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class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>The Ilfracombe Railway proposed</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_Ilfracombe_Railway_proposed-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Ilfracombe_Railway_authorised;_and_the_Devon_and_Somerset_Railway_too" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Ilfracombe_Railway_authorised;_and_the_Devon_and_Somerset_Railway_too"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Ilfracombe Railway authorised; and the Devon and Somerset Railway too</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Ilfracombe_Railway_authorised;_and_the_Devon_and_Somerset_Railway_too-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-The_Barnstaple_and_Ilfracombe_Railway" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_Barnstaple_and_Ilfracombe_Railway"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-The_Barnstaple_and_Ilfracombe_Railway-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-The_Barnstaple_and_Ilfracombe_Railway-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Promotion" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Promotion"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.1</span> <span>Promotion</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Promotion-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Opening_of_the_line" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Opening_of_the_line"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4.2</span> <span>Opening of the line</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Opening_of_the_line-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Acquisition_by_the_LSWR,_and_improvements" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Acquisition_by_the_LSWR,_and_improvements"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Acquisition by the LSWR, and improvements</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Acquisition_by_the_LSWR,_and_improvements-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Devon_and_Somerset_Railway" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Devon_and_Somerset_Railway"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Devon and Somerset Railway</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Devon_and_Somerset_Railway-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Train_services" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Train_services"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Train services</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Train_services-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Train services subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Train_services-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Nineteenth_century" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Nineteenth_century"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.1</span> <span>Nineteenth century</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Nineteenth_century-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-The_Ilfracombe_Boat_Express" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_Ilfracombe_Boat_Express"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.2</span> <span>The Ilfracombe Boat Express</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_Ilfracombe_Boat_Express-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-The_Atlantic_Coast_Express" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_Atlantic_Coast_Express"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.3</span> <span>The Atlantic Coast Express</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_Atlantic_Coast_Express-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-The_Devon_Belle" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_Devon_Belle"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.4</span> <span>The Devon Belle</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-The_Devon_Belle-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Locomotives" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Locomotives"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Locomotives</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Locomotives-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Decline" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Decline"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Decline</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Decline-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Topography" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Topography"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>Topography</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Topography-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet 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<span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>After closure</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-After_closure-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">13</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">14</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">15</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" 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<div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Railway in Devon, England, connecting Barnstaple to Ilfracombe</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox" style="width:25em;"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above">Ilfracombe branch line</th></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #efefef;">Overview</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Status</th><td class="infobox-data">closed, parts converted to bicycle paths</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Locale</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/North_Devon" title="North Devon">North Devon</a>, <a href="/wiki/England" title="England">England</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Termini</th><td class="infobox-data"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style><div class="plainlist"><ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_railway_station" title="Barnstaple railway station">Barnstaple Junction</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Ilfracombe_railway_station_(Devon)" class="mw-redirect" title="Ilfracombe railway station (Devon)">Ilfracombe</a></li></ul></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Stations</th><td class="infobox-data">7</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #efefef;">Service</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Type</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Branch_line" title="Branch line">branch line</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">System</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/London_and_South_Western_Railway" title="London and South Western Railway">London & South Western Railway</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #efefef;">History</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Opened</th><td class="infobox-data">20 July 1874<span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated itvstart">1874-07-20</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Closed</th><td class="infobox-data">5 October 1970<span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated itvstart">1970-10-05</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below" style="vertical-align: middle; padding: 0"><table style="border-spacing: 0; width: 100%; min-width: 100%" class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed autocollapse"> <tbody><tr style="background-color: #efefef;" class="infobox-header"><th style="text-align:center"><div style="margin:0 4em">Route map</div></th></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center; padding-top: 3px"> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1249493202">.mw-parser-output .RMbox{box-shadow:0 2px 2px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.14),0 1px 5px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.12),0 3px 1px -2px rgba(0,0,0,.2)}.mw-parser-output .RMinline{float:none;width:100%;margin:0;border:none}.mw-parser-output table.routemap{padding:0;border:0;border-collapse:collapse;background:transparent;white-space:nowrap;line-height:1.2;margin:auto}.mw-parser-output table.routemap .RMcollapse{margin:0;border-collapse:collapse;vertical-align:middle}.mw-parser-output table.routemap 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.navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini" style="float:left;margin-right:5px;white-space:nowrap"><ul class="navbar-brackets" style="font-size:113.63636363636%;color:#FFF"><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Ilfracombe_Branch_Line" title="Template:Ilfracombe Branch Line"><abbr title="View this template" style="font-size:113.63636363636%;color:#FFF">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Ilfracombe_Branch_Line" title="Template talk:Ilfracombe Branch Line"><abbr title="Discuss this template" style="font-size:113.63636363636%;color:#FFF">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Ilfracombe_Branch_Line" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Ilfracombe Branch Line"><abbr title="Edit this template" style="font-size:113.63636363636%;color:#FFF">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div style="margin-left:55px"><div style="white-space:nowrap;margin-right:55px;font-size:113.63636363636%">Ilfracombe Branch Line</div></div> </th></tr> <tr> <td style="line-height:normal;padding:4px 5px"><div class="selfreference noprint" style="text-align:right;font-size:97%"><a href="/wiki/Template:Railway_line_legend" title="Template:Railway line legend">Legend</a></div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0px 6px 6px"> <table class="nogrid routemap" style="font-size:107.95454545455%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTRc2"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/BSicon_exSTRc2.svg/20px-BSicon_exSTRc2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/BSicon_exSTRc2.svg/30px-BSicon_exSTRc2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/BSicon_exSTRc2.svg/40px-BSicon_exSTRc2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exCONT3"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/BSicon_exCONT3.svg/20px-BSicon_exCONT3.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/BSicon_exCONT3.svg/30px-BSicon_exCONT3.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/BSicon_exCONT3.svg/40px-BSicon_exCONT3.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi"><i><a href="/wiki/North_Devon_Railway" title="North Devon Railway">North Devon Railway</a></i> towards <a href="/wiki/Bideford" title="Bideford">Bideford</a></div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="CONTgq"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/BSicon_CONTgq.svg/20px-BSicon_CONTgq.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/BSicon_CONTgq.svg/30px-BSicon_CONTgq.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/BSicon_CONTgq.svg/40px-BSicon_CONTgq.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="KBHFxeq"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/BSicon_KBHFxeq.svg/20px-BSicon_KBHFxeq.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/BSicon_KBHFxeq.svg/30px-BSicon_KBHFxeq.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/BSicon_KBHFxeq.svg/40px-BSicon_KBHFxeq.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><div class="RMov"><div class="RMic"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTR+r; exSTRr+1"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/BSicon_exSTRr%2B1.svg/20px-BSicon_exSTRr%2B1.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/BSicon_exSTRr%2B1.svg/30px-BSicon_exSTRr%2B1.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/BSicon_exSTRr%2B1.svg/40px-BSicon_exSTRr%2B1.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTR+r; exSTRr+1"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/BSicon_exSTR%2Br.svg/20px-BSicon_exSTR%2Br.