Back from Barnstaple.

Wednesday with the Usketeers.

All 4 of us again, but lots of drizzle all day long. It didn't really deter us. This was to be our final day on the post and rail fence up the drive, so we gave it a big push.

The main job was to complete the series of lead caps on the main posts, being those on the concrete godfathers. 

Protected from both above and below, we think these softwood posts will last quite some time before they need replacing. It will then be a simple job to unbolt them, and bolt they new ones back on - no digging out is involved.

 

At the end of the morning the 22 caps were all in situ. The remaining roll of lead sheet will be taken to Broadway, where lead is used on the canopy.

 

Yours truly spent the day tidying up the lime trees, which were being overwhelmed by rings of suckers.

The site looks much more tidy now.

A very fruitful hour was also spent in the RAT office, where a whole string of previously unseen photographs of the construction of the line have recently been unearthed. These will form the basis of future articles in The Cornishman.

Because of the fairly foul weather early in the day, the lads of the C&M team made a later start on rebuilding the third chimney. There was no progress at all last Wednesday, due to the heavy rain that day.

A first row of reds was put down on the plinth blues.

At the end of the day they had three rows of reds down. Not a great deal, but laying bricks with mortar is a lot more sensitive to rainy weather, than bashing bits of lead onto wooden posts.

Note the concrete chimney liner. This chimney will be able to work. (but we skipped the original slate fireplace below 12 years ago)

 

As this was to be our last day at Toddington, we decided to splash out (at our expense) on a lunch at The Pheasant round the corner. It was also John's last day with us, so to celebrate that we treated him. John is now 86 years old, and the long journey to the GWSR from Witney was getting a bit too much. He's going to look for something more local.

We shall miss John (aka The Mole, in view of his prodigeous hole digging capability) but will see him again for our Christmas Dinner.

 

 

We tidied up the site by carrying away the 17 Heras fence panels, to a place of storage on the Malvern side, out of sight behind a fence. They probably won't be there for very long, as there are always things going on. 

Neal continues to be busy with the canopy steelwork. He suggested we take a peep in the loco shed...

... where we could indeed see that Neal and his little team had been riveting the trusses. There's more to do, but you can see that quite a few nuts and bolts have now been replaced by permanent rivets.

Finally, outside the loco shed there's been some movement on the 76077 boiler, where the crinolines and some of the cladding have been test fitted. This boiler is now the subject of an appeal, so that it can be overhauled and put back on the chassis at Loughborough. It needs £150.000, a modest amount these days, as the boiler is in reasonable condition already. The appeal total is now almost half way, so if you'd like to help get the other half this is the link:

https://standard76077.com/boiler-appeal/

Next Wednesday, weather permitting, the three Usketeers will make a start on the internal blockwork at Broadway. That will support John there, who has been laying all the bricks so far completely on his own.

 

 

A look over the fence - EA review meeting, Loxhore viillage hall.

It's a long way to north Devon, but boy, is it worth it.

We stopped off along the way for a light lunch at the Grand Western Canal, and then a peek round Tiverton museum, where a GWR locomotive is displayed (but not well known).

 

 

 

The locomotive is of course 1442, aka the Tivvy Bumper. It's a 14xx, the same class as pulled our very own 'Coffeepot' up and down the Honeybourne line, together with an auto coach. We last saw one on the GWSR for the opening of Hayles Abbey halt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No 1442 ran on the Tiverton - Junction (GWR main line to the south) to Tiverton branch.

That line closed to passengers in 1963, and local resident Viscount Amory bought the locomotive for the town, and it was placed on a plinth outdoors in 1965.

 

 

 

 

Realising that the locomotive was slowly decaying in the open air, space in its own little shed was found for it in 1978 at the Tiverton museum.

(it's a small world, but the chair of the museum's trustees is also a supporter of EA, and we had a nice chat in the conservatory in Bratton Fleming station)

It is now very well preserved, and won't be able to decay any more. Sadly, it's running days are over though, it's all built in here.

 

 

 

The Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life was very interesting. We spent a good hour looking around, and saw many children there.

By far the most interesting exhibit for them was the Tivvy Bumper, which had access to the footplate for them.

Inside was a button that they could press for train noises, and a pull cord in the middle to make the whistle sound.

As the principal customers were little tots, a junior foot stool was provided.

The bedlam from the little horrors was such that we could hear it from an adjacent gallery, and when we wondered where exactly 1442 was located, we just had to follow the sound of children enjoying themselves.

We could do this with Cadbury No.1...

 

The railway side of the museum was very well represented. We were amazed at all the items the curators had managed to find that related to the Tivvy Bumper. We have nothing like it at Toddington, after 40 years. 

 

We particularly liked this representative selection of GWR door plates. At Broadway we have an example of all of them, except 'PORTERS'. Now there's an idea for P2. Anyone got a spare one, or one we could copy?

