Bridge 52 - Before and after
Dateline: Wistlandpound 30th January 2010
At the Great Central Railwayana Auction held 16th January 2010, one of Yeo’s Manning Wardle Worksplates fetched £6300.
When you consider that there were only ever two of these, the price seems quite reasonable. For more details click here
Photo: Tony Nicholson
The highest station on the Southern Railway and now the highest working station in England and Wales south of Snowdon (and south of Settle in England) - Woody Bay photographed this morning (14 January).
We recently received this Email from the Krysztofiak family
To all those involved with the santa Special at Woody Bay. I had to write to say thank you to all those who were involved in making the santa special such a special trip for my son Joshua. We arrived at the station with thick snow all around so it really added to the christmas atmosphere.
The length of trip and the changing of the engine kept our very active two year old entertained for the whole journey and then to be met by Santa on the platform and taken through to the grotto was fantastic.
Santa Specials
Many thanks to Eric and Jan Holmes for these seasonal photos of a Santa Special taken at Killington Lane on 22nd December.
Tony Nicholson was at Woody Bay this weekend, and was able to take these photos of the Santa Special train in action:
1. Father Christmas welcoming the Santa Special train at Woody Bay today
With General Manager Martyn Budd away attending a funeral, the last Thursday work party before Christmas saw the gang enjoying a more relaxed day than usual. However, Martyn had left instructions to tidy up the ballast, so despite the very cold easterly wind a majority of the gang wandered down the line to carry out this task.
Photos and Text Nigel Thompson
The L&B North West Area Group had an L&B display/sales stand at the recent Wigan FRM exhibition. This is now generally regarded as THE premier show in the North West of England. It attracts some superb model layouts from all around the country, and is extremely well attended. TV personality Pete Waterman was in attendance throughout both days, signing copies of his latest book on railway modelling, and clearly enjoying the various model displays.
A bit later than usual, but Thursday evening, our "roving reporter" Nigel had 'a date' and with a squash match on Friday evening as well as lots of work/deliveries in the usual busy run up to Christmas, it all got a bit delayed.
Three gangs at work this week with some volunteers working at Woody Bay in the shed on carriage 4 and the 7.25" gauge garden railway whilst other volunteers spent the morning with Martyn Budd in superb bright weather down at Killington Lane.
Photos and commentary: Nigel Thompson
A recent visitor to Woody Bay and the L&B Santa Specials records the happy event today in the North Devon Journal:
see here: 