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/BSicon_exSTR%2Br.svg/30px-BSicon_exSTR%2Br.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/BSicon_exSTR%2Br.svg/40px-BSicon_exSTR%2Br.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTRc4"><img alt="" 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src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg/20px-BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg/30px-BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg/40px-BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi"><a href="/wiki/River_Taw" title="River Taw">River Taw</a></div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exHST"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/20px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/30px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/40px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_Quay_railway_station" title="Barnstaple Quay railway station">Barnstaple Quay</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="uexSTRc2"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/BSicon_uexSTRc2.svg/20px-BSicon_uexSTRc2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/BSicon_uexSTRc2.svg/30px-BSicon_uexSTRc2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/BSicon_uexSTRc2.svg/40px-BSicon_uexSTRc2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><div class="RMov"><div class="RMic"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="XPLTaq; uexKHST3"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/BSicon_uexKHST3.svg/20px-BSicon_uexKHST3.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/BSicon_uexKHST3.svg/30px-BSicon_uexKHST3.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/BSicon_uexKHST3.svg/40px-BSicon_uexKHST3.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="XPLTaq; uexKHST3"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/BSicon_XPLTaq.svg/20px-BSicon_XPLTaq.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/BSicon_XPLTaq.svg/30px-BSicon_XPLTaq.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/BSicon_XPLTaq.svg/40px-BSicon_XPLTaq.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div></div><div><div class="RMov"><div class="RMic"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="XPLTeq; exHST"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/20px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/30px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/40px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="XPLTeq; exHST"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/BSicon_XPLTeq.svg/20px-BSicon_XPLTeq.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/BSicon_XPLTeq.svg/30px-BSicon_XPLTeq.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/BSicon_XPLTeq.svg/40px-BSicon_XPLTeq.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_Town_railway_station" title="Barnstaple Town railway station">Barnstaple Town</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="uexCONT1"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/BSicon_uexCONT1.svg/20px-BSicon_uexCONT1.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/BSicon_uexCONT1.svg/30px-BSicon_uexCONT1.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/BSicon_uexCONT1.svg/40px-BSicon_uexCONT1.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="uexSTRc4"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/BSicon_uexSTRc4.svg/20px-BSicon_uexSTRc4.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/BSicon_uexSTRc4.svg/30px-BSicon_uexSTRc4.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/BSicon_uexSTRc4.svg/40px-BSicon_uexSTRc4.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTR"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/20px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/30px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/40px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi"><i><a href="/wiki/Lynton_and_Barnstaple_Railway" title="Lynton and Barnstaple Railway">Lynton and Barnstaple Railway</a></i></div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exhKRZWae"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg/20px-BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg/30px-BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d7/BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg/40px-BSicon_exhKRZWae.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi"><a href="/wiki/River_Yeo_(Barnstaple)" class="mw-redirect" title="River Yeo (Barnstaple)">River Yeo</a></div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exHST"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/20px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/30px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/40px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="FLUG"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/BSicon_FLUG.svg/20px-BSicon_FLUG.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/BSicon_FLUG.svg/30px-BSicon_FLUG.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/BSicon_FLUG.svg/40px-BSicon_FLUG.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Wrafton_railway_station" class="mw-redirect" title="Wrafton railway station">Wrafton</a> <div class="RMsi">for <a href="/wiki/RAF_Chivenor" title="RAF Chivenor">RAF Chivenor</a></div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exBUE"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/BSicon_exBUE.svg/20px-BSicon_exBUE.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/BSicon_exBUE.svg/30px-BSicon_exBUE.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/BSicon_exBUE.svg/40px-BSicon_exBUE.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">Wrafton level crossing</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exHST"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/20px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/30px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/40px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Braunton_railway_station" class="mw-redirect" title="Braunton railway station">Braunton</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exBUE"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/BSicon_exBUE.svg/20px-BSicon_exBUE.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/BSicon_exBUE.svg/30px-BSicon_exBUE.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/BSicon_exBUE.svg/40px-BSicon_exBUE.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">Braunton level crossing (B3231)</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTR"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/20px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/30px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/40px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">1 in 41 gradient</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exHST"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/20px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/30px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/BSicon_exHST.svg/40px-BSicon_exHST.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Mortehoe_and_Woolacombe_railway_station" title="Mortehoe and Woolacombe railway station">Mortehoe & Woolacombe</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSKRZ-Mu"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/BSicon_exSKRZ-Mu.svg/20px-BSicon_exSKRZ-Mu.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/BSicon_exSKRZ-Mu.svg/30px-BSicon_exSKRZ-Mu.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/BSicon_exSKRZ-Mu.svg/40px-BSicon_exSKRZ-Mu.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">B3343 to Woolacombe</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exGIPl"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/BSicon_exGIPl.svg/20px-BSicon_exGIPl.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/BSicon_exGIPl.svg/30px-BSicon_exGIPl.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/BSicon_exGIPl.svg/40px-BSicon_exGIPl.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">Summit</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exSTR"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/20px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/30px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/BSicon_exSTR.svg/40px-BSicon_exSTR.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">1 in 36 gradient</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exTUNNEL1"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/BSicon_exTUNNEL1.svg/20px-BSicon_exTUNNEL1.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/BSicon_exTUNNEL1.svg/30px-BSicon_exTUNNEL1.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/BSicon_exTUNNEL1.svg/40px-BSicon_exTUNNEL1.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><div class="RMsi">Slade Tunnels</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td class="RMl" colspan="2"> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td class="RMir"><div class="RM_"></div><div class="RM_"></div><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File"><span title="exKHSTe"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/BSicon_exKHSTe.svg/20px-BSicon_exKHSTe.svg.png" decoding="async" width="20" height="20" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/BSicon_exKHSTe.svg/30px-BSicon_exKHSTe.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/18/BSicon_exKHSTe.svg/40px-BSicon_exKHSTe.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="500" data-file-height="500" /></span></span></div><div class="RM_"></div> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td class="RMr" colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Ilfracombe_railway_station_(Devon)" class="mw-redirect" title="Ilfracombe railway station (Devon)">Ilfracombe</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:0 3px 0 0;"> </td> <td> </td> <td class="RMl1"> </td> <td> </td> <td class="RMr1"> </td> <td> </td> <td style="padding:0 0 0 3px;"> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr> </tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <a href="/wiki/North_Devon_Railway" title="North Devon Railway">North Devon Railway</a> connected <a href="/wiki/Barnstaple" title="Barnstaple">Barnstaple</a> to the growing railway network in 1854 and as <a href="/wiki/Ilfracombe" title="Ilfracombe">Ilfracombe</a> developed as a watering place, it was obvious a railway connection to the town was needed. The hilly terrain was very difficult, but an Ilfracombe Railway was authorised in 1864 but failed when a major shareholder was unable to respond to a subscription call. After several false starts the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway, soon taken over by the <a href="/wiki/London_and_South_Western_Railway" title="London and South Western Railway">London and South Western Railway</a>, opened in 1870. </p><p>The gradients on the line were exceptionally difficult and train loads were curtailed accordingly, although in the twentieth century, extensive use of assisting engines enabled ten coach trains to be operated at the busiest summer Saturdays. The <a href="/wiki/Great_Western_Railway" title="Great Western Railway">Great Western Railway</a> made a connection from <a href="/wiki/Taunton" title="Taunton">Taunton</a> to a separate station in Barnstaple in 1873 through an associated company, the <a href="/wiki/Devon_and_Somerset_Railway" title="Devon and Somerset Railway">Devon and Somerset Railway</a>. The two lines at Barnstaple were connected in 1887, and some GWR trains ran through, or passed through coaches on to LSWR trains. From 1947 to 1954 an express train named the <a href="/wiki/Devon_Belle" title="Devon Belle">Devon Belle</a> operated; it was a limited stop train service from London to Ilfracombe and back, using observation cars.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the 1950s holiday travel to Ilfracombe by rail declined steeply as road travel took over; outside the peak holiday times local usage was very limited and the line was closed in 1970. