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The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&B) opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track, narrow gauge railway and was slightly over long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force, it was authorised and constructed prior to that act. Therefore, as with all other railways, it was authorised under its own Act of Parliament and built to higher (and more costly) standards than similar railways of the time. In the United Kingdom it was notable as being the only narrow gauge line required to use main-line standard signalling. For a short period the line earned a modest return for shareholders, but for most of its life the L&B made a loss.〔G A Brown, J D C A Prideaux, & H G Radcliffe: ''The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway'' published by David and Charles, First Edition 1964, ISBN 0-7153-4958-9〕 In 1922 the L&B was taken over by the Southern Railway, and eventually closed in September 1935. The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Association was formed in 1979; and a short section was reopened to passengers in 2004. This was extended in 2006; and the following year plans were announced to open of track, linking the station at Woody Bay to both Lynton (at a new terminus on an extension to the original line, closer to the town) and Blackmoor Gate, and to a new station at Wistlandpound Reservoir. The present track is now narrow gauge. ==History== Following the opening of the Devon and Somerset Railway to Barnstaple, there were calls for an extension to serve the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth,〔L T Catchpole: ''The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 1895–1935'' published by The Oakwood Press. Eighth edition 2005. ISBN 0-85361-637-X.〕 which were popular with holiday-makers. Through the middle of the 19th century, several schemes were proposed, from established railway companies and independent developers. One scheme suggested electric power, while another proposed a line from South Molton.〔 None of these schemes offered sufficient prospects to encourage investment, and few got further than initial plans.〔〔 Due to the difficult terrain, one scheme suggested a narrow gauge, already in use by the Festiniog (HREF="http://www.kotoba.ne.jp/word/11/sic" TITLE="sic">sic'' ) Railway Company and elsewhere, to ease construction. This scheme was supported by Sir George Newnes, publisher of Titbits and The Strand Magazine who became chairman of the company. The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Bill was passed on 27 June 1895, and the line opened on 11 May 1898 with public service commencing on 16 May, connecting with trains from Waterloo on the Ilfracombe Branch Line at Barnstaple Town. The scheme did not meet with universal enthusiasm, and from the beginning, there were some who doubted the true intentions of the promoters. Although many of the sinuous curves and deviations were due to having to maintain a 1 in 50 gradient where there was no leeway (most observers being oblivious to the fact that a straighter shorter line would have made the gradient even steeper), several were due to resistance by local landowners along the route.〔 A guide published whilst the line was being built stated: The L&B seldom attracted sufficient passengers to remain viable. The journey of nearly took on average an hour and a half. To satisfy several influential residents, the terminus at Lynton was some distance from the town itself, and from the cliff railway to Lynmouth. Declining tourism during World War I, improved roads, increased car ownership further depleted the line's income until it was no longer economic.〔〔 A guidebook published in 1921 described the situation: Despite numerous cost-saving measures and extra investment in the line, the Southern Railway was unable to reverse the trend, and closed the line.〔〔 The last train ran on 29 September 1935. An observer at the time wrote: The Southern removed everything they could use elsewhere, and by 8 November, had lifted the track from Lynton to milepost 15⅓ - on the Barnstaple side of Woody Bay station. On 13 November an auction was held, although the railway failed to attract much interest. Most rolling stock, and every loco except for ''Lew'', was scrapped at Pilton. Some coaches were sectioned for use as garden sheds. Third class seats became garden furniture, and first class seats found their way into local snooker halls and Masonic lodges. In December, Plymouth ship breaker Sidney Castle won the tender to dismantle the railway. The remaining track was lifted by June 1936, and in September, surviving loco ''Lew'' was shipped to Brazil. The stations and track bed were auctioned in 1938.〔 The L&B had an exemplary safety record, and no members of the public were killed or injured during its 37-year existence, although accidents at Braunton Road and Chumhill did claim the lives of three track workers.〔Thomas Middlemass, ''Encyclopaedia of Narrow Gauge Railways of Great Britain and Ireland'', Guild Publishing, 1991, page 209.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Lynton and Barnstaple Railway」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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