On to Barnstaple then.

 

The EA meeting was in Loxhore village hall, as the usual one at Goodleigh was already booked. Loxhore was a fascinating place to get to. It's seated on a hill between two valleys, and reachable only by sunken single track roads, with occasional passing places

The hall was tiny - snug you might say - and held this enamel gem from a considerable time ago.

Another find was this 1911 timetable for the L&B, which gave the connections to both Waterloo... and Paddington, both SR and GWR having a station at Barnstaple. The timetables are reproductions, and are for sale for £5. The original was discovered in a barber's in Barnstaple.

 

During the meeting both EA and the Yeo Valley Trust (YVT) gave updates on various projects and possible land purchases. Unfortunately a track walk, pencilled in for the afternoon, could not go ahead as the negotiations for it had not quite concluded yet, and a certain amount of clearance would be required beforehand, as the disused trackbed is very overgrown. Buying parcels of land that was last used by trains 90 years ago needs a lot of patience, and a certain wisdom in knowing when to go for something, or bide your time and try again later. In one instance talks had been going on for 20 years. But there are two potentials where talks are encouraging, and the board hoped to be able to let us know more by, say, the end of the year.

The goods shed at Bratton Flemming has not yet been started, as a project manager volunteer has had to withdraw, and it looks as if the team will have to hire in professional help. Planning permission is held, so time is pressing and there is a full awareness of that.

Regular working days are being considered, if there is enough support. Clearing, fencing and a limited amount of track laying (see below) are areas where help would be appreciated. Assistance with drafting company articles would also be of interest.

The YVT currently has 3 appeals going: Bratton Fleming goods shed, trackbed purchases, and a general appeal. It is better to donate to the YVT than to buy more shares in EA, as the former can generate gift aid:

https://yvt.org.uk/donations/

We shall make a donation to the general appeal, which gives them the most flexibility.

After the meeting, Chris Duffel gave a most interesting presentation about the potential rebuilding of the road bridge at Northleigh (south of Chelfham, where the line crosses under the road and then to Collard bridge.) We hope to give a resume of this in a future blog post, with original slides. Rebuilding the L&B doubtlessly has a large number of challenges, and this bridge is one of them. But the problems can be overcome, one at a time, like eating an elephant ! 

 

After the meeting we accepted an invitation to tea at Bratton Fleming. This involved going down the other side of the hill from Loxhore, but the road was just the same - single track, sunken, long stretches with just an occasional farm entrance to dive into if anyone came the other way.

 

 

 

 

This was the sight as we emerged from the bottom of the valley, as the road began to broaden again. It's a missing bridge at Bratton Mill. A footpath leads here from next to the station, a very enjoyable walk.

 

 

Looking back down from above the station, this is the view across the valley that the L&B used to climb up to Exmoor. 

As we admired the view we had a chat with a local resident, who had moved here 6 months ago. As he showed some interest in the railway, we suggested he join us for the tea at the station, and he subsequently agreed to become a volunteer.

 

This is Bratton Fleming station today. Four lengths of rail have been delivered to the site (Ex MOD, 1983), and the intention is to make up two track panels and place upon them the little diesel locomotive that has recently been restored, as well as the carriage that was an opportunity too good to miss.

The conservatory is being left in situ for the moment, as it will not hinder the track panels, and is a nice place to sit, given that the intention is to rent the station out as a holiday home next year.

 

 

 

 

Here is a view from above the station. The modern extension that was leaking has been removed, with a small portion remaining and fitted with a new roof. This provides a bathroom, essential if the building is to be let until trains come back here. A small concrete crusher is on site, and about a third of the rubble has been reduced, seen in the distance. The concrete apron in front of the building will then be removed, revealing the original platform edge, which is still in situ.

 

 

 

This shot shows the former 'goods yard', a big term for a short siding that ended in a shed. Currently that is replaced by some random garages. The siding and shed will be rebuilt and then the little loco and carriage can be stored inside it, together with a small workshop and toilets. The former trackbed leads off under the bridge on the right, where the steady climb to Blackmoor Gate continues.

At the moment EA have not yet been able to buy the trackbed at either end of the station site, and there is no intention to run any sort of trains here.

 

 

Later that afternoon we paused at Snapper, as we had heard that a second, larger lot of rails had been brought here.

As you can see the demonstration track stops at the end of the platform. By putting down a few more panels, EA will give the illusion that track actually continues around the corner.

 

 

 

The rails had been delivered, but were out of sight, centre left. The track will be laid to running standards with Jarrah sleepers (cut in half), so that when the L&B does come this way it won't have to be lifted and relaid.

PWay video from Wednesday last week

2807 storms out of Greet tunnel, recorded by Walt (with thanks). What a great video, and in the rain too.