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_proposals">Early proposals</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Early proposals"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Ilfracombe_1874_01.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Ilfracombe_1874_01.png/220px-Ilfracombe_1874_01.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="216" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Ilfracombe_1874_01.png/330px-Ilfracombe_1874_01.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/36/Ilfracombe_1874_01.png/440px-Ilfracombe_1874_01.png 2x" data-file-width="1060" data-file-height="1042" /></a><figcaption>Ilfracombe railway in 1874</figcaption></figure> <p>Ilfracombe began to be recognised as a watering place from the 1830s, and in following decades its attraction became more widely known and visitor numbers increased considerably. Access was difficult as the roads approaching the town were steep and inconvenient, and most visitors arrived by steamer, from <a href="/wiki/Bristol" title="Bristol">Bristol</a> and elsewhere. </p><p>The North Devon Railway and Docks company opened its line from <a href="/wiki/Crediton" title="Crediton">Crediton</a> to Barnstaple in 1854. It was a single broad gauge line at first, but after certain dubious procedures, it was taken over (on lease) by the London and South Western Railway, making a railway connection to the national network. The track was soon converted to mixed gauge, to enable the operation of narrow (standard) gauge trains.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs3_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs3-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="The_Ilfracombe_Railway_proposed">The Ilfracombe Railway proposed</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: The Ilfracombe Railway proposed"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg/250px-Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="150" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg/375px-Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg/500px-Barnstaple_Junction_railway_station_1972067_31fed26e.jpg 2x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="383" /></a><figcaption>Barnstaple Junction station in 1964, looking towards Exeter from the road bridge. The tracks entering from the left mark the southern end of the Ilfracombe branch; those in the foreground lead to Bideford.</figcaption></figure> <p>An Exeter solicitor, Thomas Wreford, was active in promoting the idea of a railway connecting Barnstaple and Ilfracombe, but after considerable effort and expenditure was unable to get sufficient support.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs3_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs3-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Wreford's work was reopened when J E Errington, consulting engineer to the LSWR, examined possible routes, probably in 1861. The terrain was difficult, with a ridge rising to 800 feet above sea level barring the way. Errington favoured a western route through <a href="/wiki/Braunton" title="Braunton">Braunton</a>, but there was opposition from an absentee landowner, Sir William Williams, and misjudgements elsewhere by Wreford weakened confidence in the scheme, and it was not carried forward. </p><p>In 1861 a slightly altered route was decided upon, and the LSWR was approached for support. It had not yet established its ability to reach Barnstaple, and it indicated that negotiations with the North Devon company for its acquisition were dominating its attention at the time. In July 1862 the LSWR finalised its talks with the North Devon company, and the LSWR acquired that line outright on 1 January 1865. Now that it had certainty of its narrow (standard) gauge access to Barnstaple, it indicated that it was prepared to consider an Ilfracombe line. The proposed Braunton route to Ilfracombe had steep gradients and sharp curves, and the LSWR arranged for a new survey of an alternative, eastern route. When the survey was complete it was obvious that this route was much more expensive due to the heavy engineering works that would be necessary, so the Braunton route was settled on, and working arrangements whereby the LSWR would work the line for 45% of gross receipts were agreed.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs5_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs5-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A Parliamentary Bill for the Ilfracombe Railway went to Parliament in the 1863 session, but it was opposed by Sir William Williams, and an engineer <a href="/wiki/Sir_John_Fowler,_1st_Baronet" title="Sir John Fowler, 1st Baronet">Sir John Fowler</a> spoke against the safety aspect of the Braunton route, and asserted that the eastern route would be cheaper. Fowler was a consulting engineer to the Great Western Railway and accordingly had some personal authority. The Bill was thrown out.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs7_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs7-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-williams2-229_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2-229-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>When the bad news was brought to Braunton and Ilfracombe, violent disquiet was in evidence, and the <a href="/wiki/Riot_Act" title="Riot Act">Riot Act</a> was read at 02:00 on Sunday 26 April. The water was further muddied by the revival now of an earlier scheme for a Devon and Somerset Railway, affiliated to the Great Western Railway, connecting Taunton to Ilfracombe through Barnstaple. </p><p>The Ilfracombe Railway promoters decided on a further attempt to get an Act, in the 1864 session of Parliament. To fend off the possibility of the Devon and Somerset Railway getting authorisation for its line to Ilfracombe instead of the Ilfracombe Railway, the promoters of the IR decided to propose the eastern route themselves, knowing it to be inferior.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs7_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs7-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-reghist67_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reghist67-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-williams2-232_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2-232-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Ilfracombe_Railway_authorised;_and_the_Devon_and_Somerset_Railway_too"><span id="Ilfracombe_Railway_authorised.3B_and_the_Devon_and_Somerset_Railway_too"></span>Ilfracombe Railway authorised; and the Devon and Somerset Railway too</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Ilfracombe Railway authorised; and the Devon and Somerset Railway too"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg/220px-Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="143" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg/330px-Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg/440px-Braunton_railway_station_1973081_f9e6307d.jpg 2x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="417" /></a><figcaption>Braunton railway station in 1964</figcaption></figure> <p>The Ilfracombe Railway was accordingly authorised by Act of 25 July 1864.<sup id="cite_ref-grant277_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant277-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The rival Devon and Somerset Railway was authorised in the same session, on 29 July 1864, but only between Taunton and Barnstaple. Parliament required the Ilfracombe Railway to build all bridges and structures in such a way that broad gauge trains off the D&SR might pass over the line. Share capital of the Ilfracombe Railway was to be £210,000 and the D&SR were permitted to be major subscribers for shares. An Act of 2 July 1865 reincorporated the company with the LSWR and the D&SR being the only shareholders, save for 77 shares out of 5,250.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs7_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs7-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-williams2-232_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2-232-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Ilfracombe Company now made a call of £2 per share towards land acquisition and construction, but the D&SR found itself unable to raise money to pay its call. From the point of view of the Great Western Railway, "the chance of extending the broad gauge to Ilfracombe was missed".<sup id="cite_ref-macdermot2-172_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-macdermot2-172-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>This impasse dragged on for a very considerable time, with the IR eventually taking legal action against the D&SR. Although judgment in court was given against the D&SR in the sum of £11,492, the Ilfracombe Railway was unable to proceed with construction as it had no funds, and in fact it was not until 26 July 1901 when the Great Western Railway absorbed the D&SR that the debt was paid, and the impotent Ilfracombe Railway Company was able to be dissolved.<sup id="cite_ref-grant145_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant145-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>At the end of 1867 the IR company had decided not to proceed with construction, even though £46,370 had been expended without any construction taking place. The authorised but unbuilt Ilfracombe Railway was abandoned by Acy of 25 July 1868.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs7_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs7-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-williams2-233_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2-233-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-grant145_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant145-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="The_Barnstaple_and_Ilfracombe_Railway">The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Promotion">Promotion</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Promotion"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg/220px-Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="136" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg/330px-Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ad/Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg/440px-Ilfracombe_railway_station.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1583" data-file-height="978" /></a><figcaption>Ilfracombe railway station about 1900</figcaption></figure> <p>In 1869 pressure mounted further for a line, this time under the aegis of the LSWR; but still the question of the route to be adopted was controversial; this included the choice of how the line would join the existing North Devon line, and where it would cross the river. The western route via Braunton was eventually seen to the better option and in the 1870 session of Parliament the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway's bill was considered. There was much opposition, including from residents near the proposed northern route, who would now not have a railway nearby. Nevertheless, the Braunton route was selected, and the River Taw was to be crossed directly by a long bridge at Barnstaple itself. </p><p>The LSWR had noted that the Regulation of Railways Act 1868 authorised the approval of Light Railways, and proposed that the Ilfracombe line be built as such. The configuration of a light railway was vague, and section 28 of the Act merely specified: </p> <blockquote><p>A light Railway shall be constructed and worked subject to such Conditions and Regulations as the Board of Trade may from Time to Time impose or make : Provided, that (1) the Regulations respecting the Weight of Locomotive Engines, Carriages, and Vehicles to be used on such Railway shall not authorize a greater Weight than Eight Tons to be brought upon the Rails by any One Pair of Wheels; (2) the Regulations respecting the Speed of Trains shall not authorise a Rate of Speed exceeding at any Time Twenty-five Miles an Hour.