Start of a new chapter for the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Project

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&BR) Trust and the Barnstaple & Yeo Valley Railway (B&YVR) Trust are pleased to announce the start of a new chapter for the last great narrow-gauge adventure in Exmoor and North Devon.

Both organisations recognise the scale of their joint ambition to restore the world-famous railway and understand that cooperation will be an imperative in realising this goal.

Therefore both organisations are adopting a policy of active dialogue and cooperation to promote better the shared aims of rebuilding the former railway between Lynton and Barnstaple. This approach will be enabled via a regular joint working group which will report activity to their respective boards for any decision-making.

Giles Perkins, Chair of the L&BR Trust, said: “In the public’s mind there is only one historical Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and the two organisations working together to restore sections of the line can achieve so much more than separately. Over many years invaluable knowledge has been gained of how to build and operate a narrow-gauge heritage railway, expertise which should be capitalised upon. The two organisations share the same deep desire to see this unique narrow-gauge railway restored to a bigger operation for the benefit of all.”

Bruce Knights, Chairman of the B&YVR Trust, said: “This is really excellent news for both Trusts and all supporters of the former Lynton and Barnstaple Railway. A good dialogue with our friends at Woody Bay is essential and very welcome, in what promises to be a year of significant progress at the Barnstaple end of the old line. I am very optimistic that this will speed up progress towards what we all want to see, the rebuilding of the line from Barnstaple to Lynton.”