As far as railway restorations go, the task of reopening the 19-mile Lynton & Barnstaple Railway service is a big ask. The narrow gauge railway carried passengers through the undulating hills of Exmoor throughout the early twentieth century, but ultimately proved unprofitable and closed in 1935; its rolling stock sold off and tracks dismantled. Now, more than 80 years on, its future has never looked brighter with a one-mile track drawing tens of thousands of passengers each year and plans to reopen another five-and-a-half-mile section before 2020. We caught up with the chairman of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Trust Peter Miles to talk history, progress and exciting times ahead!
With thanks to the London Transport Museum.
Lynton & Barnstaple Railway footage credit:
- James Bloomfield
- Trevor A Garnham (TAGvideo production)
