (just). Even if the actual loop were to be lengthened for Phase 2B at the Lynton end, you would still be constrained by the length of platform to ensure that all passengers could alight/board to/from a platform unless they were extended as well.

New stations such as Blackmoor will be constructed from scratch, so loops/platforms could be built to accommodate longer trains if necessary. But that is of little value if then they can not pass at (say) Woody Bay or Chelfham. AFAIK no formal decision has been made yet as to the 'normal length' for a future L&BR train, but my impression is that 5 coaches is being used as a 'working figure' with an allowance for 2 engines to cater for situations where (a) an assisting engine may be required for some reason or (b) to save a 'path' for an otherwise light engine move.