Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

100% correct. GDPR only covers personal information. It does not cover business information, so buisness email addresses are not covered by GDPR.

 

Not all of the individuals are Trustees. Anyway, do carry on ripping into each other.

 

I don't follow that comment. Please explain.

 

Exmoor Associates and its sister operation Yeo Valley Trust continue to weave their magic buying pieces of land that will one-day enable the L&BR to re-open over a much longer route. |
Meanwhile the L&BR Trustees seem determined to trash the trust and goodwill generated over a generation. Let us hope that they may come to see where an honourable course of action must take them so that they might retain a vestige of respect amongst Trust members. For the good of us all.

 

I just note that YVT are talking about buying land at Chelfham Mill, not that they have - or even that they will be able to.

 

I would assume that the quoted price is more of a guide than fixed ? In which case, what concerns me about that proposal is whether, given the 'development proposal' and extant planning permission, there might be property development companies who would see enough potential benefit in owning the site to out-bid anything which the YVT might be able to raise.

In a moment of mad fantasy, if the railway were to own the site and include a railway workshop, I can envisage a Calstock-like wagon lift on the side of the viaduct to transfer rolling stock to/from the railway without the need for road transport

 

I don't know its all part of the bigger chess game

 

So what are they planning to do with it?

 

Precisely why I'm uncomfortable about the proliferation of bodies and development of projects.

 

They may have similar ideas to what I have suggested on Facebook I guess

 

For any serious attempt to be made to set up a railway at the southern end of the L&B, you'd need a car park.
I'd say Chelfham Mill probably fits the bill.

 

Not to forget that Exmoor Associate I believe already own Budd's woods which is to the South next door and the CIC owns the station to the North, so in effect all we would be doing is to link both those properties together with the bit of land that Chelfham Viaduct sits on.

 

I've yet to hear of a viaduct where it's been necessary for the railway to own the land under it. My concern is that this may deepen the fractures within the wider L&B family of organisations, to no good result.

 

The proposals are in the paperwork sent to supporters and on their website.

 

I not sure that it's the trustees who are determined to trash the trust - there are many 'so called' supporters who are doing a pretty good job and I am unclear what their motivation is.

 

It's not "necessary" here, either. But given the lack of facilities on the railways original footprint to provide space for volunteer accommodation, offices, small scale engineering, and vitally, visitor parking and modern toilet facilities, etc. This would allow Chelfham to be opened up on a commercial scale, without compromising its unique atmosphere.
Beyond that, it means that there would be no housing development beneath, the occupants of which would, when the time came, almost certainly exercise their right to object to a railway operating above their heads.

 

https://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2011/04/chelfham-mill-1960/
On a Google search looks like it was a guest house before a school, be great if it could reopen for guests (and car parking for the station)?

 

Subject to various constraints including, dare I mention it, planning, I can see that may well offer potential - though the information on the linked web page doesn't articulate that.

However, my greater concern is the proliferation of projects, especially at a time when governance and extension are key issues. How that will sit with dispersal of effort and fundraising are interesting challenges.

 

It is clear there is no shortage of potential support for this project. Having recently joined the LandB in order to understand more, I feel I now understand less, even though I have more information.

Up in North Wales there is a 2ft gauge line with an equally interesting history both pre and post preservation/recreation. Is that history instructive here too?

It seems to me that the imperative is to work together, and to consider doing so to the extent that if not in fact then in action there is one organisation. Progress can then be made more rapidly. Otherwise shall we soon see EA/YVT with their own operations? If the Land B don’t get it together and become the leadership they ought, someone will eat their lunch.

 

Yeo Valley Trust new website if anyone is interested.

Home - Yeo Valley Trust (yvt.org.uk)