Rolling stock of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

The Rolling stock of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway was one of the most distinctive aspects of the narrow gauge line which ran for almost twenty miles across Exmoor in North Devon, England, from 1898 to 1935.

The locomotives appeared originally in a livery of plain lined green, and later on a black base, with chestnut under-frames, hauling passenger carriages coloured terracotta with off-white upper panels, and light grey goods wagons. The schemes were simplified as individual vehicles were repainted. With the take-over of the line by the Southern Railway in 1923, and the consequent arrival of a new locomotive - Lew - in 1925, the livery was slowly changed to the Southern Maunsell version for locos and passenger stock, and umber for the goods wagons. The loco headlamps which had been black under the L&B were re-painted red.

All of the original stock - sixteen passenger coaches and eighteen goods vehicles - were built to very high standards and supplied by the Bristol Wagon & Carriage Works. Norwegian-type couplings were used.

Replicas of locomotives Lew (Lyd) and Lyn were built in 2010 and 2017, respectively.

Contractor's locomotives

Locomotives used during the construction of the railway

NameWorks No.TypeBuilderNotesExcelsior970BagnallOriginally supplied to the Kerry TramwaySlave1430BagnallKilmarnock703Andrew Barclay

Original rolling stock (1898-1935)

Rolling stock of the original railway.

Locomotives

NameWorks No.TypeBuilderYeo1361Manning WardleExe1362Manning WardleTaw1363Manning WardleLyn15965 Baldwin Locomotive WorksLew2042Manning Wardle Improved

Passenger stock

L&B No.SR numberCoach typeBuilderBuild dateNotes16991Saloon brake end observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Some parts survive. Reconstruction by L&BR Essex group to commence in 2020 when van 23 is completed.26992Saloon brake end observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Preserved at National Railway Museum.32473Saloon end observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Some parts survive, awaiting reconstruction.42474Saloon end observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Some parts survive, awaiting reconstruction.56364CompositeBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897In service. Reconstructed 2016-2019, returned to Woody Bay 13 August 2019 as L&BR 5. Recommissioned September 2019.66365CompositeBristol Wagon & Carriage Works189772465Third centre observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897In service. Reconstructed 2004, refurbished 2010-2013, returned to Woody Bay 16 April 2013 as L&BR 7. 82466Third centre observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works189792467Third centre observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Some parts survive, awaiting reconstruction.102468Third centre observationBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Some parts survive, awaiting reconstruction.112469ThirdBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897In service. Reconstructed 2013-2015, returned to Woody Bay 22 April 2015 as L&BR 11. 122470ThirdBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897132471ThirdBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897142472ThirdBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897156993Third BrakeBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Now in regular service on the Ffestiniog Railway as their FR 14. After closure of the L&B, was left on the trackbed north of Snapper Halt. Removed by the FR in 1959 and rebuilt into a buffet car and named the Snapper Bar returning to operation in 1963.164108Third BrakeBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897In service. Reconstructed 2010-2013, returned to Woody Bay 18 September 2013 as L&BR 16. 176994Composite BrakeShapland & Petter1911The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Measured and Drawn, By S.D. Phillips in conjunction with M.J.Bishop, SD Publications, 2012, In service. Reconstructed 2010-2013, returned to Woody Bay 16 April 2013 as L&BR 17.

Goods stock

L&B No.Southern NumberWagon typeBuilderBuild dateNotes128304Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897228305Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897347036Goods vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897447037Goods vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897Preserved: awaiting restoration by L&BRT (Original number unknown but believed to be No4)556039Bogie brake vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897647038Goods vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897747039Goods vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897828306Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works1897928307Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971028308Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971128309Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971228301Bogie open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971328302Bogie open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971456040Bogie brake vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971547040Goods vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971647041Goods vanBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971728310Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971828311Open goodsBristol Wagon & Carriage Works18971928312Bogie open goods??Used in constructing the line2028314Bogie platform wagonBristol Wagon & Carriage Works19022128315Bogie platform wagonBristol Wagon & Carriage Works19022228313Bogie open goods wagonBristol Wagon & Carriage Works19032356041Bogie brake vanL&BR1909Restored 2006. Undergoing renovation to include new steel underframe as of 2019.2428303Bogie open goods wagonL&BR1913 -28316Bogie open wagonJames & Frederick Howard1927 -28317Bogie open wagonJames & Frederick Howard1927 -28318Bogie open wagonJames & Frederick Howard1927 -28319Bogie open wagonJames & Frederick Howard1927 -441STravelling craneChambers, Scott & Co.1927 -442STravelling craneChambers, Scott & Co.1927 -441SCrane match truckSouthern Railway1927 -47042Bogie goods vanJames & Frederick Howard1927Preserved: awaiting restoration by L&BRT (Original number unknown) -47043Bogie goods vanJames & Frederick Howard1927 -47044Bogie goods vanJames & Frederick Howard1927 -47045Bogie goods vanJames & Frederick Howard1927

Modern stock (1995 – present)

Non-original rolling stock of the restored railway.