<sup id="cite_ref-act_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-act-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway got its authorising Act as a light railway on 4 July 1870, with share capital of £105,000.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs12_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs12-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-reghist67_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reghist67-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-grant31_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant31-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> At first the take-up of share subscriptions locally was extremely slow, and the LSWR had to relax some of its financial conditions for working the line to encourage investors.<sup id="cite_ref-williams2-234_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2-234-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>This was successful and construction continued, and on 13 July 1874 <a href="/wiki/Charles_Scrope_Hutchinson" title="Charles Scrope Hutchinson">Col C S Hutchinson</a><sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>note 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> carried out an inspection of the line for the <a href="/wiki/Board_of_Trade" title="Board of Trade">Board of Trade</a>. He observed that the <a href="/wiki/River_Taw" title="River Taw">River Taw</a> was crossed by a curving viaduct of 17 spans on a 7.5 chain curve there was next a <a href="/wiki/Swing_bridge" title="Swing bridge">swing bridge</a> over the <a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_Yeo" title="Barnstaple Yeo">River Yeo</a>. The line passed its inspection.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs12_13-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs12-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Opening_of_the_line">Opening of the line</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Opening of the line"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The line opened to the public on 20 July 1874.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs19_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs19-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-reghist67_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reghist67-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-grant31_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant31-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>At first the passenger train service was five down and four up trains daily except Sundays, between Barnstaple Junction and Ilfracombe. By August 1880 there were six trains in each direction; the journey time was less than 50 minutes. In fact the Devon and Somerset Railway had opened its line between Taunton (actually <a href="/wiki/Norton_Fitzwarren" title="Norton Fitzwarren">Norton Fitzwarren</a>) and its own Barnstaple station on 1 November 1873; affiliated to the Great Western Railway it had a shorter route to London, via Bristol, and operated a coach service from its Barnstaple station to Ilfracombe. It did not yet make a physical connection to the LSWR affiliated lines. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Acquisition_by_the_LSWR,_and_improvements"><span id="Acquisition_by_the_LSWR.2C_and_improvements"></span>Acquisition by the LSWR, and improvements</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Acquisition by the LSWR, and improvements"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Braunton.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Braunton.jpg/220px-Braunton.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="141" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Braunton.jpg/330px-Braunton.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Braunton.jpg/440px-Braunton.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1088" data-file-height="696" /></a><figcaption>Braunton station in the early twentieth century</figcaption></figure> <p>In 1875 the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway was amalgamated with the LSWR, following an authorising Act of 16 July 1874.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs19_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs19-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-grant31_14-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant31-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-williams2-234_15-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2-234-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1887 the status of the line as a light railway was altered to normal operation. It was decided to double the line, except for the section from Barnstaple Junction to Pottington, because of the expense of doubling the Taw viaduct and the Yeo swing bridge. When the line was originally built, the single line was laid in the centre of the double track formation, and the doubling was carried out by the acquisition of additional land. The line between Braunton and <a href="/wiki/Mortehoe_and_Woolacombe_railway_station" title="Mortehoe and Woolacombe railway station">Mortehoe</a> was commissioned as a double line on 1 July 1889, followed by Braunton to Pottington on 4 August 1890. Finally Mortehoe to Ilfracombe was opened as double track on 1 July 1891.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs20_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs20-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-reghist68_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reghist68-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Ilfracombe station was 225 feet above sea level. As holiday peak traffic developed, Ilfracombe station was successively extended and improved, in 1901, 1917 and 1929.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs26_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs26-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Devon_and_Somerset_Railway">Devon and Somerset Railway</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Devon and Somerset Railway"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Ilfracombe_1905.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Ilfracombe_1905.png/220px-Ilfracombe_1905.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="216" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Ilfracombe_1905.png/330px-Ilfracombe_1905.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Ilfracombe_1905.png/440px-Ilfracombe_1905.png 2x" data-file-width="1060" data-file-height="1042" /></a><figcaption>Ilfracombe railway line in 1905</figcaption></figure><p>On 1 November 1873 the Devon and Somerset Railway had opened its line throughout from Taunton to its own <a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_Victoria_Road_railway_station" title="Barnstaple Victoria Road railway station">Barnstaple station</a>; a coach connection was operated to Ilfracombe.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs29_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs29-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-macdermot172_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-macdermot172-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> At this time the D&SR Was a broad gauge railway, but it was converted to narrow (standard) gauge on 18 May 1881.<sup id="cite_ref-grant145_10-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-grant145-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-macdermot326_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-macdermot326-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On 1 June 1887 the D&SR opened a connecting loop from its Barnstaple station to Barnstaple Junction station, and trains could run through, albeit with a reversal. Through GWR trains from Taunton over the Devon and Somerset line operated; it was stipulated by the LSWR that only through journeys to Ilfracombe were permitted on the line; journeys to other LSWR stations had to be made using the D&SR terminus and road transfer to Barnstaple Junction or Town stations.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs29_21-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs29-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-reghist68_19-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reghist68-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-macdermot366_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-macdermot366-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>An eastern arm of the D&SR triangle was opened on 1 July 1905 permitting through running from Taunton to Barnstaple Junction without reversal in Victoria Road.<sup id="cite_ref-reghist68_19-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-reghist68-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-macdermot610_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-macdermot610-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The GWR station was named Victoria Road in 1949.<sup id="cite_ref-quick68_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-quick68-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Train_services">Train services</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Train services"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Nineteenth_century">Nineteenth century</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Nineteenth century"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Ilfracombe_station_approaches,_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Ilfracombe_station_approaches%2C_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg/220px-Ilfracombe_station_approaches%2C_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="147" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Ilfracombe_station_approaches%2C_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg/330px-Ilfracombe_station_approaches%2C_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Ilfracombe_station_approaches%2C_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg/440px-Ilfracombe_station_approaches%2C_1969_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1609255.jpg 2x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="427" /></a><figcaption>Ilfracombe station approaches in August 1969</figcaption></figure> <p>The Great Western Railway took a great interest in the Ilfracombe service; from July 1889 a train named "The Ilfracombe Express" ran from Paddington to Ilfracombe in 6 hours 55 minutes, while through coaches of the GWR train named Zulu did the journey in 6hrs 2 minutes, faster than the LSWR transit from Waterloo, which was 6 hours 22 minutes.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs35_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs35-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-williams2–236_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-williams2–236-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A "Liverpool Express" ran to Ilfracombe and the <a href="/wiki/Midland_Railway" title="Midland Railway">Midland Railway</a> ran a train from <a href="/wiki/Bradford" title="Bradford">Bradford</a> via <a href="/wiki/Bath,_Somerset" title="Bath, Somerset">Bath</a> and <a href="/wiki/Templecombe" title="Templecombe">Templecombe</a>, partly over the <a href="/wiki/Somerset_and_Dorset_Joint_Railway" title="Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway">Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway</a>. Sunday journeys on the Ilfracombe line were started on 1 June 1890.By the summer of 1905 the service had much improved, with thirteen down trains and fifteen up trains, including a luncheon car corridor express to and from Waterloo; the up train made the journey in 5 hours 15 minutes. </p><p>A pooling agreement was concluded for the London traffic in May 1910.