Barnstaple to Ilfracombe Railway website slide show
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2014
- Here’s a slideshow preview of my tribute to the Barnstaple to Ilfracombe railway line. The main website can be found here:
www.ilfracombe-railway.co.nf
“Welcome to my small tribute to the forgotten Ilfracombe Line. Over the next 23 pages we’ll take a journey over the length of the old track bed from Barnstaple Junction to Ilfracombe station - a distance of about 15 miles. You’ll see photos and maps comparing how things were and how they look today, along with some (hopefully) interesting facts about the line itself. Ok, so why have I done this? I’m too young to have ever travelled on this line, so I’ve never even actually seen it, and I’m not even from Devon - I’m a Yorkshire man! Well, I’ve holidayed in Woolacombe for nearly 40 years and was always fascinated by the old railway station, so I often wondered about the line to Barnstaple and its history. As I slowly found out more, I decided I wanted to document what I’d found and compare the line to how things look today. It’s been a long project (on and off), which I’ve done in my spare time and I’ve had to do a lot of cross referencing of photographs and maps. Some of my findings might look trivial when they are presented, but not that easy when you’re sat 300 mile away in front of Google Maps, trying to work out where a non-descriptive photograph was taken, so please forgive any inaccuracies - I know there’s just a couple”
Anyway I hope you enjoy a ramble along the old track bed. Please feel free to contact me at: ilfracombe-railway@mail.com with any comments or suggestions. The site is dedicated to all who planned, built and worked the track.
What a great video. Thank you for sharing it. We visit the area every year and each time I gain more knowledge of the old line that ran from Barnstable to Ilfracombe. I've tried to follow it where I can but there are areas which are a mystery to me. So sad that it has gone. The mind boggles as to the logic behind its removal. It would be of great use today I'm sure. Especially in holiday season when road traffic is particularly horrendous..
I was fortunate to have travelled from Waterloo to Ilfracombe on the ACE on Saturday in August 1955 when I was 13. I remember crossing the River Taw on the iron bridge at Barnstaple and the unforgettable views of the Slade Valley as the train snaked its way into Ilfracombe Station. Such a pity that it could not be saved under Preservation. It would be a massive tourist attraction now instead of the Otter Cycle path which only uses part of the old track bed anyway.
Many memories for me as my grandfather was gate keeper at Duckpool Chivnor. All your pictures I remember all the trains West countries class U and N the western region 2800 etc days at Barnstaple station and shed .
Excellent video and thanks for making it. I only became aware of this line when staying in Devon this year and using the cycle path. Whilst being a beautiful cycle path ( I understand there is a plan afoot to join the two parts up although not sure how they plan to do this) it does seem incredible that such a useful piece of infrastructure could have been dismissed so readily.
Thank you very much for all the effort you have put into compiling and presenting this historically valuable video.Although I am old enough to have travelled this line, I only got to traverse the section via Okehampton to Plymouth.The vivid memory of that day-out treat was the Meldon Viaduct.Regrettably with the Beeching plan for rationalisation and transfer of the former SOUTHERN lines west of Salisbury to the custody of the Western Region gave them the ideal opportunity to settle old scores and eliminate much of the former competition.Granted that car ownership was making significant inroads to railway passenger traffic, plus continental holidays.However, incentives were given to get rid of track. Hence the singling of much of the lines, which as an economy measure is dubious, as we now witness with the need to enplace further crossing loops at great expense on the Salisbury to Exeter Central route. The latest being Axminster.It is very easy to destroy things as a result of short sighted planning and vested interests at play.Then when restoration is planned so as to meet an increasing demand for a service, or as an alternative diversionary route, the project is at best hampered or effectively made virtually impossible.Nice to see that some of the products from the Exmouth Junction Concrete Works are still in situ.
This is the line I just wish I had travelled over against all others. Still I had the Hayling Island branch line close by.
Wonderful stuff, what an excellent compilation, well done ! I can claim to have travelled on this line as a kid too ! I was fortunate to have an aunt who lived a 10 minute walk from Mortehoe station towards Woolacombe (as well as another aunt, her sister, at Minehead). I well remember walking with her to catch a train to Barnstaple and visiting the cattle market. Our family holidays were spent visiting my aunts and I still return each year (October) to visit family friends and enjoy cycling around this lovely area. Thank you !
Well done !!
Trains 🚊 used to run 🏃♂️ from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe via Braunton from July 1874 until Saturday 1st October 1970 had lasted for 96 years. The reason it was ceased it’s business 👨💼 on Saturday 3rd October 1970 because the railway 🚃 line became unviable and couldn’t be trusted anymore which sadly went. The railway 🚃 ticket 🎫 🎟️ staff had found out because he/she counts on how many railway 🚃 passengers used the train 🚆. The railway 🚃 line was closed over 5 previous years before I was born. I was born on Tuesday 9th March 1976 which seems like 👍 it happened yesterday. In 1964, steam trains 🚊 stopped running 🏃♂️ from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe via Braunton and replaced by first generation DMUS - Diesel ⛽️ Multiple Units, track was reduced from double track to single track in 1967, trains 🚊 had its final service on Saturday 3rd October 1970 and finally the train 🚆 track was lifted in 1975 is nearly 50 previous years ago when it comes to 2025. I’m sure ✔️ 👌 ☑️ that 2 years will come and go quickly from 2023 because life is short. I have walked on the disused railway 🚃 line near Mortehoe to and from Ilfracombe and it’s a good 👍 former railway 🚃 line and it’s near the reservoir. It makes me feel happy 😊. Touch wood 🪵 to say that no trains 🚊 are running 🏃 to Ilfracombe anymore at any time 🕰️ because let’s face it, the houses 🏡 🏠 🏘️ have trapped over the former railway 🚃 and north Devon is a bloody small place. I honestly like 👍 the old railway 🚃 line. It’s good 👍. Also Ilfracombe is a small place is still a town that could become a village if many shops 🏬 🏬 🏬 are closed. Ilfracombe could be the worst town in England 🏴. I live in Ilfracombe. 👍 😀 😄
Pity you cut off the last few bars of the "William Tell" overture.