# Barnstaple Town Station - April 1982



## jhluxton (Nov 28, 2010)

Barnstaple Town Station Opened on May 16, 1898 on the Barnstaple Junction to Ilfracombe Line. As well as serving the town centre it served as an interchange point with the narrow gauge Lynton and Barnstaple Railway. 

Originally operated by the London and South Western Railway - it passed to the Southern Railway at the grouping and later British Railways Southern Region and in its final years BR Western Region. The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway closed in 1935. Barnstaple Town closed on October 05, 1970. There was an attempt to reopen the line by the North Devon Railway Company - however, this failed in 1974 and the track was removed. 

I visited the station on April 08, 1982 when these photographs were taken. By then the station was quite derelict and the viaduct located south of the station and providing a link to Barnstaple Junction on the line to Exeter had been removed.

Today the station building has been refurbished and operates as a restaurant retaining many of its original features.

General view of the station from the south end looking towards Ilfracombe





View looking from the north end of the station south in the direction of Barnstaple Junction. The Lynton and Barnstaple narrow gauge railway departed from the platform face on the left where the wooden fence is located. The L&B closed in 1935.





The signal box and level crossing at the south end of the station:




Barnstaple Town Station viewed from the forecourt




View south under the canopy




Ornamental Iron Work




View north - the Lynton and Barnstaple platform face is behind the wooden fence:




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Many Transport and Industrial History photos can be found here!


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## klempner69 (Nov 28, 2010)

Bet your pleased you took these gems..is the restaurant any good bytheway?


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## jhluxton (Nov 28, 2010)

klempner69 said:


> Bet your pleased you took these gems..is the restaurant any good bytheway?



Though I have driven through Barnstaple a few times in recent years going to and from the now operational section of the reopened Lynton and Barnstaple Railway I have not actually visited the Town station site let alone tried the restaurant! 

Yes I am glad I had taken these pictures as the photos I have seen elsewhere on the web of the reataurant suggests that whilst the restoration has been done sympathetically many of the original features have been changed.

When I took these pictures I never even dreamed that even part of the old Lynton and Barnstaple would reopen.

I hope to post pictures of quite a few explores undertaken 20 or so years ago as I have finally arranged my slide collection following a house move some years ago that means I can get ready access to it.

John


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## Goldie87 (Nov 28, 2010)

Good stuff, nice to hear it has survived too.


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## Incognito (Nov 29, 2010)

IIRC the restaurant went a long long time ago, the station building i believe is used by a school (didn't pay that much attention to it tbh) but i believe its special needs/outreach type affair now.


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## jhluxton (Nov 29, 2010)

Incognito said:


> IIRC the restaurant went a long long time ago, the station building i believe is used by a school (didn't pay that much attention to it tbh) but i believe its special needs/outreach type affair now.



Thanks for the update - someone needs to tell them on the abandoned railway stations site where I got the info about the restaurant from.

John


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## Incognito (Nov 29, 2010)

jhluxton said:


> Thanks for the update - someone needs to tell them on the abandoned railway stations site where I got the info about the restaurant from.
> 
> John



I used to fish off the quay around 10 years ago and the restaurant wasn't there then, wheter a new one started in that period of time I cant be sure. I'll pop down in the week and get some updated pics if I can then you can for yourself how it is has changed.


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## jhluxton (Nov 29, 2010)

Incognito said:


> I used to fish off the quay around 10 years ago and the restaurant wasn't there then, wheter a new one started in that period of time I cant be sure. I'll pop down in the week and get some updated pics if I can then you can for yourself how it is has changed.



Thanks be interesting to know what is going on.


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## Munchh (Nov 30, 2010)

Rare to see photos this old of any site. Had the chance to visit Tone Vale Asylum in Somerset before redevelopment and made a right pigs ear of it. Regrets, I've had a few.

Very pleased you posted, thanks.


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## hydealfred (Dec 3, 2010)

Good shots again JH - I went to the reopened part of the Lynton & Barnstable Railway at Woody Bay recently. It is truly inspiring seeing the railway reopened after such a long period of closure. 

Thought I would post this up to show there is hope after closure sometimes 

This is Axe on the Lynton & Barnstable near Woody Bay - the engine is a veteran of the the First World War hence the WD markings. It was used in France during the conflict.


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## jhluxton (Dec 3, 2010)

hydealfred said:


> Good shots again JH - I went to the reopened part of the Lynton & Barnstable Railway at Woody Bay recently. It is truly inspiring seeing the railway reopened after such a long period of closure.
> 
> Thought I would post this up to show there is hope after closure sometimes
> 
> This is Axe on the Lynton & Barnstable near Woody Bay - the engine is a veteran of the the First World War hence the WD markings. It was used in France during the conflict.



The short section of reopened L&B is fantastic. Hopefully over the next few years they will be able to grow the operation to become the English equivelent of the Welsh Highland Railway revival.


John


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## Walrus75 (Dec 5, 2010)

klempner69 said:


> ...is the restaurant any good bytheway?


It was in 1993 when it was an Indian, don't know if it still is though 




Hydealfred said:


> I went to the reopened part of the Lynton & Barnstable Railway


That's fantastic to see. Me and a buddy walked the whole route of the railway, over a couple of days, back in '92 (IIRC)


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