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs36_29-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs36-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Before <a href="/wiki/World_War_I" title="World War I">the First World War</a> the <a href="/wiki/Torbay_Express" title="Torbay Express">Torbay Express</a> slipped a portion for Ilfracombe at Taunton; the four coach slip included a restaurant car, the only occasion when a restaurant car was slipped. The portion was attached to a stopping train over the Devon and Somerset line to Barnstaple and was attached to an LSWR train to Ilfracombe.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs34_30-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs34-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pigott53_31-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pigott53-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the 1930s and then immediately after 1945 holiday traffic took on an even more important role, and through trains were run to and from London (both Waterloo and Paddington) and numerous other destinations.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs37_32-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs37-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Ilfracombe_Boat_Express">The Ilfracombe Boat Express</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: The Ilfracombe Boat Express"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The popularity of Ilfracombe as a holiday destination was such that the <a href="/wiki/Barry_Railway_Company" title="Barry Railway Company">Barry Railway</a> operated an Ilfracombe Boat Express from Cardiff Riverside to <a href="/wiki/Barry_Pier_railway_station" title="Barry Pier railway station">Barry Pier</a>, between 1905 and 1909 in summer only, at 09:35 from Cardiff to connect with a 10:10 steamer sailing from Barry to Ilfracombe. For residents of Cardiff and south east Wales this was a competitive means of reaching Ilfracombe as compared with the rail transit via Bristol.<sup id="cite_ref-pigott33_33-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pigott33-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Atlantic_Coast_Express">The Atlantic Coast Express</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: The Atlantic Coast Express"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>From 10 July 1926 the <a href="/wiki/Atlantic_Coast_Express" title="Atlantic Coast Express">Atlantic Coast Express</a> started to be run, with multiple portions. At Barnstaple Junction a through coach from Paddington that had been slipped at Taunton, was attached. The Atlantic Coast Express ceased to run after 5 September 1964.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs43_34-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs43-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="The_Devon_Belle">The Devon Belle</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: The Devon Belle"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg/220px-Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="155" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg/330px-Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg/440px-Devon_Belle_Pullman_Observation_Car.jpg 2x" data-file-width="967" data-file-height="682" /></a><figcaption>Devon Belle observation car in later use at Kingswear in May 2013</figcaption></figure> <p>From 20 June 1947 the <a href="/wiki/Devon_Belle" title="Devon Belle">Devon Belle</a> was run, with four coaches for <a href="/wiki/Plymouth" title="Plymouth">Plymouth</a> and eight for Ilfracombe, occasionally strengthened to ten. The train changed engines at <a href="/wiki/Wilton_South_railway_station" title="Wilton South railway station">Wilton</a>, not a passenger stop, and divided at <a href="/wiki/Exeter_Central_railway_station" title="Exeter Central railway station">Exeter Central</a>. The Wilton stop was necessitated by tender capacity; at the time there was consideration of providing a larger tender to avoid the stop, but this was not acted upon. The Ilfracombe portion then called at Barnstaple Town, Braunton and Mortehoe and Ilfracombe. At first the train ran Fridays to Mondays only (down Friday to Sunday, up Saturday to Monday) but this was extended to Thursday to Tuesday in the summer of 1949; in both cases it ran in the summer season only. The up trains often had a <a href="/wiki/SR_West_Country_and_Battle_of_Britain_classes" title="SR West Country and Battle of Britain classes">Bulleid pacific</a> assisting in rear as well as a pacific as the train engine to climb out of Ilfracombe. </p><p>The two observation cars for the Devon Belle were converted from existing Pullman cars by the <a href="/wiki/Pullman_Company" title="Pullman Company">Pullman Company</a> at <a href="/wiki/Brighton" title="Brighton">Brighton</a>. The observation cars were turned on the locomotive turntable at Ilfracombe and in London. They were the only observation cars ever run on the <a href="/wiki/Southern_Railway_(UK)" title="Southern Railway (UK)">Southern Railway</a> and its British Railways Southern Region successor. The signwriting on the rear read "Devon Belle" although the locomotive headboard read “The Devon Belle” until it was changed to omit the definite article in what proved to be its final year of operation. In the 1950s patronage declined and the train was discontinued at the end of the 1954 season.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs33_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs33-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-maggs43_34-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs43-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-pigott33_33-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pigott33-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-wilton_36-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-wilton-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The final day of regular steam working was 5 September 1964, from which time most ordinary trains were operated by diesel multiple units, although on summer Saturdays diesel locomotive hauled through trains operated in addition. The dmu services ran to destinations local to Exeter, including <a href="/wiki/Exmouth" title="Exmouth">Exmouth</a> and <a href="/wiki/Honiton" title="Honiton">Honiton</a>, and later <a href="/wiki/Paignton" title="Paignton">Paignton</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs32_37-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs32-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-maggs35_27-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs35-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-maggs39_38-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs39-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Locomotives">Locomotives</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Locomotives"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Barnstaple_railway_bridge_(1970s).JPG" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Barnstaple_railway_bridge_%281970s%29.JPG/220px-Barnstaple_railway_bridge_%281970s%29.JPG" decoding="async" width="220" height="147" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Barnstaple_railway_bridge_%281970s%29.JPG/330px-Barnstaple_railway_bridge_%281970s%29.JPG 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Barnstaple_railway_bridge_%281970s%29.JPG/440px-Barnstaple_railway_bridge_%281970s%29.JPG 2x" data-file-width="1840" data-file-height="1232" /></a><figcaption>Barnstaple railway bridge in the 1970s</figcaption></figure> <p>As a light railway, axle weights on the Ilfracombe line were limited, while the gradients were formidable. In 1873, three locomotives were delivered from <a href="/wiki/Beyer,_Peacock_and_Company" title="Beyer, Peacock and Company">Beyer, Peacock and Company</a>; they were 0-6-0 tender engines, and they were known as Ilfracombe Goods engines. They were restricted to four passenger vehicles with two brake vans, and on goods trains to eight wagons and a van. </p><p>From the first years of the twentieth century they were replaced by <a href="/wiki/LSWR_T1_class" title="LSWR T1 class">Adams T1 0-4-4 tank engines</a>, and from about 1914 the <a href="/wiki/LSWR_M7_class" title="LSWR M7 class">M7 class of 0-4-4 tank engines</a> were brought into use. In the summer of 1925 the <a href="/wiki/SECR_N_class" title="SECR N class">N class of moguls</a> were first used on the line; on 3 March 1925 one of the class took 7 coaches from Exeter to Ilfracombe, but it nearly stalled on Braunton bank. Comparative runs showed that the M7 locomotives were better suited to work the branch, although for through journeys to Exeter the N class was more suited. The more modern <a href="/wiki/LSWR_N15_class" title="LSWR N15 class">King Arthur</a>, <a href="/wiki/SR_V_class" title="SR V class">Schools</a> and <a href="/wiki/SR_Lord_Nelson_class" title="SR Lord Nelson class">Lord Nelson</a> classes were too heavy for use on the line, but the air-smoothed West Country pacifics, introduced from 1945, were allowed and could handle heavier loads. They were often used to assist the N class engines on heavy trains. </p><p>When some of the West Country class were later modified to a more conventional technical specification later, the added weight resulted in the affected locomotives being too heavy for the line and unable to be used there. </p><p>After nationalisation, <a href="/wiki/LMS_Ivatt_Class_2_2-6-2T" title="LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T">Ivatt 2-6-2 tank engines</a> of the former <a href="/wiki/London,_Midland_and_Scottish_Railway" title="London, Midland and Scottish Railway">London, Midland and Scottish Railway</a> were employed as the old M7 class were phased out.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs30_39-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs30-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Decline">Decline</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Decline"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Although summer weekend holiday traffic was extremely busy, the branch was very little used outside those times and financial losses were built up. Goods services were withdrawn on 7 September 1964. The line was singled on 17 December 1967.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs25_40-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs25-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Road-based competition – motor coaches and private cars – accelerated the decline in usage of the line, and the train service was discontinued on 5 October 1970<sup id="cite_ref-maggs47_41-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs47-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-middleton_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-middleton-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Topography">Topography</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Topography"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Gradients">Gradients</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Gradients"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Gradients on the northern part of the line were severe; down trains started to climb in earnest from Braunton station and faced six miles of ascent, stiffening to 1 in 40 to the summit at Mortehoe station. Up trains experienced a climb right from the buffer stops at Ilfracombe station, and the ascent was at 1 in 36 for three miles to Mortehoe with only a slight slackening for the last three quarters of a mile. All but the lightest trains were assisted by banking engines, and on summer Saturdays there were several occasions when up and down trains passed at Mortehoe, both trains being assisted and requiring the banking engines were return downhill to their respective positions for the next duty.