Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Just heard (From FoBS) that the Bratton Fleming Station purchase has been completed and there is even a rent paying tenant lined up!

 

Bratton Fleming & Goods Yard....
Exmoor Associates have advised that they have successfully completed the purchase of the former Bratton Fleming Station and Goods Yard. The vendor's Estate Agent (Staggs) is now showing the property as "SOLD".

 

Great News!

 

Yes, another very useful piece of the L&B jigsaw!

 

Update on EA's website:
http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/11/bratton-fleming-station-is-ours/

David Cameron has every right to look thoroughly pleased! Well done everyone who contributed.
A piece of good news in what is a rather bleak world right now.

 

Very good news, plus there is already someone lined up who wants to rent it, so it can now begin to make an income for the trust, so its a win- win, Wouldnt it be good if the new residents, are supporters of the railway, and both them and the trust, as their landlord can repaint the station in Southern Railway colours and add a bit of Southern feel to it,

 

The property was purchased and is currently owned by Exmoor Associates. It will be passed to the L&BR Trust by a mutually agreed method if and when required.

 

To have EA existing alongside the L&B (both the Railway and Trust) is an eminently practical and elegant solution to the complexities of reinstating a right of way cast to the four winds over eight decades ago.

I wonder .... how many active within EA's remit are enthusiasts who might once never have imagined their particular professional skillsets, far removed from heavy metal, hardwood and many varieties of flow control could prove so vital to rescusutating the line?

On the flipside, how many involved on the ground with the (to many among our number) more familiar territory of restoration, maintenance and operation have cause to be grateful they're not also perforce juggling multiple real estate deals, many with the added bonus that they're within the protections of a National Park, all whilst keeping the current railway running and preparing for it's expansion?

 

I agree with 30854- the L&B with EA certainly seem to have a well focussed, well thought out and coherent plan for the railway. True, it will be expensive and will take a long time, but there is so much support across the country and wider. Especially locally, people are steadily realising how much the scheme will bring to the area. Obviously there are, and will be difficulties, but there appears to be a very real impression of a willingness to listen, co-operate and gain agreement to keep moving forward.
Well Done to All concerned.

 

All in all a good result.
Also, its a neat rebuttal of the blinkered view of a contributor to the WSR thread who feels that Directors / Trustees must be seen to getting their hands dirty to earn respect.
Pat

 

Those among you who regularly monitor the L&B website for news updates may well have already seen the first edition of “The Lynton Line – Newsletter” published in August. Prepared primarily for neighbouring residents along the route of the line, its purpose is to keep them up-to-date with the railway’s plans and undertakings, as well as providing advance notice of maintenance and construction activity especially to those householders in the immediate work areas. The current Newsletter mentions two projects likely to be undertaken in the coming months, subject to lockdown guidelines.

The newsletter can be downloaded by going to the News Page at the L&BR website.......
https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/news/lynton-line-newsletter

My understanding is that the newsletter’s second edition will be available online soon.

 

From the L & B website
A grant has been awarded to fund some preliminary work (test boring) at Killington Lane.

 

I hope it won’t be boring haha. Is this the tunnel going to the pub that was the station.

 

No this at the Barnstable end the current running line where the cutting was field in where the line went under Killington Lane.

 

I think that is is a new bridge (No 65) that will needed to be built to take the road over the railway, on its way to get to the site of the old Blackmoor Gate Station that is now a pub/restaurant.

 

Will they be able to get it over at killington lane or need to go under. It is hard to tell in my map of it can be humped or if they will have to scoop it out

 

AIUI the old cutting will be re-excavated and the new bridge will take the road over the railway as previously. Roughly at the extreme RH side of the photo.

 

The image below shows the original Bridge 65 at Killington Lane, viewed from the trackbed looking north towards Woody Bay.

 

Thanks for that picture Chris D. As that cutting has been in-filled, is it known if the original bridge abutments are still in place, but buried?

 

They will probably be able to tell by scanning the ground there are lots of grind penetrating radars like they did on time team. Or a local may remember what’s happened to it and help them fined it again