Thanks so much for posting - thoroughly enjoyed watching the videos. And it’s true what they say - you do become hooked on steam over time! The more I travel on these old steam railways ,the more interested I’m becoming. I think it’s party down to the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Prior once- Back about 1995, I went with my wife to Lynton, and we took a walk up Station Hill. Bill noticed us eyeballing the station, invited us in, and we spent a really enjoyable couple of hours chatting about all kinds of things. A genuinely nice guy. But a real pity that the station cannot be used in the revival plans
When you consider the expense in man hours, lives and MONEY building the infrastructure of all UK railways, it's an absolute tragedy that one man (the first time round) could simply chop the rail miles in half, cutting off connections which unsurprisingly are well under consideration for re-opening. How could it have been allowed to happen? We need trucks off the road and freight going onto rail - a far more eco way to move goods. Heritage lines like the L&B will be the lifeblood for visitors and residents alike, restoring this line would be wonderful - I'd move house tomorrow and work there to help rebuild it (if my Mrs. would permit but relatives still live near to our current address so we have to wait...) We travelled on the L&B just last month (July '21) and it was into such lovely countryside - did a lot of walking round it too! They've got all the right attitude in acquiring the land and rights of way - all power to their collective elbows 😀
Well, it wasn't one man really - the whole thing was politically driven and if it hadn't been Beeching they'd have found another puppet. What makes my blood boil isn't the closure of lines per se. The future is difficult to foresee, and rail usage was on the decline in the 60s. The thing that gets me worked up is the way the trackbed was parcelled up and sold off piecemeal, salting the earth so lines couldn't be reopened. It wasn't worth much as land, but as potential trackbed it was invaluable. Incredibly arrogant and petty decision. Even Beeching considered the trackbeds to be a national asset, but the politicians were determined to ensure that their decisions could never be reversed.
Even though I'm American, I think British Steam is superior than American Steam (actually I think all Steam is superior than Diesels). And the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway is one of my favorite narrow gauge railways in the British Isles.
I traveled on the L&BR in 2017. The nice men there showed me the unimaginably fabulous 1st class compartment they just completed, and told me that they recon they could rebuild the line in just 3 years per direction from where there at. If only they could get the bureaucrats to give them the OK. Because apparently a hand full of influential rich people are holding up proceedings.
Well, they haven't found lew yet. But in the time she's been gone, 2 replica engines have been built and a fair chunk of the trackbed is being relaid with track. Not sleepeth, but art waking up.
762 Lew, one of the two engine that have been rebuilt, the other being Lyd which is owned and operated by the Ffestiniog Railway. I worked on part of the drive rods for Lew…….
Luckily those brave men wanting to resurrect the L&B have succeeded in the rebuilding of at least a part of the line and also replica's of Lyd and Lyn have been constructed, with a possible resurection of Yeo and Exe in the near future. I visited the Brecon Mountain Railway a few years ago, that in itself is a very nice line, and the American image they portray now is something different, they will have a new Sandy river 2-6-2 built even before such a locomotive is built by or for the preserved SR&RR in the US
@@davidblurton7158 The Welsh Highland was incredibly lucky in one crucial respect - the Official Receiver died before he could complete the sale of its assets after closure. So the entire trackbed from Porthmadog to Dinas remained in limbo for decades, and in one piece, until the Ffestiniog Railway bought all of it, allowing them to easily re-construct the whole line. The L & B R has suffered the more usual fate of a UK disused railway as all the trackbed has been divided up and sold off to many different owners, and it is this problem which is making the re-construction of it much slower than that of the WHR. The Bluebell Railway in Sussex took 30 years to buy back the 6-mile section of trackbed between Horsted Keynes and East Grinstead, making the reopening of that section a 41-year long project until it was finally completed in 2013....... They have made a great start on the L & B R, and is it at last breaking out Southwards from Killington Lane towards Parracombe and Blackmoor Gate.
Videos like this is what make us so proud to be English with all the memories it brings. Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for posting - thoroughly enjoyed watching the videos.
And it’s true what they say - you do become hooked on steam over time!
The more I travel on these old steam railways ,the more interested I’m becoming.
