Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Totally Explained

Everything about Lynton And Barnstaple Railway totally explained

| |preservedgauge = | |era = Woody Bay: mid-1930s| |owned = Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust| |operator = Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Co. Ltd.| | |stations = 2| |length = 1 mile| |originalopen = 11 May 1898| |closed = 29 September, 1935| |stageyears = 1979 | |stage = L&BR Association formed| |years1 = 1993 |events1 = Railway Company formed |years2 = 1995 |events2 = Woody Bay station purchased |years3 = 2000 |events3 = Association reformed as Trust |years4 = 2004 |events4 = Woody Bay reopened |years5 = 2005 |events5 = Bridge 67 reinstated |years6 = 2006 |events6 = Killington Lane opened |years7 = 2007 |events7 = Over 100,000 passengers carried since reopening }} The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&B) opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway just over 19 miles (30 km) long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force, it was authorised and constructed prior to that act. Therefore, as with all other railways, it was authorised under its own Act of Parliament and built to higher (and more costly) standards than similar railways of the time. In the UK it was notable as being the only narrow gauge line required to use main-line standard signalling.
For a short period the line earned a modest return for shareholders, but for most of its life the L&B made a loss. In 1922 the L&B was taken over by the Southern Railway, and eventually closed in September 1935.
wrote an observer of the time.

Present

Seventy years later, much of the line is still in evidence. The most spectacular edifice is Bridge 22 - the brick-built Chelfham Viaduct. Fully restored in 2000, its eight 42 foot wide arches reach 70 feet above the Stoke Rivers valley — the largest narrow-gauge railway structure in England.
   Lynton and Bratton Fleming stations are now private residences, Blackmoor Gate is a restaurant, Barnstaple Town a school. Chelfham and Woody Bay both serve the new L&B. to Barnstaple, there were calls for an extension to serve the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, which were popular with holiday-makers.
   Through the middle of the 19th century, several schemes were proposed, from established railway companies and independent developers. One scheme suggested electric power, while another proposed a line from South Molton.}}
The L&B seldom attracted sufficient passengers to remain viable. The journey of nearly twenty miles took on average an hour and a half. To satisfy several influential residents, the terminus at Lynton was some distance from the town itself, and from the cliff railway to Lynmouth.
   Declining tourism during World War I, improved roads, increased car ownership further depleted the line's income until it was no longer economic.}}
Despite numerous cost-saving measures and extra investment in the line, the Southern Railway was unable to reverse the trend, and closed the line.
   Wagon No. 19 was originally used by the contractors. After the railway opened, it was modified and entered revenue service in 1900. At only 6 tons it was regularly used in preference to one of the 8 ton wagons as it reduced the overall weight of a train.
   Van 23 - now restored and at Woody Bay - was built at Pilton by the L&B. Unlike all other L&B stock, its underframe was entirely made of wood. |- |Yeo|| 1361||2-6-2T||MWL |- |Exe|| 1362||2-6-2T||MWL |- |Taw|| 1363||2-6-2T||MWL |- |Lyn||15965||2-4-2T||BLW |- |Lew|| 2042||2-6-2T||MWL |- !colspan="4" style="background:#abcdef; padding: 3px 5px 3px 5px; font-size: larger;"|Contractors' Locomotives (- 1898) |- |Excelsior|| 970||0-4-2WT||WGB |- |Slave||1430||0-4-0ST||WGB |- |Kilmarnock|| 703||0-4-0ST||ABA |- ! colspan="4" style="background:#abcdef; padding: 3px 5px 3px 5px; font-size: larger;"|Modern L&B Locomotives (1995 - ) |- ! colspan="4"|For a list of modern locomotives, go HEREFurther Information

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