Lynton and Barnstaple Railway - heritage line, plans for expansion (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Considering the significance of the approval, it's perhaps a little surprising that the L&B website has not made a song and dance about it. In fact, the news seems not to have reached there at all yet.

It's great news, but they still need to apply for a TWAO^▸ (Transport and Works Act Order ).

See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-and-works-act-orders-a-brief-guide-2006

[johnneyw]

Progress on the L&B. Work started on the extension last month (somehow, I managed to miss the announcement). For those of us who like to follow it's progress, the L&B have obligingly started an extension blog, link below:


https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/page/phase-iia-construction-commences

[Red Squirrel]

Bratton Fleming Station, on the route of the Lynton and Barnstaple railway, was put on the market in March 2020. Exmoor Associates, who seek to buy land on the trackbed of the L&B to enable it to extend, were unable to come up with the purchase price in time and a sale was agreed to a third party.

That sale has now fallen through, and the property is back on the market. Exmoor Associates have launched a JustGiving page to allow people to make donations. I have chucked a few quid in their direction using this method, and wish them the very best!

If you'd like to support them, the details are here: http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/06/justgiving-now-for-bf-station/



If you are a bit more flush than me, you could also consider their share offer, whereby supporters can purchase £500 shares in the property. Details of that offer are here: http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/06/bf-station-for-sale-again/



 

[grahame]

Details at https://www.stags.co.uk/properties/12843867/sales

Bratton Fleming, Barnstaple
Offers in excess of £325,000 | 2 bedrooms | 0.63 acres

https://mr2.homeflow-assets.co.uk/files/property_asset/image/3994/7177/ViDDRTT1qU6IGeioRJojxw.pdf

A charming detached conversion of a former Victorian station in tranquil rural location

[rogerw]

Unfortunately there appears to be no facility for gift aiding any contribution. An opportunity lost

[Red Squirrel]

Yes, I noticed that... perhaps it will come.

[infoman]

What is the £5,000 pounds for? me peronally I would prefer to have bought the house and then rent it out.

[Ralph Ayres]

If you mean you want to buy the house and land to rent it to them at a reasonable rate there's nothing to stop you! If you mean that's what they should do then I think that's the aim, with the trackbed eventually rejoining the overall route.

It's not brilliantly explained (possibly all set up in rather a hurry) but the £5,000 appears to be to allow small donations to be made by those who can't afford the larger £500 chunks suggested at http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/06/bf-station-for-sale-again/. The home page of that site explains the necessarily quite complex relationship between the current operational railway and the group set up to buy parts of the whole line when they become available, a tricky operation where they presumably have to avoid being held over a barrel by vendors who know they want that specific cottage/patch of land rather than a similar one nearby that isn't on the former route of the line.

[grahame]

I fancy the idea of retiring to a cottage in the countryside - to an old station that's perhaps disused but has trains passing by occasionally, or is open and used by a smattering of passengers.  And, indeed, I declared myself "retired" in March and started to draw a pension in May.   But the head rules the heart, and there's no overnight lightbulb moment that has Lisa and I planning to up roots and move to Bratton Fleming, looking to retire to the fringe of Exmoor and do so with an arrangement with the Exmoor Steam Railway to encourage their trains to return past our door, stopping to drop off / pick up a few passengers, in coming years.

When my Dad retired - and that was now about 40 years ago - he and Mum moved from the London area (Petts Wood) where they had been for 30 years to Devizes.  Dad had commuted into London on a 'classic' daily basis, and I was brought up there on British Rail Southern Electric, community by train to primary school - 7 to 11 and 11 to 16, and into Uni in London thereafter, as well as to part time and work experience type jobs.  I had never imagined they would move on his retirement - they just were so much *in* Petts Wood and its community, and spoke of a dislike of retiring away from everything to the seaside at Worthing or Weston-super-mare.  So I was shocked at their move, and worried;  I need not have been, as they quickly became involved and pillars of certain elements of Devizes, Wiltshire and Wessex life and enjoyed a long and rewarding retirement.

But Melksham is not Petts Wood, and Bratton Fleming is not Devizes.  There is rather more linkage / similarity between Melksham and Devizes and Lisa and I are already knitted into the community here.

The idea of an old station does attract ... Altnabraec or Yetminster or any number (alphabetically) between. A tragedy that so many station buildings from Melksham to Morfa Mawddach were demolished.   And I do recall looking wistfully in through the filthy windows of the approaching-derelict station buildings at Georgemas Junction a couple of years ago.  But it won't happen, and it double-plus wouldn't be Bratton Fleming if it did!

