Bratton Fleming Station (Lynton and Barnstaple Railway) A station for the Narrow Gauge Drawings and notes by CHRIS LEIGH

The Lynton to Barnstaple railway line was for today's enthusiast to appreciate. The operated for just 37 years. It suffered a earthworks are still visible for much of the protracted birth which left it financially route through a gloriously scenic stretch of crippled, and eventually passed into the North Devon, the viaduct at Chelfham ownership of the Southern Railway which, remains one of BR's more curious 'listed' pre-occupied with electrification and other relics, and all the station buildings survive. matters, applied the wrong attitude to the Three of these were built in the 'Nuremburg' little line, and finally closed it on 29 style by Jones of Lynton, that at Blackmoor September 1935. Yet, even 45 years after Gate is a restaurant, Woody Bay is a private closure the Lynton and Barnstaple remains one house, and Lynton (as a house and attached of the best-loved British narrow gauge lines. holiday flat) was up for sale at the time of After closure the locomotives and virtually my visit. The SR concrete shelter at all the rolling stock were either cut up or Parracombe is now a garden shipped to South America, leaving little

Below: L&BR 2-6-2T No 759 Yeo at Bratton Fleming in 1934. A. B. MacLeod

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3 shed, while the tiny cottage buildings the porch and doorway removed. built by the contractor at Chelfham Modifications to the main and Bratton Fleming are both owned structure were made in matching by neighbouring houses. stone (the walls, incidentally are I was privileged to spend a week at 15in thick), but the two leantos are Bratton Fleming and the largely brick-built and rendered, and accompanying drawings were the construction is of poorer produced during that visit. As built quality (drawings 4, 6-8). The the station was simply rectangular in leanto at the Lynton end provides a plan with a roofless gents toilet bathroom and larder and provided at the Lynton end. Drawings incorporates sections of the original 1-5 show the station as originally built, gents toilet wall. The clerk's office the floor plan having been and leanto at the rear now provide established from obvious markings bedrooms. The original L&BR on the solid floors. The original woodwork employed tongue-and- flooring was of quarry tiles in red groove planks used in a diagonal and black laid diagonally in a fashion and the original front door chequer pattern. The floor plan in and part of the ticket clerk's office drawing No 5 is taken from on site wall remain in this style. Note the measurements as are all the elevations, method of building the brick arches but the uses of rooms shown are over doors and windows, and also educated guesses. Dimensions of the that the main roof is made of special porch shown in Nos 1 and 3 are diamond-shaped interlocking tiles. from calculations and such site measurements as were possible as the porch has been removed. Below: View from a southbound train at Bratton After closure the bay window and Fleming. two leanto sections were added, and

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Before the removal of the loop in 1932, 2-6-2T No 188 Lew with mixed traffic at Bratton Fleming.

A general view looking towards Barnstaple with the steps to the lane on the left. Taken in August 1978.

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Bratton Fleming station in August 1978 from site of down platform.

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As built, the station had a passing The tiny wooden signalbox (drawing loop, but the down platform was No 10)was equipped with a seven- devoid of buildings. The loop was lever knee frame controlling the loop taken out in 1932 and the goods points and home and starter signals, yard connection was moved. The which were the only signals provided Southern Railway provided concrete at intermediate stations. I chanced to fencing in the lane at the station locate the signalbox nearby, where it entrance, and also the concrete type survives having been moved further nameboards shown in the drawings up the line to house an electric pump (No 9). Most of these concrete items belonging to a large house. The used on the line were cast in Bratton cutting at this point is deeply wooded Fleming goods yard, and while the and I stumbled upon it by chance. posts and frames survive at Woody The same could be said of the Bay and Bratton Fleming, a station seats, because an identical pair complete board (minus Finials) is to (showing definite marks where the be found in the museum at Lynton. station name had been) now serve duty outside the White Hart!

The station building in August 1 978 with the station pathway just visible above the white leanto. Note the low platform edge visible in the lawn.

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