Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Couple of points. In reply to SpudUk there is another carriage in the works (number 9) but it's due after Van 23 and has been progressed quite far.
If there were a 2 section railway, one could perhaps quasi-mothball the shorter section and have just one or two people there hiring out rail-bikes to any visitors, available on certain dates only.

 

'And what,' said Pooh 'if it didn't?'

 

They have found Lew in Argentina......

 

That throws up some interesting challenges. Straight away, you need to be asking the question of how likely to be an ongoing operational 'pinch point' 'traditional' signalling is likely to prove on a line which will* ultimately involve (at least the original) four passing places, plus the termini.

*I see no harm in an expression of confidence in the longterm prospects for the line.

 

My understanding is that with the possible exception of Douglas, IoM & possibly the ffestiniog in its glory days British NG lines were not 'signalled' in the normal sense and that the work such as it was was carried out by station staff. As a 'For Example' these days the Ffestiniog crew issue their own train staffs, Tallylynn ditto sometimes

 

I think this comes under the headings of nice problems to have though - not that that means no one needs to think about it now. When it's a fully rebuilt line, just short of 20 miles in length, you might assume that success breeding success as it tends to, many more volunteers will have been motivated to get involved. If it were a perfect recreation and was unable to convince enough people to go and signal it (or do anything else) something would be badly wrong somewhere.

I would suggest that (as with other projects) there's likely to be a tipping point eventually (might be a certain length of track, the first couple of MWs in steam, whatever), when the financial and physical offers of help come rolling in and greatly outnumber the efforts of the true believers to date.*

*actually, *that* is a huge management challenge in itself - the point where everyone doesn't know everyone else, and it all gets a bit professional... you see it in village cricket, the stalwart members drifting away when suddenly there're enough youngsters that the team's actually good. Some people like the heroic failure! Mind you, just musing on my own signature, I don't like the easy!

 

While parts have certainly been cast for the locos, I don't think it's quite accurate to say that construction is underway.

I don't remember seeing any mention of No9 being in the works - is it confirmed that construction is underway or is it on the 'to do' list?

 

....but insist on swopping it for the Faukland Islands

 

Wow - you managed to mis-spell Talyllyn in two different places! You win the prize ....

 

>>>> My understanding is that with the possible exception of Douglas, IoM & possibly the ffestiniog in its glory days British NG lines were not 'signalled' in the normal sense and that the work such as it was was carried out by station staff...

Probably true in general, although there may well be other examples that I can't yet recall...

>>> As a 'For Example' these days the Ffestiniog crew issue their own train staffs, Tallylynn ditto sometimes....

AIUI the FR and TR use a mixture of METS and EKT systems, for which various 'remote operators' are available. AFAIK no one has (yet) devised a 'remote operator' mechanism for ETT machines. It is something which we have thought about, but at the moment it is more a case perhaps of trying to make best use of the equipment which we have. Of course, if someone would like to donate at least half a dozen pairs of NSTR instruments to the railway, we might reconsider.... Mind you, when trying to follow Southern Rly practice for the 1920s/30s, I couldn't manage to locate even one (let along a pair of) METS instrument for 'long section' working :-(

 

I beg to differ .... The L&B certainly was signalled, so was the Corris ( even if the only clear images of signal posts there show them gradually 'returning into nature' during the goods only years ). Even the Southwold too had signals.

I suspect the change came with the 1896 Light Railways Act. I believe until then, the only exception came with 'one engine in steam' operation.

The Irish 3ft (different legislative setup) railways, as opposed to tramways, were signalled. Amazingly, images of the T&DLR's last years (one weekend's worth of cattle specials per month over barely maintained track on long gradients of up to 1:28) show signalling was still in use and signalling is prominent in images of the C&L during it's last month of life .... both to control trains and as photographic vantage points!

 

Actually it was in Snailbeach all the time. Good to get that off my chest at last

 

You said S********h - you'll be for the naughty step now!

 

The Blue Pullmans damned nearly went the other way!

 

My thoughts on the 2nd railway from Blackmoor to Wistlandpound are that it would act much like the Lynbarn did to help pay for any borrowing on the Inn ( it would be interesting to know what this project is going to cost, has the deal been discussed with investors of the share option, are the members going to be told of possible risks to the railway, the silence is deafening ), IMHO with the cost of living, fuel, interest rates, ect all going up, foreign travel opening up again, this is a risky move which will have to be managed extremely well , AIUI they struggle for volunteers at Woody already with many giving up more days than they normally would to make sure the railway runs every day, they are already going the extra mile, maybe they will implement split day running between the two sites but that would be of no benefit at the end of the day

 

Tom

 

I have added my formal support to the 5 planning applications on the ENP website. Far more supports are needed to overcome one single objection, so your formal support is very important to the project.

How to add your support is explained very well here:
https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/news/planning-news-update-18th-may-2022

I have said in the comments that the project has brought me to the area with my wife, we have supported it in cash that will be spent locally, we have paid for local accommodation, meals out, and subsequently visits to other attractions in the area. None of this would have happened without the railway project.

 

There seem to be a number of submissions already from various people which - welcome as they are - simply say in essence 'we support the railway'. Without wishing to sound 'negative', they overlook the fact that the 'railway project' itself has already been granted planning permission.

I would suggest that for this Sec 73 application any comments of support (such as those which Breva has made need above) need to address quite specifically how the relaxation/abolition of the Grampian Conditions will help expedite the 'benefits' which have been outlined, possibly also mentioning (but others may disagree here) that otherwise there is a risk of the benefits being delayed for years, if even to be achieved at all.

 

Fair enough, sounds reasonable. I followed the instructions on the L&B web page. What seemed to matter was the option support / not support. It's not clear to me how much the comments matter.