Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 10th Anniversary Autumn Gala LYD 27th & 28th September 2014 LYD Cab ride
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- čas přidán 1. 10. 2014
- On the 17th July 2004, the first passenger train on the revived Lynton and Barnstaple railway pulled out of the newly restored Woody Bay station, using a borrowed diesel engine and just one of the "Thorpe Park" coaches along a short section of track.
Ten years on, lovely Autumn weather, three beautifully restored coaches and a visit from the Ffestiniog railway's L&B replica engine "LYD" turned this year's gala into another record breaker.
The railway is now a mile long with big plans afoot to extend to several miles and longer term, the entire nineteen mile route of the L&B.
After Rachel Thomas, chairman of the Exmoor society opened the gala, a half hourly service operated with locos alternating between LYD and resident engine ISAAC, with the odd double header thrown on for good measure.
The last train on Saturday, traditionally reserved for the day's volunteers and staff members was also a memorial for L&B member Richard Burgess (25:24). After a few words were spoken at Killington lane, his ashes were placed in LYD's firebox for the return journey.
Sunday saw more sunshine and another big turnout. The highlight for me was a cab ride on LYD (39:16) in charge of a double header, she was left to do most of the work, driven by the Ffestiniog railway's general manager, Paul Lewin. It was a wonderful experience
The last train on Sunday was handed over to Charles Wytock hauling its first trains this weekend in some 50 years.
If you're wondering what the wreath is all about, it's a rather charming story. On Monday 30 September 1935, the day after the railway closed, a wreath of bronze chrysanthemums was laid on the Barnstaple Town Station stop block. Sent by Woody Bay resident Paymaster Captain Thomas Alfred Woolf, R.N. (Retired.) It bore a black-edged, hand-written card on which was written:
“To Barnstaple & Lynton Railway, with regret and sorrow from a constant user and admirer. Perchance it is not dead but sleepeth". After the gala weekend the wreath is placed on his grave in Martinhoe churchyard just a couple of miles away from Woody Bay station.
Find more information about the railway, have a look at the plans or even join as a member at www.lynton-rail.co.uk
The railway will soon have its own L&B replica engine, 762 "LYN" have a look at the latest progress on her construction at
www.762club.com
I love Lyd,it’s my favourite L&B styled locomotive.
Hi James, this video is really good. Some wonderful filming and well edited. I enjoyed looking at the colours and that lovely weather we experienced that weekend. Your video is a wonderful record of the gala. See you at the Winter Work Weekend.
I`m most impressed with your video work, what a wonderful impression, and superbly filmed, many thanks for sharing this with us.
You certainly take some cracking video mate!! Always love watching your clips - superb quality and almost always a decent length so I can sit down and really get into watching! Thanks for taking the time to film, edit and upload - well worth it!
Hi James, what a cracking video...45 minutes too...i bet it took a while to publish !! Great meeting you on Sunday. Glad to see you got a Footplate ride on the double-header...certainly more room in Lyd's cab than on Isaac's !! That little fire was a surprise at the end...and the comment was priceless...lol... Once again an excellent video...well done....Best wishes....Steve.
Hi Steve, it was great to meet you too... at last. Yes it is a bit of an epic, it took 24 hours to upload! It's a lot for people to sit through in one go. The cab ride was amazing, the railway seemed very different from up there.
traindriver35 I got stuck-in and watched it all in one go...It was very absorbing, just like being there allover again. Yes, cab rides give it all a totally different perspective. Take care....S.
***** You watched it one go and so have viewers in South Africa and Saint Kitts and Nevis! Seems interest in the L&B reaches far!!
Wallow!