Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Is the L&B to push beyond the present Killington Lane station in 2010, towards Parracombe?

 

As ever, any extensions depend on funds - especially in this case because of the need to (under)bridge the road. My guess is that such funding is so large that it would depend on success in grant applications currently pending and in preparation. The track bed is now available - but that road is the problem.

 

The L&B will host a visit from the new Lyd in 2010 if all goes according to plans!
The idea is for the loco to be launched on the FR, and then for it to visit Launceston and Woody Bay.

1-3/5/10 FR launch
8-9/5/10 Visit to Launceston
15-16/5/10 Visit to Lynton and Barnstaple

 

That is great news - I'll hopefully be making my first visit to Woody Bay in May. I've been following the project with great interest on the net - I used to holiday in North Devon when I was a kid and always tried to follow the course of the old line from the car when we visited Lynton.

 

Will the L & B be pushing to get their restored original L & B coach finished in time to run with Lyd?

 

To meet those dates I would assume it must be almost ready for steam trials and some running-in - is this the case ?

Richard

 

Posted this morning on one of the L&B email groups.....

In view of possible delays to its completion, LYD will not now be coming to North Devon for our May Gala but will instead be in attendance at our September Gala.

Chris

 

I see track gangs were recently clearing near Wistlandpound....extension plans still very much going then!?

 

In the minds of the" people " the plans have always been on going, always have been, but as to real progress in terms of bridges and P Way works and materials for construction.

The plans are there but no more than that, unless the officials have more to say or announce its a big job for big people with lots of money.
So in answer to your question not in the forseable future.

The land is now owned by EA for the next section from the bridge South to the next bridge and thence the land owned by the association since 1984.

 

Do you know what will happen to the house on the site of Parracombe Station? Is it owned by EA yet and will it be demolished? Also I seem to remember that the section to the east of the station was now part of a garden - has that been obtained too?

Basically what I'm asking is how much land needs to be bought to get to Parracombe or is it all in the ownership of EA.

Best of luck with the extension - how much is needed for the new bridge?

 

Hi there - the L&B website gives answers to some of these questions. For example, to get from Killington Lane to Cricket Field Land (including bridge under Killington Lane) is costed at about 1 million quid. Unfortunately, the Exmoor Associates websites does not list in any detail all their holdings, so I'm not sure about the status of Parracombe station - but I don't think the house there is owned by either the L&B or by EA. I vaguely recollect that a way round the house was however possible.

 

In response to Autotank.
The land in the pictures being cleared is owned by the railway, its boundary on the southern end ( there may be another short section between these two pieces thinking about it ) is the Wooders garden and house ( known as FAIRVIEW) they own about 400 yards of track bed from memory, then there is a stone road over bridge thats their southern boundary I think church lane, unmetaled road .The south side of that bridge where the halt was is all filled in and the bungalow built on the ground , the bungalow has been offered for sale but as yet no one from the railway has made an offer ( you may correct me).

So these two obstacles are expensive ones before the railway could break back out into clear farm land , only to go about 1000yds and then deal with the embankment that is not there . I feel sure that the people will never loose the spirit to advance but the obstacles are seriously expensive ones.To build a station at the limit of the railways land, before the Wooders land means altering the down 1:50 gradient to level for platform and run around to comply with regs, the land is tight on width and its all rock on the up side , but is feasable.

You could not then at a later date run through this station if it was built there because of gradient miss matches.
Hope that answers your question

 

This is a picture of the bridge over the line (which is now a garden) at Parracombe :



Clicking on the picture will enlarge it and take you to the other L & B pictures on my Fotopic site.

 

Not sure what is meant in the last sentence by " a way around the house " there is no other route to deviate from the original route of the permanent way the land falls will not permit deviation, its through the houses or nothing, so at some stage the houses will need to be purchased .

Feasably Killington lane bridge could be built, price according to who does it , I mean which major contractor.

The track bed from there on has running rights on it, so it has to be prepared, installed, opened and stay in timetable service once opened, its not an easy project and will take serious money . That is why it has not started.

It will only open another say 1000 yds to a new station,the debate is is it worth the expenditure, that's a fair debate.

To go to Blackmoor Gate these are the first and major obstacle's. To get through Paracombe could cost 2 million it could cost 1 million , its academic there is no money, certainly not that sort of money I mean.

Going the other way towards Lynton is equally as complex and expensive. I am not negative but these are the obstacles, track materials are not availible now only as new purchase, the whole expansion project is major MAJOR!! investment.

 

I know somebody went into detail about why the L&B finds it harder to find big funding than say the WHR did but I do hope bids are being put in - there'd surely be some tourism or heritage body willing to invest?

 

WHR was able to take advantage of grants from the Welsh Assembly, not (of course) available to the L&B. The L&B in the form of its Exmoor Enterprise group has prepared plans for the extension and obtained some seed funding to employ a professional fund raiser. Bids for major funding are of course to be made, but see the following quote from the website concerning the need for discretion on these matters at the moment:
" Exmoor Enterprise was created to manage the reinstatement project and to also seek the necessary funds.

Created in 2007 by the L&B Trust, a team was assembled to manage the project to rebuild the railway. It is currently comprised of L&B Trustees or Railway Company Directors, although anyone with the necessary skills and time can be seconded as required.

Members of the Exmoor Enterprise team have already attended public meetings, met with several landowners and other interested parties and done much with regards to publicise the scheme to recreate the railway from Wistlandpound to Lynton. In addition discussions have been held with Exmoor National Park - our planning authority - as outline planning is being sought for the complete nine miles.

As most of the detail is of a sensitive nature we are sure you will understand why it cannot be made public at this time, but be assured much is being undertaken to facilitate the extension of the railway and hopefully not before too long."

Note this refers to the second part of the project (after Woody Bay to Killington Lane); a third phase would target the final stretch of the line back to Barnstaple.

 

A little news from North Devon...

There will no doubt be more news and discussions as the official consultation period starts.

See also this PRESS RELEASE from the L&B

 

What is it with that landowner. I have been to many preserved railways and I wouldn't describe any of them as 'akin to a theme park' I'm surprised she doesn't want it to happen just so she can sell a tiny strip of land at an inflated price!

 

Mrs Grob is entitled to her opinions, obviously, but I'm sure the situation can be resolved satisfactorily, one way or another. The property was up for sale in 2005, although I don't know if they are still trying to sell.

 

Sloppy journalism though, simply repeated a story from some months ago and saying that Mrs Grob lives 'on the outskirts of Barnstaple;. I guess it depends how large you think outskirts are!!