Chelfham railway station
Encyclopedia
Chelfham was a station on the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
, a narrow gauge line that ran through Exmoor
from Barnstaple
to Lynton
and Lynmouth
in North Devon
. The station stood at the head of the spectacular Chelfham Viaduct
, and served the village of Chelfham
below. It opened with the line on 7 March 1898, and closed with it after service on 29 September 1935. From 1923 until closure, the line was operated by the Southern Railway
.
The L&B Project bought Chelfham station in 1996, and the station site is currently used for storing equipment while the group rebuilds the railway from Woody Bay as a tourist attraction.
The weatherboard extension, originally built by the Southern Railway to house scales for weighing parcels, was demolished in 2006.
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway slightly over long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force,...
, a narrow gauge line that ran through Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
from Barnstaple
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
to Lynton
Lynton
Lynton is a small town in Devon, England. It lies on the northern edge of Exmoor and is located at the top of a gorge above Lynmouth, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway...
and Lynmouth
Lynmouth
Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the north edge of Exmoor.The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn and East Lyn rivers, in a gorge below Lynton, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway....
in North Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. The station stood at the head of the spectacular Chelfham Viaduct
Chelfham Viaduct
Chelfham Viaduct is a railway viaduct built in 1896-7 to carry the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway across the Stoke Rivers valley. Designed by L&B engineer, FW Chanter, and containing over a quarter of a million Marland bricks, its eight arches - each wide and high - meaning that the -long...
, and served the village of Chelfham
Chelfham
Chelfham is a small borough in North Devon, situated between Bratton Fleming and Barnstaple . The village has a special needs school, and also a disused railway viaduct and station....
below. It opened with the line on 7 March 1898, and closed with it after service on 29 September 1935. From 1923 until closure, the line was operated by the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
.
The L&B Project bought Chelfham station in 1996, and the station site is currently used for storing equipment while the group rebuilds the railway from Woody Bay as a tourist attraction.
The weatherboard extension, originally built by the Southern Railway to house scales for weighing parcels, was demolished in 2006.