* Heritage Railways that are rebuilding lines start small for the most part, and they extend station by station sometimes with obscure stations as termini for years on end.   Woody Bay to Killington Lane at present. On to Parracombe perhaps, then to Blackmoor and next Bratton Fleming - but could / would our home become the terminus for hoards of tourists in the summer, with us and other residents battening down the hatches and festooning what little bits of privacy we had with "keep out" signs which the vast majority would understand, but a small minority would see as a challenge.   How long of that before the final thrust to Snapper, Pilton and Barnstaple, and only then the passing trains and occasional passenger that the heart dreamed.

* As we get older and less able to get about - what an isolated spot and what a naff public transport service. 3 buses a day to Barnstaple (Town, not current station) - 07:39, 15:17 and 18:23, getting back at 08:24, 11:42, 17:22 and 19:12 (other end of route is Lynton)

* What is there to do in winter ... what community ... wonder what the internet is like.  Having lived at the back end of beyond from 1982 to 1999 as an "incomer", not an experience I would want to share again, though that could be very unfair to the F-lemmings or whatever they call themselves.

Still a nice dream ... and perhaps a holiday beside a quiet station some time.  St Germans or Hayle perhaps.

Edit - grammar correction

[infoman]

Would love to buy the house and you would all be wellcome at any reasonable time of day,but not at the same time.

I can dream,can't I?

[Lee]

I fancy the idea of retiring to a cottage in the countryside - to an old station that's perhaps disused but has trains passing by occasionally, or is open and used by a smattering of passengers.

As your personal Brittany rail properties agent, i can draw your attention to the following 3 opportunities...

- You have just missed out on the station building at Pont-de-Buis which is open and sees a handful of trains call on the Brest-Quimper line. It was sold for just over €24000 to the local council and is apparently slated to become their new town hall. Mind you, bung them slightly more than that and who knows...

- A rail enthusiast property developer is currently redeveloping the historic station building at Pontivy, which still sees fairly regular freight trains, and you could view these at your leisure from one of the 4 duplex apartments being built on the upper levels. He is doing this in conjunction with the local authorities, who are building one of your favourite things in the whole wide world - a bus/rail interchange! This will include a new waiting hall, ticket office and retail space on the ground floor, the idea being to integrate regional bus, local bus, cycle routes etc with the revived tourist passenger trains that were due to start this summer but, thanks to Covid-19, are more likely now in 2021 as a first step to full passenger rail reopening - thus creating grahame heaven in the process.

- Or you could go for tonights star prize, which is the former station at Plemet. This definately has the grahame factor, with many of the original features - including the former station latrines - still intact, whilst looking rather nice inside too. Only drawback is the rails have been replaced by a greenway on the former trackbed, but think of all those lovely walkies...

The choice is yours 

[grahame]

As your personal Brittany rail properties agent, i can draw your attention to the following 3 opportunities...

[snip]

The choice is yours 

Tempted, but sticking with UK^▸ (United Kingdom) where I know about the jurisdiction.  Not too worried about getting a bus stop at the station ... but worried about actually getting any buses to call there.

Some of my pix from Facebook ... and with confirmation from one of those core rail folks who is an advocate of better public transport even outside the working week.  Bit of a long way, though

[Red Squirrel]

I am very conscious that as a dweller of a building made of the most fragile grade of horticultural glass I am in absolutely no position to start casting nasturtiums, but... my point in posting this was to draw attention to the opportunity for members to help the L&B buy a particularly useful bit of trackbed!

[Lee]

I am very conscious that as a dweller of a building made of the most fragile grade of horticultural glass I am in absolutely no position to start casting nasturtiums, but...

Sounds like you could do with a change of abode. As your personal Brittany rail properties agent, i can draw your attention to the following 3 opportunities...

I'm kidding, I'm kidding!

[grahame]

I am very conscious that as a dweller of a building made of the most fragile grade of horticultural glass I am in absolutely no position to start casting nasturtiums, but... my point in posting this was to draw attention to the opportunity for members to help the L&B buy a particularly useful bit of trackbed!

In case it got lost in the Flow country excursion via Brittany:

Bratton Fleming Station, on the route of the Lynton and Barnstaple railway, was put on the market in March 2020. Exmoor Associates, who seek to buy land on the trackbed of the L&B to enable it to extend, were unable to come up with the purchase price in time and a sale was agreed to a third party.

That sale has now fallen through, and the property is back on the market. Exmoor Associates have launched a JustGiving page to allow people to make donations. I have chucked a few quid in their direction using this method, and wish them the very best!

If you'd like to support them, the details are here: http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/06/justgiving-now-for-bf-station/



If you are a bit more flush than me, you could also consider their share offer, whereby supporters can purchase £500 shares in the property. Details of that offer are here: http://www.exmoor-associates.co.uk/2020/06/bf-station-for-sale-again/