The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in North Devon (UK)

[Mark Branson]

Hello,

Sorry for not being able to speak Austrian/German. :(

I thought I would post these film links shot in 1935 of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway which was situated in a picturesque part of North Devon in the UK.

It was a narrow gauge line opened in 1898 and closed in 1935. It became part of the Southern Railway in 1923 and was run in the fashion of a standard gauge line being fully signalled.

Sadly, the railway was not economic and was closed in 1935. There were five locomotives. Four built by Manning Wardle and a Baldwin from the USA. They were all named after local rivers. All were cut up except one of the Manning-Wardle's which was sent to Brazil.

These videos give a good idea of the line in it's last few months:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epW1OaP3gcE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBJEV6Z54eY

Part of the line is being preserved by a group:

http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/

The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways have built a replica of one of the Manning-Wardle engines called 'Lyd'. Here she is at Woody Bay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohhf4lSR1eE

PECO have introduced a selection of coaches and wagons for the railway and Heljan are planning to release a 2-6-2 Manning Wardle also in 009 Scale in 2014.

Cheers,

Mark

[rwer]

Hi Mark, thank you for posting these links and welcome to the forum. Speaking German is not necessary unless you post interesting facts in English. British narrow-gauge has become more interesting not only since "Eisenbahn-Romantik" has shown films over the Welsh-Narrow-Gauge system. Hope you forgive my English - writing experience has "faded" over the years.
Regards Rainer

[Mark Branson]

Hi Mark, thank you for posting these links and welcome to the forum. Speaking German is not necessary unless you post interesting facts in English. British narrow-gauge has become more interesting not only since "Eisenbahn-Romantik" has shown films over the Welsh-Narrow-Gauge system. Hope you forgive my English - writing experience has "faded" over the years.
Regards Rainer

Hi Rainer,

Thanks for that. Your English is good I come from an age where teaching of languages wasn't taken seriously in the 1980's. Saying that I was in North Wales a few weeks ago and the land lady of a pub said she did not learn English until she was 13-her first language being Welsh.

The Welsh narrow gauge lines have a real charm and if the PECO/Heljan 009 RTR venture pays off we may see some F&WHR locos and stock being produced.

The Lynton & Barnstaple line has a real following in the UK and I'd expect to see a few layouts appear when the Heljan Manning Wardle is out.

Thanks once again.

Mark