<sup id="cite_ref-maggs26_20-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-maggs26-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Locations">Locations</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Locations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg/220px-The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="165" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg/330px-The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg/440px-The_western_end_of_the_old_railway_tunnels_at_Slade_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2087752.jpg 2x" data-file-width="640" data-file-height="480" /></a><figcaption>The western end of Slade tunnels in September 2010 after closure</figcaption></figure> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_railway_station" title="Barnstaple railway station">Barnstaple</a>; North Devon Railway station, opened 1 August 1854; renamed Barnstaple Junction 1892/3; still open;</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_Quay_railway_station" title="Barnstaple Quay railway station">Barnstaple Quay</a>; opened 20 July 1874; renamed <a href="/wiki/Barnstaple_Town_railway_station" title="Barnstaple Town railway station">Barnstaple Town</a> 1886 then relocated 11 chains west to accommodate Lynton & Barnstaple Railway 16 May 1898; closed 5 October 1970;</li> <li><i>Pottington signal box</i>; end of single line section from Barnstaple Junction;</li> <li><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238216509">.mw-parser-output .vanchor>:target~.vanchor-text{background-color:#b1d2ff}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .vanchor>:target~.vanchor-text{background-color:#0f4dc9}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .vanchor>:target~.vanchor-text{background-color:#0f4dc9}}</style><span class="vanchor"><span id="Wrafton"></span><span class="vanchor-text">Wrafton</span></span>; opened 20 July 1874; closed 5 October 1970;</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238216509"><span class="vanchor"><span id="Braunton"></span><span class="vanchor-text">Braunton</span></span>; opened 20 July 1874; closed 5 October 1970;</li> <li>Morthoe; opened 20 July 1874; renamed Mortehoe 13 May 1902; renamed <a href="/wiki/Mortehoe_and_Woolacombe_railway_station" title="Mortehoe and Woolacombe railway station">Mortehoe and Woolacombe</a> 5 June 1950; closed 5 October 1970;</li> <li><i>Slade Tunnel</i>;<sup id="cite_ref-backtrack_43-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-backtrack-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ilfracombe_railway_station_(England)" title="Ilfracombe railway station (England)">Ilfracombe</a>; opened 20 July 1874; closed 5 October 1970.<sup id="cite_ref-quick_44-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-quick-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="After_closure">After closure</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: After closure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The trackbed between Mortehoe Station and Ilfracombe has been restored as the <a href="/wiki/Devon_Coast_to_Coast_Cycle_Route" title="Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route">Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route</a> and forms part of the <a href="/wiki/Tarka_Trail" title="Tarka Trail">Tarka Trail</a>. It is possible to walk or cycle from the north road bridge parapet by Mortehoe Station to Ilfracombe.<sup id="cite_ref-sustrans_45-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-sustrans-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In the UK an observation car was an ordinary coach with a large area of glazing at one end; it was run as the last vehicle in a train, and enabled passengers to view the landscape behind the train.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Later Major-General Hutchinson.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-maggs3-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs3_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs3_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Colin G Maggs, <i>The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway</i>, The Oakwood Press, 1978, Usk, ISBN 978-0853613688, pages 3 and 4</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs5-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs5_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 5 and 6</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs7-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs7_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs7_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs7_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs7_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 7 to 11</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-williams2-229-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-williams2-229_5-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">R A Williams, <i>The London and South Western Railway: volume 2: Growth and Consolidation</i>, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1973, ISBN 0 7153 5940 1, page 229</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-reghist67-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-reghist67_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-reghist67_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-reghist67_6-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">David St John Thomas, <i>A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: volume I: the West Country</i>, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1960 revised 1966, page 67</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-williams2-232-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-williams2-232_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-williams2-232_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Williams, page 232</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-grant277-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-grant277_8-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Donald J Grant, <i>Directory of the Railway Companies of Great Britain</i>, Matador, Kibworth Beauchamp, 2017, ISBN 978 1785893 537, page 277</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-macdermot2-172-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-macdermot2-172_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">E T Macdermot, History of the Great Western Railway: volume II, 1863 - 1921, published by the Great Western Railway, London, 1931, page 172</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-grant145-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-grant145_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-grant145_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-grant145_10-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Grant, pages 145 and 146</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-williams2-233-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-williams2-233_11-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Williams, pages 233 and 234</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-act-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-act_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>The Regulation of Railways Act, 1868</i>, section 28</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs12-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs12_13-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs12_13-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 12 to 18</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-grant31-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-grant31_14-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-grant31_14-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-grant31_14-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Grant, page 31</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-williams2-234-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-williams2-234_15-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-williams2-234_15-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Williams, page 234</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs19-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs19_17-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs19_17-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 19 and 20</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs20-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs20_18-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 20 and 22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-reghist68-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-reghist68_19-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-reghist68_19-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-reghist68_19-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">St John Thomas, page 68</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs26-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs26_20-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs26_20-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 26 and 27</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs29-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs29_21-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs29_21-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 29</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-macdermot172-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-macdermot172_22-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">MacDermot, page 172</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-macdermot326-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-macdermot326_23-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">MacDermot, pages 326 and 327</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-macdermot366-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-macdermot366_24-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">MacDermot, page 366</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-macdermot610-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-macdermot610_25-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">MacDermot, page 610</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-quick68-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-quick68_26-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">M E Quick, <i>Railway Passenger Stations in England, Wales and Scotland: A Chronology</i>, version 5.04, September 2022, Railway and Canal Historical Society, electronic download, page 68</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs35-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs35_27-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs35_27-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 35 to 37</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-williams2–236-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-williams2–236_28-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Williams, page 236</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs36-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs36_29-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 36</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs34-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs34_30-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 34</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-pigott53-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-pigott53_31-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Nick Pigott, <i>Encyclopaedia of Titled Trains</i>, Mortons Media Group, Horncastle, 2012, ISBN 978 1 906167 82 0, page 53</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs37-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs37_32-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 37</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-pigott33-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-pigott33_33-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-pigott33_33-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Pigott, page 33</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs43-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-maggs43_34-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-maggs43_34-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 43 and 