Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

The typo in the page title has now been corrected, which also updates the page URL.

The corrected URL for the latest work report is >>> https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/calvert-trust-culvert-clearance-june-2021

 

Me too. Since my first (knee deep) encounter with the cutting adjacent to Goat Tunnel, half a century ago* and more recently, from the blogs and articles by the F&WHR Drainage Wallahs, I have developed a good deal of respect for the folks who beaver away on this essential, if often unsung work.

*if it hadn't been the height of the Welsh summer, I might have accidentally invented bog-snorkelling that day, it was that soggy!

 

News reached me from Minehead earlier this week that Stuart Nelhams will be leaving the WSR to become the new L&BR General Manager with effect from mid-August. I'd been waiting for confirmation from the website, but nothing yet.....

 

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Oh gawd NO!! ..... not this thread too ..... please!

Pretty, pretty please, with silver bells and ribbons on ...... could our hard-pressed moderators keep a weather eye out for any further warning signs that the dreaded 'Confundemesis Mineheadia' infection may be spreading beyond directly WSR related threads?

 

A further Work Progress Report for the rebuild of Van 23 is available on the L&BR website.

See >>> https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/trust/groups/pages/work-progress-van-23-june-2021

 

Thanks again Chris for your regular updates. Well done to the East group.....and all the others who are working to get the L & B back to its former glory!

 

>>>>>What so you brought it upon yourself to spread this information instead of keeping it to yourself until the railway did confirm it......

A curious response IMHO.....

The information was disseminated to WSR volunteers etc about a week ago, so is hardly a secret in Somerset now, even if - apparently - it still is over the border in Devon.
No doubt the L&BR website team are busy with other tasks and have not yet had time to update the relevant news section. In the meantime, given that the retirement of the current GM was announced publicly some while ago, I would have thought that news about his awaited successor would have been quite appropriate for a thread on L&BR 'operations & development'.

Or do you expect us all to wait 'in the dark' until the 'white smoke' arises from the chimneys at Woody Bay ?

 

This site has a habit of rampantly speculating about anything and everything, I'm sure that's the last thing Stuart would want people doing about his job while he's going through what must be a pretty difficult time. One ex. WSR fireman described him to me as "if you cut him in half he'd be West Somerset through and through". I think you should at least wait until one of the two railways makes a public announcement to respect Stuart's privacy if no one else.

 

+1. Great to see the updates beginning to flow again after a year from hell. Hope all at 'East' came through unscathed and that Van.23 doesn't throw up too many unwelcome surprises. As many images of the old line include non-passenger stock in trains, seeing this old beauty, in good order, back where it belongs is an exciting prospect indeed.

 

Given that the information came from a formal statement issued by the WSR Plc last week regarding organisation changes (which also listed other people who will be leaving or arriving), then I fail to see how this can be regarded as 'speculation'. It is not unknown for businesses to announce that "A is leaving us to work for B' " and I've not known such announcements to be regarded previously as some sort of breach of privacy.

 

What you mean that document that was shared to staff on HOPS? And, as far as I'm aware, is not available on the public web?

 

Oh, FFS

 

My reaction, too, to all this. Im guessing its not just me who feels the wind from the north Somerset coast blowing in to this thread already?

 

Ignore the comment: it is just a supporters angst.
Let continue discussion of the L&B, a railway that is going places, unlike the WSR which is in the doldrums.

 

The WSR’s loss is the L&B’s gain. People often thrive when they’re given a fresh opportunity to join an organisation and make a positive impact, especially in an organisation with exciting prospects and a can-do attitude to getting things done.

 

OK, given that we are now all in the picture here might I respectfully suggest that we draw a line under this sub-thread and comment on matters concerning L&BR, as for instance, do Chris and Meatman.

 

Meanwhile, back at Woody Bay...

I've just finished reading the latest L&B Magazine and Newsletter. Once again this railway is really a breath of fresh air when every few months they are able to demonstrate such wide ranging progress on everything from trackbed acquisition, to carriage restoration and new build locomotives. I do understand that they've got a lot of things to make progress on, but the fact that they consistently get on with stuff is always good.

I actively look forward to receiving each piece of comms from them.

 

I agree with gwralatea.
We are having a few days unexpected holiday in Dorset, so I hope to visit the L & B to see what they have done since I was last there in the 1990's. I see trains are operating Tue, Wed and Thurs so I should get a ride as well.

 

A couple of uploads to the L&BR website today.

First a new article titled "Aiding the local community" which details how the railway provides manpower and mechanical resources when its able to help neighbouring landowners.

And secondly, a news article uploaded a few days ago was today updated with eight new photos taken during the work at the Calvert Trust at Wistlandpound. This includes two more photos showing views of the reservoir which will be seen from our trains when the current extension project is completed.

Respectively, see >>> https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/aiding-local-communityjuly-2021 and https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/story/calvert-trust-culvert-clearance-june-2021