Lynton and Barnstaple at Caffyns

I noticed that the L&B have been working on fencing at Caffyns over the weekend. Is that land now owned by the company? Nice to see work on further sections.

 

'Heritage Rly' mag mentioned something about a new acquisition in their Sept/Oct. issue I think. I didn't buy it but it hasn't been announced anywhere else AFAIK. There is reference to fencing works at Caffyns on the 'work in progress' section of the L & B website so it must be a new aquisition - good news eh?

 

No the track bed at Caffyns has NOT yet been purchased by the L&BR. The work undertaken at this site last weekend was done with the permission of the landowner who is a good friend of the railway. In fact the land owner himself participated with the work.

Chris

 

Thank you for the clarification. But nice to see landowners and the railway working together.

 

Great to see such good relations building with the local community.
I assume in the longer term the aspiration will be the purchase of this section.
What extent are we talking about. Is it all the way from Woody Bay to Caffyns or a shorter section.

 

Nineteen miles of trackbed between Lynton and Barnstaple when closed in 1935 was sold off to many new owners. To the north of Woody Bay the current plan is to restore the railway all the way into Lynton (refer to the L&BR website for further details). The section at Caffyns discussed above is by comparison to the entire length, just one smallish section that now passes across just one farm.

Chris

 

The website has now been updated with some new pictures including some great "then and now" views:

http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/story/working-weekend-updated-22nd-november
http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/story/work-progress-21st-november

 

And with some video as well.
http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/story/caffyns-trackbed-walk-video