The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway...home of the Woody Bay Garden Railway, North Devon
Our August combined Group steam-up
We run the layout on selected days only between our two local 16mm Groups. The next official combined steamup will be at L&BR's Autumn Gala on 23/24 September.
Photos:Terry Bowden
Photo: Timothy Vine
Photo: Chris Tilley
Below: Photos by Terry Bowden...
Two Moors 16mm Group
at Woody Bay
Steam powered family entertainment at 1/19th scale
Operation of the 'Woody Bay Garden Railway' is determined by weather conditions and staffing availability.
'May' in May, as she hauls the last train of the month on a blustery day.
Weather permitting, the layout is operated by L&B Volunteers or authorised members of the 'Two Moors' and 'Central Somerset' 16mm Groups on selected days, mostly on a Saturday or Sunday, until the end of September depending upon our members' availability (and the weather!). Live steam and battery powered trains are run within a scenic setting suggesting a fictitious section of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway - welcoming you to 'Woody Gate' station and its local community.
Popularly known as 'SM32', the track gauge is 32mm and the scale is 16mm to 1 foot (1:19). Apart from regularly run L&BR-based locos and stock you'll also see a wider range of narrow gauge transport. Even a small working funfair will be present from time to time during the coming summer months.
A mix of both high quality and some lower budgeted entry level equipment is generally in use - in fact something anyone with moderate skills and a tailored budget might be able to achieve in their own back garden.
The essence of the project is that of providing light-hearted amusement for both us and you...but no 'rivet counters' please...and all at almost 1000 feet above sea level!
Always happy to offer advice, if required, to would-be enthusiasts, our runners look forward to sharing the fascination of their hobby with you.
.png)
Remembrance Day 2022
Roll up! Roll up! Wotlark's Travelling Funfair occasionally in full swing during the summer months. This is not a permanent feature.
.png)
Family entertainment that costs nothing. Enjoy!
Gateway for maintenance only. A proper level crossing now enables access to the layout. Excellent eye level viewing at this end though.
.png)
A train about to depart from 'Woody Gate' station on the WBGR. "All aboard!"
Photos by Ken Povey 25/5/23...
Photos by Chris Tilley 25/5/23...
Key Operators...
Use of the layout is restricted to 16mm Association members by special arrangement, and L&BR volunteers.
The layout, featuring 'Woody Gate' station, has now reached completion apart from minor details.
A new 'level crossing' for 1:1 scale staff has been installed with access to the working area from the 'rest area'. It includes substantial steps at each side of the track. The rest area is now fenced off, acting as a parking space for runners' trollies and a place for staff to sit and watch trains go by during breaks.
.png)
The lie of the land - a gentle slope - means that several views are offered from virtually eye level to knee level! So plenty of easy spectating for all ages!
Enjoying a distant vista of North
Devon's 'Holdstone Down' and the
rolling hills of Exmoor National Park, our 16mm:1ft scale garden railway within the grounds of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway's station at Woody Bay was completed last year.
Whilst our loco drivers finance the scenic content and their own fuel consumption in raising steam, the layout's upkeep is supported, as our slogan says, through kind pocket money donations, however small, from our happy visitors. There is no charge to view. Any optional support is gratefully received and enables the
layout to remain in good working order.
.png)
Above, 'Lew' hauls a passenger train past a collection of 1:19 scale model buildings constructed by member Pete Chandler using his 'JigStones'* self cast system which has been available to the hobby since 1992. 'JigStones' enables thousands of varied designs to be built using rubber moulds to produce as many stone effect components as one wishes, with wall blocks cast in rapid set cement (Wickes product is recommended).
JigStones is now produced and supplied by Bertram Heyn at modell-werkstatt.de, and is also available for 'G' scale.
*Pete is now retired and no longer has business connections with the JigStones product, but pleased to continue demonstrating what can be achieved, and offer guidance.
.png)
Last summer a working village funfair (shown above) added colour to the scene on steamup days, weather permitting. We hope to include some of these working models again in 2023.
Not far away is a sheltered rocky bay of pure Devonshire charm. But we do ask visitors to please NOT touch our handiwork.
We usually have a selection of models running in turn during the day. When you return on your L&B journey from Killington Lane Halt, don't miss us! Just head for the loco yard viewpoint...and there we are on the grassy bank.
.png)
The slightly larger scale of 7/8":1ft will also sometimes be running (left).
The next time you visit Woody Bay station on a steamup day*, weather permitting, we'll be there sharing our much loved hobby, and taking along a varied collection of our favourite locos and trains. Happy to answer any questions about joining this great outdoor pastime, the hobby can be expensive, but there are cash saving options which enable fun even if budget restricted.
The whys and wherefores...
Like most of us, many garden railway fans are now in their later years. This means that crawling around a true, down to earth, garden railway is not as easy to do.
The raised layout therefore fits the bill where our Groups' older fraternity are concerned. Kneeling on a sharp speck of gravel to couple up a carriage will not be an option!
Catering is close at hand at a brand new tea room. But hold fire on a cuppa when you alight from the train, turn left after crossing the track and you'll find the Garden Railway on the grassy slope. A picnic area is situated facing the layout...so whether bringing a packed lunch or enjoying refreshment from the tea room, you'll not go hungry!
A recently enlarged gift shop is housed in the main building, stocked with a host of souvenirs,
books, videos, L&B attire, mementos and ices.
Disabled visitors are well catered for with a dedicated parking area close to the
platform area and train departures.
The build from scratch...
The Two Moors Group and Central Somerset Group thank the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway and L&BR Trust Fund for their much appreciated support and co-operation in this project.
CENTRAL
SOMERSET
16mm GROUP
DONATED MATERIALS
We thank the following individuals and companies for donated or promised materials or equipment to assist the project.
Pat Brewer, Roger Gardner, Paul Fennon, Ken Povey, David Chandler, David Parmar-Phillips, Nigel Gettings, Chris Tilley, Laurence Poole, Jonathan Curtis, Dave Pinniger, Dave Barnett, Terry Bowden, Malcom Clarke, Richard Lingard, Accucraft UK, Annelise Harris, Pete Chandler
SM32 track has been kindly provided by the L&BR as a result of a previously planned project
that requested donated items from the public. To those donators we present our thanks and hope that our use of them now completes the original goal in mind. Unfortunately it has not been possible to include 45mm gauge circuitry due to limited space.
Many thanks to all the above for their kind generosity.