Locomotives NameWorks No.TypeBuilderBuilddateNotesAxe2451Kerr Stuart1915Owned by the L&BR. Restored to steam 2008. Dedicated by the Bishop of Exeter 5 November 2008. Currently in ticket. Sir George NewnesEx-Charles Wytock2819Bagnall1945Privately owned. Delivered to Woody Bay April 2014. Entered service May 2015. In 2019 the loco was bought by a consortium of L&B members and after overhaul, including fitting new boiler re-entered service in August 2024.Bagnall No. 2819 'Sir George Newnes'. (lynton-rail.co.uk)Isaac3023Bagnall1953Privately owned. Restored at Ffestiniog Railway, delivered to Woody Bay November 2013. Left for Statfold Barn 2021.Lyn92Alan Keef2017An improved new-build of the original Lyn. Delivered to Woody Bay in September 2017.Pilton2393Baguley1952Restored at Statfold Barn Railway, delivered to Woody Bay April 201 when it ran trial trains. Cummins engine fitted by Statfold Barn was found to be putting too much torque into the gearbox, especially when working on the continuous 1 in 50 gradient. Gardner 6LXB 180HP engine installed and cab modified to fit the L&BR. All-over black livery and numbered "D2393" Entered service in 2017.Heddon Hall6660Hunslet1965Entered service, at the end of 2005 in all-over black livery. During the Autumn of 2007 the loco was given a full engine overhaul and the exhaust was modified to vent through a bonnet-mounted pipe. D66526652Hunslet1965Entered service, 2012 in all-over green livery as "D6652" Not in service - awaiting attention to gearbox.Yeo II2048Workshop X Killamarsh2026A copy of the Manning Wardle Lyd at the Ffestiniog Railway which is a copy of the original Lew.Exe II2049Boston Lodge2027A copy of the Manning Wardle Lyd at the Ffestiniog Railway which is a copy of the original Lew.Taw II??2029+A copy of the Manning Wardle Lyd at the Ffestiniog Railway which is a copy of the original Lew.Lew II??2029+A copy of the Manning Wardle Lyd at the Ffestiniog Railway which is a copy of the original Lew.

Coaching stock

As of May 2014, all passengers travel in restored original L&B Heritage Coaches, see table above.

Goods stock

No.TypeBuilderBuildDateSourceLiveryNotes12Bogie goods wagon - -ex-MoD bogie flat wagonIn service at Woody Bay50Flat wagon - -ex-MoD WagonIn service at Woody Bay51Ballast Hopper - -ex-MoD bogie flat wagonIn service at Woody Bay51Flat wagon - -ex-MoD wagonIn service at Woody Bay52Flat wagon - -ex-MoD wagonIn service at Woody Bay53Bogie open wagon - - -In service at Woody Bay54Bogie open wagon - - -In service at Woody Bay54Goods van - -ex-RAF Chilmark munitions vanSouthern GoodsIn service at Woody Bay60Brake van - -ex-MoD Bogie brakevanSOLD61Goods van - -ex-RAF Chilmark munitions vanL&B Grey In service at Woody Bay62Goods van - -ex-RAF Chilmark munitions vanL&B Grey In service at Woody Bay63Goods van - -ex-RAF Chilmark munitions vanSouthern Goods In service at Woody Bay64Goods van - -ex-RAF Chilmark munitions vanSouthern Goods In service at Woody Bay65Goods van - -ex-RAF Chilmark munitions vanL&B Grey In service at Woody Bay28320Bogie goods wagon - -ex-MoD bogie flat wagonSouthern Goods In service at Woody Bay28322Bogie goods wagon - -ex-MoD bogie flat wagonSouthern Goods In service at Woody Bay56042Brake van - -ex-MoD brake vanSouthern Goods In service at Woody Bay

Notes