I think it’s party down to the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Prior once- Back about 1995, I went with my wife to Lynton, and we took a walk up Station Hill. Bill noticed us eyeballing the station, invited us in, and we spent a really enjoyable couple of hours chatting about all kinds of things. A genuinely nice guy. But a real pity that the station cannot be used in the revival plans
When you consider the expense in man hours, lives and MONEY building the infrastructure of all UK railways, it's an absolute tragedy that one man (the first time round) could simply chop the rail miles in half, cutting off connections which unsurprisingly are well under consideration for re-opening. How could it have been allowed to happen? We need trucks off the road and freight going onto rail - a far more eco way to move goods. Heritage lines like the L&B will be the lifeblood for visitors and residents alike, restoring this line would be wonderful - I'd move house tomorrow and work there to help rebuild it (if my Mrs. would permit but relatives still live near to our current address so we have to wait...) We travelled on the L&B just last month (July '21) and it was into such lovely countryside - did a lot of walking round it too! They've got all the right attitude in acquiring the land and rights of way - all power to their collective elbows 😀
Well, it wasn't one man really - the whole thing was politically driven and if it hadn't been Beeching they'd have found another puppet.
What makes my blood boil isn't the closure of lines per se. The future is difficult to foresee, and rail usage was on the decline in the 60s. The thing that gets me worked up is the way the trackbed was parcelled up and sold off piecemeal, salting the earth so lines couldn't be reopened. It wasn't worth much as land, but as potential trackbed it was invaluable. Incredibly arrogant and petty decision. Even Beeching considered the trackbeds to be a national asset, but the politicians were determined to ensure that their decisions could never be reversed.
Even though I'm American, I think British Steam is superior than American Steam (actually I think all Steam is superior than Diesels). And the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway is one of my favorite narrow gauge railways in the British Isles.
They had an American Baldwin loco at the L. & B.
I traveled on the L&BR in 2017. The nice men there showed me the unimaginably fabulous 1st class compartment they just completed, and told me that they recon they could rebuild the line in just 3 years per direction from where there at. If only they could get the bureaucrats to give them the OK. Because apparently a hand full of influential rich people are holding up proceedings.
Yes I know what you mean, here on the Somerset and Dorset we are suffering from the same fate
Planning permission has been granted for an extension of the line to 4 miles.......just need the finances
I had the pleasure of having a footplate ride on Lilian many years ago on the LSR
Well, they haven't found lew yet. But in the time she's been gone, 2 replica engines have been built and a fair chunk of the trackbed is being relaid with track. Not sleepeth, but art waking up.
''Lou''.
@@bimmeroo0906Lew. Named after the River Lew.
762 Lew, one of the two engine that have been rebuilt, the other being
Lyd which is owned and operated by the Ffestiniog Railway. I worked on part of the drive rods for Lew…….
Thank you for sharing this program. I love British Steam.
Patrick Sparks You are more than welcome.
Good to this film by BBC back for all to see!
16:03 Loving those posters for the Bluebell and The KWVR! It's all the better that one day this line cood hold a match to them!
Luckily those brave men wanting to resurrect the L&B have succeeded in the rebuilding of at least a part of the line and also replica's of Lyd and Lyn have been constructed, with a possible resurection of Yeo and Exe in the near future.
I visited the Brecon Mountain Railway a few years ago, that in itself is a very nice line, and the American image they portray now is something different, they will have a new Sandy river 2-6-2 built even before such a locomotive is built by or for the preserved SR&RR in the US
Wow the L&B has come a long way since they filmed this!
i know,,, they have done a magnificent job,, just needs big backing like the welsh highland, it would do wonders for the area
@@davidblurton7158 The Welsh Highland was incredibly lucky in one crucial respect - the Official Receiver died before he could complete the sale of its assets after closure. So the entire trackbed from Porthmadog to Dinas remained in limbo for decades, and in one piece, until the Ffestiniog Railway bought all of it, allowing them to easily re-construct the whole line. The L & B R has suffered the more usual fate of a UK disused railway as all the trackbed has been divided up and sold off to many different owners, and it is this problem which is making the re-construction of it much slower than that of the WHR. The Bluebell Railway in Sussex took 30 years to buy back the 6-mile section of trackbed between Horsted Keynes and East Grinstead, making the reopening of that section a 41-year long project until it was finally completed in 2013....... They have made a great start on the L & B R, and is it at last breaking out Southwards from Killington Lane towards Parracombe and Blackmoor Gate.
They have just bought the pub at Blackmoor Gate
what's a mouth piece protector? is it a part of a steam locomotive
Video not available?
I’ve seen this before.
Is Bill still living there?
Still there.
2:00 Thts Greta😱
what a horrible happening