Bideford, Clovelly and Hartland Light Railway

[steamgeorge]

Those working doors look great. Is the kit also from swanswood?

[ge_rik]

Very nice looking van, and beautifully finished. I like the colour, too.

Rik

[Paul_A_C]

Those working doors look great. Is the kit also from swanswood?

Yes. The late Felton Fowler (Mr Swanswood) lived locally to me and was a one time member of my local 16mm group (2 Moors Group). In my early days of 16mm modelling, I bought a number of his kits. I found that they went together well and the instructions were exemplary. So they should be as I understand that Felton had been a teacher.

[Paul_A_C]

Very nice looking van, and beautifully finished. I like the colour, too.

Rik

Thanks Rik. I cannot remember what the colour was, but I would have been from the Humbrol range. I did not keep a note of it and it was built over 10 years ago.

[LNR]

That's a nice looking van, can't help but admire the door hinges and other iron work.
Grant.

[FWLR]

I agree, that the doors are brilliant and the ironwork is great.

[Andrew Hutchings]

Hi there!

I just wanted to thanks the contributors for the map referring to the Hartland, Clovelly and Bideford Light Railway. Born & brought up in north Devon I've been fascinated by the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway and a book written by a local historian alluded to the Hartland line.

I did some research (=playing around on the internet with a glass in hand!) and found an E-Bay seller with a copy of the original Act of Parliament regarding this line, which I bought. In it is the route's description (although no map) which I etched in on a 1/25000 map, and my route mirrors yours exactly! Clearly, the cost of a second bridge over the River Torridge would have been prohibitive, hence the junction at Landcross.

Oddly there was another proposed line in the same area, although this time only as far as Clovelly, which would have run from the BWH!&AR's station at Kenwith Castle to Clovelly. The western section would have followed the Hartland line, but it would have had a more northerly path to start, very close to the route of the present "Atlantic Way" A39 road! This line would have been the "main line" and the line to Appledore would have been relegated to a branch line, but any plans to link up with the national network were never mentioned!

Many thanks for the map!

[ge_rik]

Hi there!

I just wanted to thanks the contributors for the map referring to the Hartland, Clovelly and Bideford Light Railway. Born & brought up in north Devon I've been fascinated by the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway and a book written by a local historian alluded to the Hartland line.

I did some research (=playing around on the internet with a glass in hand!) and found an E-Bay seller with a copy of the original Act of Parliament regarding this line, which I bought. In it is the route's description (although no map) which I etched in on a 1/25000 map, and my route mirrors yours exactly! Clearly, the cost of a second bridge over the River Torridge would have been prohibitive, hence the junction at Landcross.

Oddly there was another proposed line in the same area, although this time only as far as Clovelly, which would have run from the BWH!&AR's station at Kenwith Castle to Clovelly. The western section would have followed the Hartland line, but it would have had a more northerly path to start, very close to the route of the present "Atlantic Way" A39 road! This line would have been the "main line" and the line to Appledore would have been relegated to a branch line, but any plans to link up with the national network were never mentioned!

Many thanks for the map!

Welcome to the forum, Andrew.
I love it when things like this happen. Great to see connections like this happening.

Rik