44</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs33-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs33_35-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 33</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-wilton-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-wilton_36-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>The Devon Belle</i>, in the Railway Magazine, September and October 1947, pages 306 and 307</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs32-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs32_37-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 32</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs39-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs39_38-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 39 to 42</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs30-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs30_39-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, pages 30 to 32</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs25-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs25_40-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 25</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-maggs47-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-maggs47_41-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Maggs, page 47</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-middleton-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-middleton_42-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, <i>Branch Line to Ilfracombe</i>, Middelton Press, Midhurst, 1993, ISBN 1 873793 21 9, Historical Background</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-backtrack-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-backtrack_43-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">David Thrower, <i>Southern Gone West -- The Ilfracombe Branch, part one</i>, in Back Track magazine, Pendragon Publishing, Easingwold, July 2004, page 397</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-quick-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-quick_44-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Quick, alphabetical listing</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-sustrans-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-sustrans_45-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Sustrans website</i> at <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/devon-coast-to-coast">https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/devon-coast-to-coast</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Frank E Box, <i>The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway</i>, in the Railway Magazine, December 1919, January 1920 and March 1920. The text in Maggs’ book is largely taken from these articles. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyZZiwYTE10">BFI archive footage from 1898: a journey over the line</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Heritage_railways,_museums_and_preservation_societies_in_England" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Heritage_railways_in_England" title="Template:Heritage railways in England"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Heritage_railways_in_England" title="Template talk:Heritage railways in England"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Heritage_railways_in_England" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Heritage railways in England"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Heritage_railways,_museums_and_preservation_societies_in_England" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Heritage_railway" title="Heritage railway">Heritage railways</a>, museums and preservation societies in England</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Operational_railways" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Operational railways</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Narrow-gauge</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Amerton_Railway" title="Amerton Railway">Amerton Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Amberley_Museum_Railway" title="Amberley Museum Railway">Amberley Museum Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bredgar_and_Wormshill_Light_Railway" title="Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway">Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bure_Valley_Railway" title="Bure Valley Railway">Bure Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cleethorpes_Coast_Light_Railway" title="Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway">Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gartell_Light_Railway" title="Gartell Light Railway">Gartell Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Whipsnade_Railway" title="Great Whipsnade Railway">Great Whipsnade Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Woburn_Safari_Park#Railway" title="Woburn Safari Park">Great Woburn Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hastings_Miniature_Railway" title="Hastings Miniature Railway">Hastings Miniature Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hayling_Seaside_Railway" title="Hayling Seaside Railway">Hayling Seaside Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hythe_Pier,_Railway_and_Ferry" title="Hythe Pier, Railway and Ferry">Hythe Pier, Railway and Ferry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Launceston_Steam_Railway" title="Launceston Steam Railway">Launceston Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Leighton_Buzzard_Light_Railway" title="Leighton Buzzard Light Railway">Leighton Buzzard Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_Post_Office_Railway" title="London Post Office Railway">London Post Office Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lynton_and_Barnstaple_Railway" title="Lynton and Barnstaple Railway">Lynton and Barnstaple Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Toddington_Narrow_Gauge_Railway" title="Toddington Narrow Gauge Railway">North Gloucestershire Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Perrygrove_Railway" title="Perrygrove Railway">Perrygrove Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ravenglass_and_Eskdale_Railway" title="Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway">Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romney,_Hythe_and_Dymchurch_Railway" title="Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway">Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rudyard_Lake_Steam_Railway" title="Rudyard Lake Steam Railway">Rudyard Lake Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ruislip_Lido_Railway" title="Ruislip Lido Railway">Ruislip Lido Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Seaton_Tramway" title="Seaton Tramway">Seaton Tramway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sittingbourne_and_Kemsley_Light_Railway" title="Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway">Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_Tynedale_Railway" title="South Tynedale Railway">South Tynedale Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southend_Pier_Railway" title="Southend Pier Railway">Southend Pier Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Steeple_Grange_Light_Railway" title="Steeple Grange Light Railway">Steeple Grange Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Volk%27s_Electric_Railway" title="Volk's Electric Railway">Volk's Electric Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wells_and_Walsingham_Light_Railway" title="Wells and Walsingham Light Railway">Wells and Walsingham Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/West_Lancashire_Light_Railway" title="West Lancashire Light Railway">West Lancashire Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Whistlestop_Valley" title="Whistlestop Valley">Whistlestop Valley</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yaxham_Light_Railway" title="Yaxham Light Railway">Yaxham Light Railway</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Standard-gauge</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alnwick_branch_line#Preservation_and_revival" title="Alnwick branch line">Aln Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Appleby_Frodingham_Railway" title="Appleby Frodingham Railway">Appleby Frodingham Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Avon_Valley_Railway" title="Avon Valley Railway">Avon Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Battlefield_Line_Railway" title="Battlefield Line Railway">Battlefield Line Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bluebell_Railway" title="Bluebell Railway">Bluebell Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bodmin_and_Wenford_Railway" title="Bodmin and Wenford Railway">Bodmin and Wenford Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bowes_Railway" title="Bowes Railway">Bowes Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bristol_Harbour_Railway" title="Bristol Harbour Railway">Bristol Harbour Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cambrian_Heritage_Railways" title="Cambrian Heritage Railways">Cambrian Heritage Railways</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chasewater_Railway" title="Chasewater Railway">Chasewater Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chinnor_and_Princes_Risborough_Railway" title="Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway">Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cholsey_and_Wallingford_Railway" title="Cholsey and Wallingford Railway">Cholsey and Wallingford Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Churnet_Valley_Railway" title="Churnet Valley Railway">Churnet Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Colne_Valley_Railway" title="Colne Valley Railway">Colne Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dartmouth_Steam_Railway" title="Dartmouth Steam Railway">Dartmouth Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dean_Forest_Railway" title="Dean Forest Railway">Dean Forest Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Derwent_Valley_Light_Railway" title="Derwent Valley Light Railway">Derwent Valley Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East_Kent_Railway_(heritage)" title="East Kent Railway (heritage)">East Kent Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East_Lancashire_Railway" title="East Lancashire Railway">East Lancashire Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East_Somerset_Railway" title="East Somerset Railway">East Somerset Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ecclesbourne_Valley_Railway" title="Ecclesbourne Valley Railway">Ecclesbourne Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eden_Valley_Railway_(heritage_railway)" title="Eden Valley Railway (heritage railway)">Eden Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Embsay_and_Bolton_Abbey_Steam_Railway" title="Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway">Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Epping_Ongar_Railway" title="Epping Ongar Railway">Epping Ongar Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foxfield_Railway" title="Foxfield Railway">Foxfield Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gloucestershire_Warwickshire_Railway" title="Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway">Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Central_Railway_(heritage_railway)" title="Great Central Railway (heritage railway)">Great Central Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Helston_Railway" title="Helston Railway">Helston Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Isle_of_Wight_Steam_Railway" title="Isle of Wight Steam Railway">Isle of Wight Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Keighley_%26_Worth_Valley_Railway" title="Keighley & Worth Valley Railway">Keighley & Worth Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kent_and_East_Sussex_Railway" title="Kent and East Sussex Railway">Kent and East Sussex Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lakeside_and_Haverthwaite_Railway" title="Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway">Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lavender_Line" title="Lavender