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Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 10th Anniversary: Looking To The Past & Future

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by JMJR1000, Aug 2, 2014.

  1. JMJR1000

    JMJR1000 Member

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    On July 17th 2004, the long held great dream of seeing the L&B revived finally took it's first big step towards becoming a reality. Back then it was a rather basic set up, with the first train being a humble industrial diesel shunter, pulling a single Thorpe Park Carriage down a short length of track. It took many years of hard work to reach that stage alone, so to see a fully functional railway running a good length of line must be great to all those who have been involved for so long.

    Certainly there is no denying that the L&B has come far in the past ten years, yet there is so much more to come... With ambitious plans of great expansions to railway, new build loco and rolling stock, there is much happening in the future.

    So, considering L&B now it's 10th anniversary this year and is entering some pretty exciting times, I thought it would be good to have a thread on this subject. Looking to the past, thinking back to how things were and what's been achieved since then, and ultimately, whats to be achieved in the future.

    With all that said, I suppose the big question I want to ask you all now is: Where do you see the L&B in another 10 years time? What do you think will be achieved by then?

    I leave it to you gentlemen... Release the brakes and open the regulator...!
     
    Baldwin likes this.
  2. Old Kent Biker

    Old Kent Biker Member

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    Ten years from now? The L&B is running regular services between the new terminus IN Lynton and a temporary terminus at Wistlandpound, with operations centred at Blackmoor North, and original station facilities restored at Caffyns, Woody Bay and Parracombe. The land is clear for the rest of the route to Pilton, in preparation for the final restoration. Track is being relaid from Wistlandpound, through the new alignment around the reservoir and on towards to Bratton Fleming. Bridges and earthworks are being restored up to Chelfham. The trackbed is being surveyed for the final push through Snapper to the new Pilton Narrow Gauge Railway Museum and Steam Centre, which has been nominated for "Museum of the Year 2025". A regular three-train, four-coach service is the norm, with LYN, YEO and EXE now members of the locomotive stable. TAW is under construction, due to enter service next year, with LEW in the advanced planning stage. Along with the eight restored "Heritage" coaches, and several goods vehicles, the five modern-styled coaches 18-22 are about to be joined by L&B Coaches 23, 24 and 25.

    I have retired to my luxury isolated farmhouse mansion overlooking the track, enjoying the sight, sound and smell of L&B locos once again plying their way across Exmoor... WELL, YOU DID ASK! :)
     
  3. 48DL

    48DL Member

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    My vision is a bit conservative.... Train service from Lynton to Blackmore Gate, trains pass at Killington Lane or Woody Bay, services run by Lyn, Yeo, Issac and Charles Wytlock on 3 or 4 coach trains 2 sets being 'heritage' 1 set modern. A 2 coach shuttle from Lynton to Woody Bay as a 'park and ride' Hauled either by AXE or a medium diesel.
     
  4. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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    Trains from Woody Bay to Blackmore Gate, passing at Paracombe (Killington Lane being but a memory now). Trains hauled by Lyn, Yeo and Isaac. Mixture of heritage a modern coaches, number around 8 or so. And Van 23 in regular service (at last).
     
  5. Widge

    Widge New Member

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    Realistically, Cricket Field Lane to Caffyns with the existing motive power plus Lyn, a resident replica Manning Wardle and another three vintage or replica coaches. That would be a phenomenal achievement
     
  6. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    L&B management have made it clear they won't extend just to Parracombe/cricket field lane, as the costs of running this short extra section couldn't be recouped by the level of fares one could charge the public. Even extending also further back to Caffyns would be a difficult case to make. Neither Parracombe nor Caffyns could be a realistic terminus, so travellers would still have to start at Woody Bay and you'd have to run a shuttle out to Caffyns, back to WB on to Parracombe and back. Maybe that would work but it sounds strange to me....
    My understanding is that only a run to Wistlandpond will be financially worthwhile. The permission to build to Caffyns is simply a preparation for a return to a new station at Lynton later on.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 26, 2014
  7. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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    I've never understood this decision, Woody Bay to Paracombe is a better, longer ride and provides a destination to visit. It's a significantly more interesting terminus then Kilington Lane.
     
