The LynBarn - the L&B's Fund Raising Railway

So although considerably extended and improved during 2003/2004, with the increasing pressure of time and resources on the local volunteers, it was decided to sell the LynBarn to the owners of the Milky Way, and concentrate on developing the railway at Woody Bay.

So, on 31st October 2005, after 12 years of operation, the LynBarn Railway ran its last train in L&B ownership.

It still operates today alongside the park's other attractions as the Milky Way Railway.

So concluded the L&B's business arrangements with the Milky Way.  But no one should underestimate how much has been achieved as a result of the operation of the LynBarn Railway. We owe a significant amount of thanks to the Stanbury family, for the LynBarn not only provided substantial contributions to L&B finances allowing us to purchase Woody Bay Station, the adjoining land and Chelfham Station as well, it also gave us a learning environment where volunteers could learn the skills and expertise required in the rebuilding the railway at Woody Bay.

Sir George was the main passenger loco and built by and on loan from Alan Keef Ltd. Works No. 12 of 1984 a 4wDH Ex Thorpe Park Treasure Island Railway No.TIR001. It was named Sir George by the children of Lynton School. The loco is now resident at the Greenlea Light Railway, Burbage, Leicestershire.

Parracombe was one of only three 'steam outline' 0-4-0 engines built by E.E. Baguley Ltd in 1947. With a Perkins P4 type 34 horsepower 4 cylinder diesel engine as standard, 3235/6 went to Butlin's at Sheerness and 3232's history is as below. The original livery of all three is thought to have been dark red.

History of 3232 Parracombe*

*Extrapolated from A History of the Butlin's Railways By Peter Scott

In 2006 the loco was sold to Richard Booth and delivered to the Groudle Glen Railway in January 2007 and hauled its first passenger train there 22nd July 2007.

Also on site was a privately owned Severn-Lamb loco which ran on Southport Pier from 1973 to the mid/late 1990s where it was named English Rose.

Although never used during the L&B's ownership of the LynBarn, today it is the only operational loco at the Milky Way.

The Thorpe Park - Treasure Island Railway Coaches

When the Treasure Island Railway - at Thorpe Park in Surrey - closed at the end of the 1993 season the eight coaches and track were offered to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Association. 

At only £150 each these must have seemed like a bargain - but they still needed to be paid for, so a Devon Member loaned the money to the Devon Group, with an agreement that Devon Group would pay him back within two years. In the event, the debt was repaid by January 1995 - less than 12 months

Several L&B activists including Members of the Surrey, Essex and Devon Groups descended upon Thorpe Park in early February 1994 to dismantle the track and recover the coaches which duly arrived in North Devon later that month.

Thorpe Park Carriages in store.

Eventually, only three of the eight carriages were used on the "Lynbarn". Four were extensively rebuilt by the L&B and were used as passenger carriages at Woody Bay Station until the arrival of the three heritage carriages and ISAAC in 2013, when they were sold off to the Statfold Barn Railway near Tamworth, Staffordshire. The frame of the fifth coach was sold to an L&B member for use on his private garden railway.

Postscript - TREASURE ISLAND RAILWAY - 1983–1993

The Treasure Island Railway was created In the early 1980’s on a peninsular of land between the main park area and Thorpe Farm. For the first few years it was accessed by the land train which transported people over to the farm and Treasure Island had its own station. Alternatively, at this time, one could walk to both Treasure Island and the farm. But in 1989 the Canada Creek Railway replaced the land train and instead took guests to the farm via Treasure Island Station. Very soon after this pedestrian access to Treasure Island and the farm was no longer permitted.

In the early days the ride consisted of the train trundling round the island past a few static tableux with fibre-glass pirate models, this however was soon seen as non-participative and a boring so to spice-up the experience, there was interaction with live actors dressed as the pirate “residents” of the island and it was this aspect that made the Treasure Island Railway memorable

The train stopped at a couple of points and pirate actors would jump out and act a little script of the usual corny puns and slapstick with the pirates ending up squirting the passengers with water pistols and throwing sweets or small novelties at them. The story also used to end up with one of the kids in the train being picked to be given the infamous “black spot” which could later be exchanged for a small prize back on the mainland.

The ride itself was subtly themed with the train passing through a pirate encampment with a log cabin etc the climax being when the train passed right through a large pirate ship wreck.

The train would then head back towards the mainland and then pass to the right to unload at the second station. It would then reverse back to the 1st station to pick up its next load of guests, leaving the previous riders to wander back to the park.

1993 was Treasure Island’s last year of life, having given ten years of fun to countless trainloads of adults and children on their special trip to see the pirates “at home”. The reason given were the high running costs, not only of the trains, but also the numerous actors involved. There were also logistic problems of making sure enough trains were hijacked, and enough people wanting to experience it. So a bizarre mix of scenic ride and live show came to an end.

Looking at old park maps and leaflets from 1985/1986, the island was originally sandy and bare whilst in the early 90’s the shrubs and trees had grown making the island seem more jungle-like. After the ride closed the island became completely overgrown.

For more memories of the Thorpe Park Treasure Island Railway, including a surprising video CLICK HERE

With thanks to Dave Tooke for his input as well as the majority of the historical photos.