Line">Lavender Line</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lincolnshire_Wolds_Railway" title="Lincolnshire Wolds Railway">Lincolnshire Wolds Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mid-Norfolk_Railway" title="Mid-Norfolk Railway">Mid-Norfolk Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Middleton_Railway" title="Middleton Railway">Middleton Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Midland_Railway_%E2%80%93_Butterley" title="Midland Railway – Butterley">Midland Railway – Butterley</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mountsorrel_Railway" title="Mountsorrel Railway">Mountsorrel Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nene_Valley_Railway" title="Nene Valley Railway">Nene Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Norfolk_Railway" title="North Norfolk Railway">North Norfolk Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Tyneside_Steam_Railway" title="North Tyneside Steam Railway">North Tyneside Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Yorkshire_Moors_Railway" title="North Yorkshire Moors Railway">North Yorkshire Moors Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northampton_and_Lamport_Railway" title="Northampton and Lamport Railway">Northampton and Lamport Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Northamptonshire_Ironstone_Railway_Trust" title="Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust">Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Central_Railway_(Nottingham)" title="Great Central Railway (Nottingham)">Nottingham Heritage Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peak_Rail" title="Peak Rail">Peak Rail</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Plym_Valley_Railway" title="Plym Valley Railway">Plym Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ribble_Steam_Railway" title="Ribble Steam Railway">Ribble Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rother_Valley_Railway" title="Rother Valley Railway">Rother Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rushden,_Higham_and_Wellingborough_Railway" title="Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway">Rushden, Higham and Wellingborough Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Severn_Valley_Railway" title="Severn Valley Railway">Severn Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_Devon_Railway_(heritage_railway)" title="South Devon Railway (heritage railway)">South Devon Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spa_Valley_Railway" title="Spa Valley Railway">Spa Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stainmore_Railway_Company" title="Stainmore Railway Company">Stainmore Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Swanage_Railway" title="Swanage Railway">Swanage Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Swindon_and_Cricklade_Railway" title="Swindon and Cricklade Railway">Swindon and Cricklade Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tanfield_Railway" title="Tanfield Railway">Tanfield Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Telford_Steam_Railway" title="Telford Steam Railway">Telford Steam Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Watercress_Line" title="Watercress Line">Watercress Line</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Weardale_Railway" title="Weardale Railway">Weardale Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wensleydale_Railway" title="Wensleydale Railway">Wensleydale Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/West_Somerset_Railway" title="West Somerset Railway">West Somerset Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yorkshire_Wolds_Railway" title="Yorkshire Wolds Railway">Yorkshire Wolds Railway</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Centres_and_museums" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Centres and museums</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barrow_Hill_Roundhouse" title="Barrow Hill Roundhouse">Barrow Hill Roundhouse</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bressingham_Steam_and_Gardens" title="Bressingham Steam and Gardens">Bressingham Steam Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Buckinghamshire_Railway_Centre" title="Buckinghamshire Railway Centre">Buckinghamshire Railway Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Coleford_Great_Western_Railway_Museum" title="Coleford Great Western Railway Museum">Coleford Great Western Railway Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crewe_Heritage_Centre" title="Crewe Heritage Centre">Crewe Heritage Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crowle_Peatland_Railway" title="Crowle Peatland Railway">Crowle Peatland Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Devon_Railway_Centre" title="Devon Railway Centre">Devon Railway Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Didcot_Railway_Centre" title="Didcot Railway Centre">Didcot Railway Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/East_Anglian_Railway_Museum" title="East Anglian Railway Museum">East Anglian Railway Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hollycombe_Steam_Collection" title="Hollycombe Steam Collection">Hollycombe Steam Collection</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hopetown_Darlington" title="Hopetown Darlington">Hopetown Darlington</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_Museum_of_Water_%26_Steam" title="London Museum of Water & Steam">London Museum of Water & Steam</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mangapps_Railway_Museum" title="Mangapps Railway Museum">Mangapps Railway Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mid-Suffolk_Light_Railway" title="Mid-Suffolk Light Railway">Mid-Suffolk Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moseley_Railway_Trust" title="Moseley Railway Trust">Moseley Railway Trust</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mountsorrel_Railway" title="Mountsorrel Railway">Mountsorrel Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Railway_Museum" title="National Railway Museum">National Railway Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Ings_Farm_Museum" title="North Ings Farm Museum">North Ings Farm Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Central_Railway_(Nottingham)" title="Great Central Railway (Nottingham)">Nottingham Heritage Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rutland_Railway_Museum" title="Rutland Railway Museum">Rutland Railway Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Locomotion_Museum" title="Locomotion Museum">National Railway Museum Shildon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Dorset_Railway" title="North Dorset Railway">Shillingstone Railway Project</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Somerset_%26_Dorset_Railway_Heritage_Trust" title="Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust">Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southall_Railway_Centre" title="Southall Railway Centre">Southall Railway Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Tyneside_Steam_Railway" title="North Tyneside Steam Railway">Stephenson Railway Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Museum_of_the_Great_Western_Railway" title="Museum of the Great Western Railway">Museum of the Great Western Railway (Swindon)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tyseley_Locomotive_Works" title="Tyseley Locomotive Works">Tyseley Locomotive Works</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yeovil_Railway_Centre" title="Yeovil Railway Centre">Yeovil Railway Centre</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Planned_railways" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Planned railways</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sharpness_branch_line#Re-opening_proposal" title="Sharpness branch line">Berkeley Vale Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bideford_Railway_Heritage_Centre" title="Bideford Railway Heritage Centre">Bideford Railway Heritage Centre</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Combe Rail</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Don_Valley_Railway" title="Don Valley Railway">Don Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lea_Bailey_Light_Railway" title="Lea Bailey Light Railway">Lea Bailey Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Norfolk_Orbital_Railway" title="Norfolk Orbital Railway">Norfolk Orbital Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Dorset_Railway" title="North Dorset Railway">North Dorset Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bristol_and_North_Somerset_Railway" title="Bristol and North Somerset Railway">North Somerset Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fleetwood_branch_line" title="Fleetwood branch line">Poulton & Wyre Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Southwold_Railway" title="Southwold Railway">Southwold Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tarka_Valley_Railway" title="Tarka Valley Railway">Tarka Valley Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wisbech_and_March_line" title="Wisbech and March line">Wisbech and March Bramley Line</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><div id="Closed_sites" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Closed sites</div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abbey_Light_Railway" title="Abbey Light Railway">Abbey Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ashford_Steam_Centre" title="Ashford Steam Centre">Ashford Steam Centre</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cadeby_Light_Railway" title="Cadeby Light Railway">Cadeby Light Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dartmoor_line" title="Dartmoor line">Dartmoor line</a> (mainline service restored)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Derbyshire_Dales_Narrow_Gauge_Railway" title="Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway">Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electric_Railway_Museum" title="Electric Railway Museum">Electric Railway Museum, Warwickshire</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Elsecar_Heritage_Railway" title="Elsecar Heritage Railway">Elsecar Heritage Railway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Great_Yorkshire_Railway_Preservation_Society" title="Great Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society">Great Yorkshire Railway Preservation Society</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Woolwich_Old_Station_Museum" title="North Woolwich Old Station Museum">North Woolwich Old Station Museum</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wells_Harbour_Railway" title="Wells Harbour Railway">Wells Harbour Railway</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow hlist" colspan="2"><div> <ul><li><b>Heritage railways:</b> <a href="/wiki/Category:Heritage_railways_in_England" title="Category:Heritage railways in England">England</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Heritage_railways_in_Scotland" title="Category:Heritage railways in Scotland">Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Heritage_railways_in_Wales" title="Category:Heritage railways in Wales">Wales</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Heritage_railways_in_Northern_Ireland" title="Category:Heritage railways in Northern Ireland">Northern Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Heritage_railways_in_the_Isle_of_Man" title="Category:Heritage railways in the Isle of Man">Isle of Man</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Category:Heritage_railways_in_the_Channel_Islands" title="Category:Heritage railways in the Channel Islands">Channel Islands</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&oldid=1250097613">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ilfracombe_branch_line&oldid=1250097613</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div 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