Locomotives

After overhaul in North Devon including a repaint in early L&B livery, this well travelled loco - now named "SID" continuing the tradition of the L&B naming its steam locomotives after Devon 3-letter rivers - entered passenger service on the L&B in August 2007.

After handling the bulk of steam train operation in 2007/08 she was withdrawn from service in August 2008 and left site in early January 2009 to have work carried out to the cylinders, wheels and boiler. SID returned to Woody Bay in September 2009.

SID (Left) at Woody Bay with Axe, Spring Gala 2010. (Photo Tony Nicholson)

Used in active revenue service as well as the "Driver For a Fiver" event at the 2010 Autumn Gala to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the closure of the L&B when AXE and SID were joined by the Ffestiniog Railways modern L&B type loco LYD. 

In the late autumn of 2010 a broken lateral stay was discovered during her annual boiler inspection. After protracted efforts including consulting several boiler "experts" a repair was devised and undertaken by the L&B's engineering team of Chris Carder and John Uphill who engaged Ollie Jurer of OJ Fabrications to undertake the required specialist coded welding on SID's original 76 year old boiler. The work being carried out over the weekend of 9 and 10 of July -  the loco was then pressure tested and lightly steamed before undergoing further trials and hauled a test train on Monday 11th 2011. Since when SID was regularly in use hauling passenger trains.

The loco's last season on the L&B was 2013, dutifully hauling the Thorpe Park Carriages in their last season of full operation.

Now renamed LAKVIK, and given the running Number 3, the loco's new home is at Risten-Lakvik Railway near Stockholm, Sweden.

The L&B owes a significant debt of gratitude to the L&BR Trustees who back in 2007 provided this steam loco for the railway's use. If SID had not been purchased, the only other immediate option would have been to continue to use diesel motive power.

Diesel locos no longer at the L&B

 

HOLWELL CASTLE

Motor Rail 60S
Works No. 11177 of 1961
4W Diesel Mechanical 60 HP

Built July 1961 for Reed & Mallik (Plant) Ltd. The diesel's last industrial use was by on their Fechlin Aqueduct contract, a hydro scheme near Whitebridge, south of Loch Ness. In 1975 the loco was sold to Alan Keef, Oxford, who then sold it on to the Llanberis Lake Railway in October 1975.

On the LLR it became number 14 in their fleet and was named Rhydychen, this being welsh for Oxford. The LLR sold the loco on to Brecon Mountain Railway in April 1981, from whom the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Trust purchased the loco in a dismantled state in the late 1990's.

The dismantled loco spent some time stored at Shirwell, North Devon before being moved to the Talyllyn Railway Tywyn, Mid Wales where it was worked on by Talyllyn Railway members before returning to North Devon in 2004 for completion at the company's workshops in Bratton Fleming.

This locomotive entered service in our second operating season 2005. 

After developing a mechanical fault judged beyond economic repair it eventually left the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in April 2008 and is now resident on the Golden Valley Railway at Butterley where we are sure it has found a good home.

According to the Moseley Railway Trust's Simplex page here: The  60S was intended as the replacement to the 32/42 H.P. type and was originally known as the 50 H.P. before the introduction of the new numbering scheme. The frame was of all-welded construction and the minimum weight available was 4-Tons although extra ballast weights could be bolted to the frame ends to give weights up to 7-Tons. The 60S retained the traditional transverse engine and Dixon-Abbott gearbox arrangement of previous locos but the box was a three-speed version which gave speeds from 2 to 12 M.P.H. This enabled loads of up to 152-Tons to be hauled on the level (rolling resistance 15 lbs/Ton) in first gear according to a 1950s MR brochure. The type was initially fitted with the Dorman 3LA engine which was later replaced by the 3LB of 60 B.H.P. and then the 3LD of 72 B.H.P., all of these engines being water-cooled.

 

SNAPPER

Ruston Hornsby
Works No 283871 of 1949
4W Diesel Mechanical 48HP

Built at Ruston's Boultham Works, Lincoln in late 1949, part of lot number 16. Fitted with a VRH 4 cylinder 48 horsepower engine - it was one of a class of 1127 locomotives built.

Used for a number of years at Sturry Quarry, near Canterbury (Brett Gravel Co.) where it was numbered No. 9 in their fleet.  It was disposed of in 1989 to Charles Summers a member of what was then the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Association.

In 2002 Snapper was the first loco to move on L&B metals at Woody Bay since 1935. Although used during the initial stages of reconstruction work at Woody Bay (Click here to see early footage of Snapper in action).  With the arrival of Bronllwyd and Holwell Castle in early 2005, and the ultra reliable and powerful Hunslet Heddon Hall at the end of 2005, as Snapper could not be fitted with air brakes it was clearly not a suitable loco for the long term needs of the L&B.

Consequently, in late 2006 it was sold to the Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum.Constructed to showcase the clay mining heritage of that area, this is located beside Norden Station on the Swanage Railway.

TITCH

Motor-rail Simplex
Works No. 8729 of 1941
4w Diesel Mechanical 20HP 

Named Smudge the loco was bought in 1994 from LJ Smith at Battlesbridge, Essex by two L&B Members. Although privately owned, Titch was used during the construction of the the Lynbarn Railway at the Milky Way, Clovelly, and was then transferred to Woody Bay in 2003.  Although Snapper was the first loco to run onto L&B rails, Titch was the first loco to run into the up platform since 1935.

Although underpowered for duties on the 1 in 50 gradient, Titch was used in a variety of works train duties with the first smaller ‘Hudson’ type flat wagons and ballast/skip wagons.

After temporary relocation to Killington Lane in February 2006 Titch was used on the extension construction and was the main locomotive involved with the tracklaying programme prior to the link up in April 2006.

Regularly used with a variety of works trains moving coal, rails, sleepers etc around the railway. When the L&B started using the larger and heavier ex-MOD wagons, Titch was incapable of braking the heavier wagons and so was used less and less.

In storage from 2008, she was eventually sold between L&B Trust members and finally left Woody Bay Station for Essex in November 2010 after being in L&BR service for a total of 16 years - 3 years longer than LEW!

Exmoor Ranger

Hunslet
Works No. 6348 of 1975
4w Diesel Hydraulic 65HP

Originally in service with British Coal underground at the Vane Tempest Colliery, in 1985 it was transferred to Seaham Locomotive Training Centre where in 1989 it was named Laura'.

Following closure of the centre in 1993, the loco was overhauled and donated to the Woodhorn Colliery Museum near Ashington, Northumberland and used at their QEII Country Park Railway where in 1996 it was re-named Black Diamond to mark the railway's opening. In 2002 the loco was again renamed - this time Elizabeth and Victoria after the daughters of a sponsor.

In 2004 the loco came to Woody Bay on a two year loan from Wansbeck District Council  where it was renamed yet again - this time to Exmoor Ranger in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Exmoor National Park

At the end of the 2006 season the loco was returned to its owners where today it operates the Woodhorn Train.