Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
| Lynton & Barnstaple Railway | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Exmoor, Devon, England |
| Terminus | Lynton & Lynmouth |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Lynton & Barnstaple Railway |
| Built by | Promotor: Sir George Newnes, Bart. Engineer: James Szlumper Contractor: James Nuttall |
| Original gauge | 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) |
| Preserved operations | |
| Owned by | Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust |
| Operated by | Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Co. Ltd. |
| Stations | 2 |
| Length | 0.9-mile (1.4 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | 11 May 1898 |
| Closed | 29 September 1935 |
| Preserved era | Woody Bay: mid-1930s |
| Preservation history | |
| 1979 | L&BR Association formed |
| 1993 | Railway Company formed |
| 1995 | Woody Bay station purchased |
| 2000 | Association reformed as Trust |
| 2004 | First train from Woody Bay, 17 July |
| 2005 | Bridge 67 reinstated |
| 2006 | Killington Lane opened |
| 2007 | Over 100,000 passengers carried since reopening |
| 2008 | L&B's first steam loco since 1935 - "AXE" - returned to steam |
| 2010 | "Lyd" - visits Woody Bay |
| 2013 | Three restored Heritage Coaches re-enter service and ISAAC - Bagnall 0-4-2T №3023 of 1953 enters service |
| 2017 | New build replica of "Lyn" is completed and unveiled |
The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&B) opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track, 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) narrow gauge railway and was slightly over 19 miles (31 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 United Kingdom 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 1923 the L&B was taken over by the Southern Railway, and eventually closed in September 1935.
The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Association was formed in 1979; and a short section was reopened to passengers in 2004. This was extended in 2006; and the following year plans were announced to open 9 miles (14 km) 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 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) narrow gauge.
Following the opening of the Devon and Somerset Railway to Barnstaple, there were calls for an extension to serve the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, which were popular with holiday-makers.
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