Lynton and Lynmouth railway station

Lynton & Lynmouth
The station in the early 1900s
Location
Place	Exmoor
Area	North Devon
Grid reference	SS71904877
Operations
Original company	Lynton & Barnstaple
Post-grouping	Southern
Platforms	2 (1 through, 1 bay)
History
11 May 1898	Opened
29 September 1935	Closed
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
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The station in 1960

Lynton and Lynmouth railway station was the terminus of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, a narrow gauge line that ran through Exmoor from Barnstaple to Lynton and Lynmouth in North Devon, England. The station served the twin towns of Lynton (on the top of the cliffs) and Lynmouth (on the shoreline below).

History

It opened with the line on 11 May 1898. Originally providing accommodation for the stationmaster and his family, the station building was substantially updated under Southern ownership, including removal of the chimney stacks. A separate house was built for the stationmaster on the rising ground to the West of the main line, and rail access to the engine shed was reversed at around the same time. The water supply was very poor in this location often causing the toilets and water tower for the locomotives to be closed. Due to this trains often stopped at Parracombe Halt to fill the water tanks of the engine.

From 1923 the line was operated by the Southern Railway.^[1] It closed on 29 September 1935.

Now within the Exmoor national park, the station building has become a private residence, the former goods shed has been divided into two cottages, and a number of private residences have been built close to the trackbed on the approaches to the former station.

The rebuilt L&BR is planned to terminate at a new station closer to Lynton.

The station building - now a private home - from the road, in 1996

The Lamp Room and Goods Shed - since converted into two private homes - seen in 1996

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Caffyns Halt		Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (1898-1935)		Terminus

Coordinates: 51°13′25″N 3°50′09″W / 51.22371°N 3.83581°W

References

1. L T Catchpole: The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 1895–1935 published by The Oakwood Press. Eighth edition 2005. ISBN 0-85361-637-X.