The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway (L&B) was a single track, narrow gauge railway. It opened in May 1898 and ran for slightly more than through the area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although it opened after the Light Railways Act 1896 came into force, it was authorised and constructed before that act. It was authorised under its own act of Parliament and built to higher (and more costly) standards than similar railways of the time. It was notable as the only narrow gauge railway in Britain that was required to use main-line standard signalling. For a short period, it earned a modest return for shareholders, but for most of its existence it made a loss.G A Brown, J D C A Prideaux, & H G Radcliffe: The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway published by David and Charles, First Edition 1964, In 1923, the L&B was taken over by the Southern Railway, and closed in September 1935.
The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust was formed in 2000; and a short section was reopened to passengers in 2004. This was extended in 2006; and the following year plans were announced to open of track, linking the station at Woody Bay to both Lynton (at a new terminus on an extension to the original line, closer to the town) and Blackmoor Gate, and to a new station at Wistlandpound Reservoir. The present track is now narrow gauge.
History
Following the opening of the Devon and Somerset Railway to Barnstaple, there were calls for an extension to serve the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth,L T Catchpole: The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 1895–1935 published by The Oakwood Press. Eighth edition 2005. . 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. None of these schemes offered sufficient prospects to encourage investment, and few got further than initial plans.
Due to the difficult terrain, one scheme suggested a narrow gauge, already in use by the and elsewhere, to ease construction. This scheme was supported by Sir George Newnes, publisher of Titbits and The Strand Magazine who became chairman of the company. Another proposal was to build it as a monorail on the Lartigue principle. The (58 & 59 Vict. c. lxxii) was passed on 27 June 1895, and James Szlumper was the consulting engineer for the work.
The line opened on 11 May 1898 with public service commencing on 16 May, connecting with trains from Waterloo on the Ilfracombe Branch Line at Barnstaple Town.
The scheme did not meet with universal enthusiasm, and from the beginning, there were some who doubted the true intentions of the promoters. Although many of the sinuous curves and deviations were due to having to maintain a 1 in 50 gradient where there was no leeway (most observers being oblivious to the fact that a straighter shorter line would have made the gradient even steeper), several were due to resistance by local landowners along the route.
A guide published whilst the line was being built stated:
The L&B seldom attracted sufficient passengers to remain viable. The journey of nearly 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 the First World War, improved roads, increased car ownership further depleted the line's income until it was no longer economic. A guidebook published in 1921 described the situation:
Despite numerous cost-saving measures and extra investment in the line, the Southern Railway was unable to reverse the trend, and closed the line.
The last train ran on 29 September 1935. An observer at the time wrote:
The Southern removed everything they could use elsewhere, and by 8 November, had lifted the track from Lynton to milepost 15⅓ – on the Barnstaple side of Woody Bay station. On 13 November an auction was held, although the railway failed to attract much interest. Most rolling stock, and every locomotive except for Lew, was scrapped at Pilton. Some coaches were sectioned for use as garden sheds. Third class seats became garden furniture, and first class seats found their way into local snooker halls and Masonic lodges. In December, Plymouth ship breaker Sidney Castle won the tender to dismantle the railway. The remaining track was lifted by June 1936, and in September, surviving locomotive Lew was shipped to Brazil. The stations and track bed were auctioned in 1938.
The L&B had an exemplary safety record, and no members of the public were killed or injured during its 37-year existence, although accidents at Braunton Road and Chumhill did claim the lives of three track workers.Thomas Middlemass, Encyclopaedia of Narrow Gauge Railways of Great Britain and Ireland, Guild Publishing, 1991, page 209.
Route
A 1920s guide to the area described the route:
As well as several foot- and cycle-routes which can still be followed today, the hostelry in Parracombe mentioned in the article remains a popular venue (although the geese are now singular).
Gradient profile The L&B rises and falls several times along its length. Starting at above sea level, The first , through Barnstaple, and along the Yeo Valley stays relatively level. Collard Bridge marks the start of an climb, mainly at 1 in 50 (2%), to Blackmoor Gate. A shallower down-gradient of about follows towards Parracombe Bank, and the start of another climb of about to Woody Bay at , the highest railway station in southern England. The line then falls, again mostly at 1 in 50, to Lynton & Lynmouth station, still above the sea and hidden by the landscape from the town of Lynton. The minimum radius on curves was .
Rolling stock
Locomotives At least four contractors' locomotives were used for construction. Unusually, some of the temporary track was wider than the final gauge – the section around Parracombe Bank for example, spanning the Heddon valley, was built to gauge, with a locomotive known as Winnie. A fifth locomotive – perhaps named Spondon – may also have been used, although little is known of either of these. In 1900, Kilmarnock was sold by the L&B. It is believed to have been left behind by James Nuttall, as a result of the financial problems and litigation between railway and contractor.
