If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by 50044 Exeter, Dec 25, 2009.

  1. Axe +1

    Axe +1 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2017
    Messages:
    185
    Likes Received:
    726
    Occupation:
    Retired {Electronics Engineer}
    Location:
    Surrey
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Train operations commenced at Killington Lane in 2006, since when I have heard differing opinions of several L&B members relating to Bridge 65. In my opinion, I must suggest that until the actual digging starts around the bridge, nobody will know for sure what surprises await discovery beneath the surface.
     
  2. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,444
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    Surprises? Who knows - maybe Lew will be found buried there.:)

    Peter
     
  3. martin1656

    martin1656 Nat Pres stalwart Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2014
    Messages:
    17,609
    Likes Received:
    11,223
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    St Leonards
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    When the first digger hits metal, I can imagine the suspension, especially if the penetrating radar showed a cylindrical object, followed by the what is it, Then the down cast looks as it turns out to be an old septic tank , or worse an old ford Anglia , but as we are talking Devon shire people, its most likely going to be an ford model T. :)
     
    andrewshimmin and nine elms fan like this.
  4. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,441
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    ...or it might be a stray WWII bomb - a quick thump with a hammer, a very loud bang and hey presto a self-excavated cutting !
     
    nine elms fan, johnofwessex and ghost like this.
  5. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2009
    Messages:
    2,217
    Likes Received:
    1,456
    ...demolishing the forgotten and long-buried bridge with it. Oops!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  6. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2019
    Messages:
    1,252
    Likes Received:
    1,566
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Alton, Hants
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Shades of Dr. Barnes Wallis's finest:
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-54533860
    Quick plug for Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, which has examples of Tallboy and Grand Slam (and masses of other aircraft, cars etc.). (I visited last year with a friend whose father worked there in the 2nd WW. Fortunately for him he was in the car park when the Luftwaffe paid a visit.)
    Going OT, I know. Sorry.
    Pat
     
    martin1656 likes this.
  7. RailWest

    RailWest Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,803
    Likes Received:
    7,441
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    West Country
    Maybe a remote-controlled Great Panjandrum could be used to clear the trackbed south of Parracombe ??? :):)
     
  8. City of truro fan

    City of truro fan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2015
    Messages:
    783
    Likes Received:
    84
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Honiton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Are there any other railway parts that are buried but still exist just got covered up anyone knows about. I have a picture on the guessing location picture puzzle game Fred at the moment which has been buried too. No ones has guessed it yet!
     
  9. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,103
    Likes Received:
    57,432
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Blimey, are they still active? I thought all that malarkey finished in 1945 ...

    Tom
     
    Nick C, andrewshimmin, ghost and 2 others like this.
  10. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2011
    Messages:
    25,493
    Likes Received:
    23,731
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Depends who you ask - there are plenty who don't seem to realise WWI's over yet...
     
    andrewshimmin likes this.
  11. Michael B

    Michael B Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2020
    Messages:
    400
    Likes Received:
    1,045
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bristol
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    That is not correct. The GWR had running powers over the 'loop line' between the GW station at Victoria Road in Barnstaple originally a terminus, and the LSW's Barnstaple Junction Station under an agreement of 3 July 1885, but not the Ilfracombe line. The loop line was then built and opened on 1 June 1887. The GW undertook to use no other route to Ilfracombe. The GW only acquired the right to attach it's through carriages to LSW trains on the Ilfracombe line. GW engines were not seen on the Ilfracombe line until the exigencies of train operating required them to do so during WW1. The first regular GW trains appear to have been those in the SR working timetable operating from 1 July 1923. There were none in the LSW working timetable for the summer of 1922.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2020
  12. Dunfanaghy Road

    Dunfanaghy Road Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2019
    Messages:
    1,252
    Likes Received:
    1,566
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Alton, Hants
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Oh dear, my friend Cate's father Reg was in the car park. Several of his friends weren't so lucky.
    Pat
     
  13. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Giant Viper might be more effective.
    Or the newer Python.
     
    The Dainton Banker likes this.
  14. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2017
    Messages:
    1,002
    Likes Received:
    2,477
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Titfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Bit better than what we had-which was F all except crawling on your belly, prodding mother earth with a bayonet
     
    andrewshimmin likes this.
  15. City of truro fan

    City of truro fan Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2015
    Messages:
    783
    Likes Received:
    84
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Honiton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I’d like to know Why was there never any tunnels on the lyntown and Barnstaple please? As it’s lots of hills is confusing why they didn’t put one in. It would have been an interesting feature
     
  16. ross

    ross Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 18, 2017
    Messages:
    1,002
    Likes Received:
    2,477
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Titfield
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Tunnels are monumentally expensive to build and to maintain. Tunnels are a last resort in railway building, and were, are, and always shall remain to be avoided.
     
    andrewshimmin, SpudUk and ghost like this.
  17. bluetrain

    bluetrain Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2019
    Messages:
    1,326
    Likes Received:
    1,460
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Wiltshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    And if I remember rightly, once you get clear of Birmingham NS, there are no tunnels on the WCML between Birmingham and Aberdeen. Engineer Joseph Locke avoided them, so the line instead goes up and over Shap and Beattock summits.
     
    andrewshimmin likes this.
  18. torgormaig

    torgormaig Part of the furniture Friend

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    4,444
    Likes Received:
    6,546
    That's an interesting fact that had not occured to me, but then I remember the tunnel at Hillon Junction, Perth - but I cannot think of any others.

    Sorry, a bit OT here. I forgot this is the L&B thread.

    Peter
     
    35B likes this.
  19. Michael B

    Michael B Member

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2020
    Messages:
    400
    Likes Received:
    1,045
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Bristol
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    The reason is the use of sharp curves by using 2ft gauge. Also helped with 1 in 50 gradients. If a proposal in 1883 for a Standard Gauge line by roughly the same route (except at Wistlandpound) had got through Parliament and been built it would have had 5 tunnels. There were none on the original L & B plans of 1894, but the tenderers for the construction contract were obliged to state how much they would add or deduct from their price for a 220 yard tunnel at Martinhoe just north of where Wooda Bay Station was built. The contract gave the Company the option of a cutting or a tunnel. The successful contractor deducted £1, but the option was not taken up. If it had been built the revivalists would have the prospect of an easier time going northwards towards Lynton, with no bridge to replace under the main road (SR No 69) and only a comparatively small amount of cutting at the Ranscombe end to clear. More detail on this, including drawings of the proposed tunnel and its portals etc., and a whole lot more on the railway in a forthcoming pair of books on the history.
     
    Last edited: Nov 17, 2020
  20. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2014
    Messages:
    15,330
    Likes Received:
    11,666
    Occupation:
    Nosy aren’t you?
    Location:
    Nowhere
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Shugborough? As ever though we are drifting. ;)
     

Share This Page