  8. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    Chris -
    if you extend to Parracombe it costs more in fuel, depreciation etc. You only get a slightly longer ride. If you try and charge fares to cover the cost of the extra length of the journey, you'll probably go over what the market will bear for the journey time and distance. So, you operate at a loss. If you go way further, then you can charge quite a bit more, and make an operating surplus. Simples :)
     
  9. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    I don't think that anyone has ever said go to Paracombe and stop, rather than it is the next logical step on the expansion. I am trying to think of a railway that has gone on to make a two-station extension in modern times and not capitalised on the length of track to the first station to increase revenue until the following bit is done.

    The 'new factor' of the extension can lead to a higher fare and if that is then followed up with a further extension with greater distance then the additional income will start to come in at an earlier time, always useful with capital projects.
    In these times I feel that it may be over optimistic to think that all the money will come rolling it to do everything all at once.
     
  10. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    All I can say is what I've been told by L&B officials: no extension just to Parracombe, not financially viable. Maybe they'll be a change of heart; I was told this about a year ago.

    Cheers :)
     
  11. philw2

    philw2 Member

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    Hold yr horses for a minute..

    Where are we in relation to the TWO and the planning consent?
     
  12. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    Planning permission not yet applied for, but hopefully close to being ready. TWAO will follow if planning per is granted.
     
  13. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    From the L&B website concerning extensions:
    "Our aim now is to consolidate the operations at Woody Bay whilst working on extending the line first to Blackmoor and then on to Wistlandpound. Once we have relocated our operational base to Blackmoor, we will then set about extending the railway to Caffyns and then to Lynton before undertaking the task of rebuilding the railway to Barnstaple."

    I think this clarifies matters somewhat?
     
  14. philw2

    philw2 Member

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    Thanks for the info.

    I suppose we're looking at six months for the PP and eighteen months for the TWO?
     
  15. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

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    I notice there is a house in Church Lane Parracombe, that has been on the market for sometime, which has a long narrow garden established in what appears to be the old L & B formation, (In fact the current owner has a garden railway running there.)
    How do the Railway plan to navigate around Parracombe if the old formation is in a series of private hands ?
    (Unless Martyn decides to retire early, buy the house and donate part of the garden back to the Railway :D )

    Maec
     
  16. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    I understand that CP powers will be asked for in the TWAO. With the track bed in so many different hands it would be nigh on impossible to consider any major extensions without such powers. I didn't know that the bungalow was still on the market, however.
     
  17. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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    Risky PR move trying to CPO people's houses?
     
  18. Felix Holt

    Felix Holt Guest

    As far as I know, there's the maximum of one comparatively recently built bungalow that might need to be CPOed. The rest would simply be strips of land that have been added to gardens or to agricultural land.

    It's known that talks with relevant landowners have been going on for some time, and I suspect that the CPO powers would only be sparingly used!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 1, 2014
  19. goughball01

    goughball01 New Member

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    Believe it the house on the other side of the bridge and not the bungalow that is on the market.
    As stated the track bed forms part of the garden of this property.
     
  20. The Dainton Banker

    The Dainton Banker Well-Known Member

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    The house I was referring to was "Fair View", a 3-bed Edwardian house, which has been on the market for the best part of a year. I think they may have changed agents as there seems to have been a change in the photos. The diagram of the property indicates that it has a long narrow garden extension to the north, which I reckon coincides with the old track formation. If you look at the agents' pictures (on Zoopla, or house sale search of your choice ) you can see that the current occupier has a garden railway running along this area.

    I agree that access needs to be gained by negotiation and agreement. Any attempt to use a CPO on a home owner, even if it is only for part of a garden, would be counter-productive as it could well result in considerable resentment in the community. Given that the railway will be very dependant on local support, it has to be a case of "Softly, softly ...... "
     

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