The L&B used only coal-fired steam motive power. In 1896, the Hunslet Engine Company submitted two designs (a and a ), but eventually an order was placed for three s from Manning Wardle & Co of Leeds. The locos were named after local rivers: Yeo, Exe, and Taw. These were supplemented by a , Lyn, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, USA, as the Company realised that three locos would be insufficient. Baldwin was selected as they could deliver the loco – based largely on standard components – more quickly than domestic suppliers,Thomas Middlemass, Encyclopaedia of Narrow Gauge Railways of Great Britain and Ireland, Guild Publishing, 1991, page 212. who had a backlog of orders, caused by a national engineering dispute over the 8 hour working day resulting in a lock-out by employers from July 1897 until January 1898. After construction by Baldwin, the loco was shipped across the Atlantic in parts, and re-assembled at Pilton by railway staff. It first steamed in July 1898. The Manning Wardles were delivered ahead of the lock-out, and Yeo and Taw were used in the final stages of construction. Exe was stored locally in a stable, where she received the unwelcome attention of thieves who stole various brass fittings and fixtures.
In 1923 the L&B was absorbed into the Southern Railway, and began an upgrade programme. All locos & coaches were repainted in Southern Maunsell Green livery, the wagons were repainted in Southern Umber livery and track and buildings were improved. A fifth locomotive, Lew was purchased in 1925, with improvements to the original Manning Wardle design.
Fate of Lew
Although bought at the auction (it is believed by Barwicks of London) by December 1935, Lew was working for Sidney Castle, the dismantler of the railway. This work was completed by July 1936 and in September, Lew was moved by rail to Swansea and loaded onto the S.S. Sabor destined for the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Most of the relevant shipping records were destroyed in World War II.
Passenger stock Sixteen passenger carriages were delivered for the opening. Built by the Bristol Wagon & Carriage Works Co. Ltd., these comprised six different types, all long, wide, ( over steps) and high – large by narrow gauge standards.
The coaching stock was solidly constructed, and offered levels of accommodation far in advance of anything else at the time – certainly compared to any other narrow gauge railway. Almost 70 years later, the design was used as the basis for a new rake of carriages built by the Ffestiniog – testament to the excellence of the original design.
The body for coach 17 was built in 1911, by local firm Shapland and Petter, and mounted on a steel underframe constructed by the railway in its own workshops at Pilton. Marginally longer than the earlier coaches, it contained both smoking and non-smoking accommodation for first and third class passengers, as well as the brake van space.
Goods stock The open goods wagons were originally delivered with a single top-hung side door on each side, but these proved inefficient, and all were eventually converted to side hung double doors. By 1907, most had been fitted with tarpaulin rails. The goods vans used the same underframe, and were fitted with double sliding doors on each side. Goods-only trains were rare, and the usual practice was to attach goods wagons to scheduled passenger services. Shunting wagons at intermediate stations added to the journey time.
The bogie open doors were also originally top-hung, but converted by the railway at Pilton.G A Brown, J D C A Prideaux, & H G Radcliffe: The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway published by the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust, Fourth edition, 2006 with additional material by G A Brown & P J M Rawstron.
Wagon No. 19 was originally used by the contractors. After the railway opened, it was modified and entered revenue service in 1900. At only it was used often in preference to an wagon as it reduced the overall weight of a train.
Van 23 was built at Pilton by the L&B. Unlike all other L&B stock, its underframe was entirely made of wood. The van has been restored to service, but has a steel underframe clad in wood.
The Southern Railway introduced several new items of goods stock, and also purchased two ex-War Department travelling cranes for the line. The travelling cranes were ex-WD stock, and fitted with outriggers, rated at with a radius, at . Intended as recovery cranes in the event of a derailment, neither saw much use. One crane, with its match truck, was kept in the long headshunt at Pilton, the other was put to use in Lynton goods yard.
The 1927 bogie goods vans were originally fitted with heavy diagonal wooden cross braces at each end, but these were later replaced with single diagonal angle-iron braces.
Liveries One of the most distinctive aspects of the L&B was the livery of its rolling stock. The locomotives originally had a livery of plain-lined holly green, later on a black base, with chestnut under-frames. The passenger carriages were painted terracotta with off-white upper panels, and the goods wagons were light grey. The schemes were simplified as individual vehicles were repainted. With the take over by the Southern and arrival of Lew, the livery was slowly changed to Maunsell Green for locos and passenger stock, and umber for the goods wagons. The loco headlamps which had been black under the L&B were re-painted red.
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