Upgrading for the Future

The L&BR is carrying out improvements to its rolling stock fleet with the arrival of two bogie wagons from South Africa. A ballast hopper and a drop-side flat wagon.

The ship carrying our cargo arrived this weekend and after offloading, the container arrives on Thursday 20th August. After some checks, the bogie wagons will be ready for their new life helping to maintain and reconstruct the L&BR.

Our new ballast hopper wagon (pictured in South Africa)

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway carried out a review of its wagons and other rolling stock with a view to our future requirements and more importantly operation on a line with a ruling 1 in 50 gradient. Almost all of the current vehicles lacked continuous brakes, standard wheel profiles, substantial couplings and in some cases robustness. This was clearly not acceptable.

With maintenance and reconstruction of more of the line looming, the opportunity has been taken to obtain these substantial South African wagons. They have cast steel bogies with suitable wheelsets, central chopper style couplings, and - most importantly - vacuum braking.

The source of this equipment is the Sandstone Heritage Trust in Eastern Free State, South Africa and we are most grateful and appreciative of the part they have played in this.

We have been very fortunate to obtain the only ballast hopper available. This self-discharging bogie hopper vehicle has similar capabilities to ballast-laying vehicles used on standard gauge railways. Built by Hudson it can carry up to 17 tonnes of ballast and will be an essential part of the works fleet when laying lengths of track.

Along with this we have a DZ bogie dropside wagon arriving. Suitable for carrying coal - or with the sides removed - other items.

Accompanying the two wagons are four spare bogies and five vacuum chambers, all of which are earmarked for future restoration projects. It is our intention to obtain further suitable vehicles in the near future.

If you would like to join the select list of ‘sponsors’ for this part of the project please email the Chairman, Peter Miles

Our thanks to Wilf Mole, Peter Best, Murray Dods, Mike Myers and all those who are sponsoring this vital upgrade of our equipment for the future.