Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

Barnstaple Town

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Pilton Yard (Depot-Goods only)

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Snapper Halt

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Chelfham

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Bratton Fleming

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Blackmoor

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Parracombe Halt

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Woody Bay

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Caffyns Halt

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Lynton and Lynmouth

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The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway was a narrow-gauge railway through Exmoor in North Devon, England which operated between 1898 and 1935. It was just over 19 miles long (31 km).

Related Topics:
Narrow-gauge railway - Exmoor - Devon - England - 1898 - 1935

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Following the opening of the Devon & Somerset Railway to Barnstaple, there were calls for the railway to be extended to serve the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth which were popular with holiday-makers. Because of the difficult nature of the terrain it was decided to economise by using the two-foot gauge (actually one foot 11.5 inches), as already used on the Festiniog Railway and elsewhere. The scheme was supported by Sir George Newnes who became chairman of the railway company. The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Bill was passed by the United Kingdom Parliament on 27th June 1895, and the first train ran on 11th May 1898.

Related Topics:
Devon & Somerset Railway - Barnstaple - Lynton - Lynmouth - Gauge - Festiniog Railway - George Newnes - United Kingdom Parliament - 27th June - 1895 - 11th May - 1898

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The railway used exclusively steam locomotives, which were of a distinctive appearance, and named after four local rivers: Yeo, Exe, Taw, and Lyn. Yeo, Exe, and Taw were constructed by Manning Wardle & Co of Leeds; Lyn was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, USA, as there was an engineering strike in the UK when it was needed.

Related Topics:
Steam locomotive - Leeds - Philadelphia

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In 1923 the railway became part of the Southern Railway. In 1925 a fifth locomotive, Lew was purchased.

Related Topics:
1923 - Southern Railway

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The railway, despite the attractive scenery through which it passed, had difficulty in attracting sufficient traffic to be viable. The journey took about an hour and 40 minutes because of the curves and gradients, and the northern terminus at Lynton was inconveniently situated, being some distance from Lynton itself and from the funicular railway to the seaside village of Lynmouth. The growing use of motor transport aggravated the situation, and the last train ran on 29th September 1935 after which all the equipment was sold for scrap. Lew was overhauled and sold to Brazil.

Related Topics:
Funicular railway - 29th September - 1935

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There are plans to restore the railway, and a short section was opened in 2004 at Woody Bay. Unlike the Welsh Highland Railway the original trackbed has been built over in parts, which would be an obstacle to complete re-opening. A new locomotive in the Lynton & Barnstaple style is in construction at the Festiniog Railway, and will be called Lyd.

Related Topics:
2004 - Welsh Highland Railway

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