Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Hi @Michael B ,
Do you know which way the ladder would be on the "Up Home", I was talking to Dave at Chelfham who thinks it was down to the trackbed, While it seams to run along the fence line. All the pictures I have seen of this signal, a ladder is not visible in any of them.
Kind regards.

 

A democratic election should allow anyone (including the existing board) to campaign in favour of the candidates they want elected. Imagine if a government couldn't say "vote for us again"
It's the responsibility of the electorate to distinguish the cant from the candour and when we fail to do so we get what we deserve.

 

If only that were so. Candour is singularly lacking from politics of any hue, at least in this century, wheras the cant is spectacular and omnipresent. And a few of our railways are also becoming heavily politicised, to their obvious detriment.

 

It is so because so few of us are actively involved, or even take an interest, in the politics. Therefore the few that do get to run the show, for better or worse.

 

If only ......

 

The two reasonably clear photographs I have circa 1908 and 1914 show the ladder at the back of the signal, i.e. the Barnstaple end. When it crossed to the east side of the line and up the bank in April 1926 I have no photographs close enough to determine it. All of the pictures of L & B signals I have looked at in the last 10 minutes, by no means all of them, have the ladder at the back of the signal, and, of course, the platform projecting from the post that way. The signalman would have better access to most of the lamps I have seen that way.

 

We have seen the difficulties experienced by candidates wishing to campaign over recent years at both the WSRA (at the time of the "ex-six") and at the WSSRT, when various tactics were employed by the incumbent board members to attempt to derail the new candidates. These included refusal to release the membership lists, threats of suspension, bullying, and the involvement of an outside body to threaten the candidates, none of which is in any way acceptable whatever your view of the calibre of those seeking office. That is why there are established procedures for conducting elections in non-public organisations. Once you open the door to any sort of involvement by the existing board members, other than from those seeking re-election in their role as candidates, and even if it is restricted to nice letter from the Chairman favouring a candidate, you start down the dangerous path of authoritarian rule and the members start to lose control of their organisation.

 

The WSRA and WSSRT meddling was appalling, I agree. But preventing any member of an organisation (including board members) campaigning for those they support would be just as bad. You seem to say there are ‘established procedures’ preventing this. Where?

 

talking about the red lines having to be moved because no-one noticed the cock-up,it seems bridge 62 has got fed up with where it lives and has taken a walk a few hundred yards up the line to cricket field lane and has decided to identify as an occupation crossing instead of a cattle creep

 

If Michael B has not been able to find a photo, then I doubt that I could either :-(

The 'normal' arrangement would have been for the lampman's 'landing' and hence the ladder to be at the back of the post, although different arrangements were not unknown on lines other than the L&BR where the location of the signal demanded it. In the case of the relocated Up Home at Chelfham then it is possible IMHO that in fact there was more than one ladder, given the elevated location of the base of the post. Given that the ground conditions may have altered since closure, I would speculate that there may have been a 'normal' ladder running down from the landing at the back (station side) of the post parallel to the track and ending by the base of the post, from where there would then have been either (a) another ladder down to the track (at right-angles to the track) or (b) a pathway from the top edge of the cutting. Perhaps buried somewhere the volunteers may eventually find the remnants of the fixing for the base of one or both of those possible ladders?

But it would be nice to be able to solve the mystery

 

i have a commemorative pint glass from the spring gala of 2013,celebrating the return to Woody Bay of carriages 7 and 17,thats some 8 years ago and together with the others they are still out in all weathers,100s of pounds of supporters money was spent on those stupid covers which as anyone with some common sense knows cause more harm than good simply because they trap damp and condensation,but would anyone listen...NO...earlier this year no.7 had to have a lot of work done on the open compartment because it was rotting away,all done outside because there was no room in the workshop,part of the barns at rowley moor could have been refurbished to create a decent carriage shop but instead are being used for other things not all railway related,yes the carriages would have to be moved by road but at least they would be undercover and have a dedicated workshop,it would seem that next month construction of the new tea room is to start,now i dont know the cost of this but in march 2020 a member of staff at woody bay quoted a figure of £38,000,if that is true then the way in which building materials/timber has gone up in the last 6 months i wouldn't think there will be much change from £50,000,yes it will be much nicer for the paying public than a draughty marquee but they could soon be riding to killington lane and back on very expensive bogie flat wagons with bench seats if something isnt done soon to get these carriages out of the weather and lets be realistic here,even if they do manage to pull off everything needed for the extension in the next 18 months how long is it going to be before the railway gets back to rowley moor and the new buildings ,the effort of those in the east building these carriages is immeasurable and it must be heartbreaking for them to see their hard work being treated like this so to sum up,i would say the so called dedicated rolling stock trustee actually isnt being very accountable for the very expensive rolling stock he is overseeing

 

Of course, it may well be that said Trustee is very, very concerned about the situation indeed, but any demands that he may make for funding for covered accommodation are over-ruled by his fellow Trustees in favour of other projects which they may deem more deserving/necessary. But who knows? Such is the way with Boards and 'collective responsibility'.... One might hope that the Minutes of Board meetings could yield an answer.

 

you had to be at the AGM,seeing is believing as they say and i would say the attitude of some was 'smug' at the least and verging very much on 'arrogant', the chairman sat there like a baby with a smacked arse because someone had dared to challenge him and for one of the trustee's seeking re-election to point across the hall and refer to the new nominee simply as 'Duffell' was just pure arrogance,to be treated like that after all the work he has has done is downright disgusting and deserves an apology at the least,those three or four on the top table needed to be treated like spoilt kids in my opinion,given a smacked backside and sent to bed without any tea

 

i would like to say if that is the case then the over ruling trustee/s need a bloody good kick up the arse,these carriages are £100,000 + each by all accounts,payed for by members donations and to be treated like they are is just appalling imo

 

I would like to add to my original post above that I missed out, for some reason or other, from their July 21 mailing, and that I have now received it by return mail. I now understand the reason why no shares have been issued yet. The content of the bulletin is confidential, which is understandable while negotiations continue.
The share offer does indeed remain open. Obviously, should anyone subscribe for shares, they will be included in the news bulletins.

 

Thank you @Michael B , This was my understanding of the signals. I'm sure a very small ladder was erected in April 1926 towards Barnstaple and access could have been from the fence line back to the station.

 

@RailWest I would like to think (b) was the better option. I will have a scratch around before the post goes up.

 

...

Strikes me that there would be room to build a temporary Carriage shed in the Carpark at Woody Bay, just a random thought?

 

IMHO that would be a fairly prominent location in the landscape and there might be problems in trying to get it past ENPA. As an alternative, although rail access would be less than ideal, a covered extension northwards into the cutting from the existing shed would at least be well hidden.

 

Bearing in mind any such facility would be temporary(-ish), something akin to the current arrangement on a not-yet-used stretch of running line seems logical, plus providing as practical and clear statement that it is only temporary as possible. As Mr Nuttall learned a century and a quarter ago, there's not too much by way of topsoil to dig out, anywhere round thataway, before you hit solid rock.

...... unless anyone in the L&B fold has a particular penchant for high explosives!