Time Capsules
Barnstaple train station 1950s
Photo of Barnstaple train station, Devon, south west England, looking in the direction of Exeter. Photo was taken in the 1950s.
Barnstaple has had several rail stations, but after the Beeching Axe (The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard Beeching) in the 1960s only one remains. As far as I can find out this is the station that survived.
Photo © The Step Back Through Time Collection
Picture added on 26 October 2008
This picture is in the following groups
Step back through Time, trains and stations
Step back through Time, trains and stations
As Peter Fitzgerald observes, by 2001 Barnstaple Junction had become a single platform operation, though the main station building survived in this view posted on the Geograph site: www.geograph.org.uk/photo/218218
Added by Martin Bodman on 19 December 2009
Barnstaple Junction. Another similar view of the junction of the Ilfracombe and Torrington lines just west of the station, taken by Ben Brooksbank in 1964: www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1972067
The track layout and signalling appear identical to the Time Capsules shot.
In 1964 you could still catch a steam-hauled train to Taunton, or to Exeter. The Taunton trains were hauled by GWR 2-6-0s.
The track layout and signalling appear identical to the Time Capsules shot.
In 1964 you could still catch a steam-hauled train to Taunton, or to Exeter. The Taunton trains were hauled by GWR 2-6-0s.
Added by Martin Bodman on 22 July 2010
Slendid photo. Do more exist of the lines to Ilfracombe and the cross country route to Halwill Junction?
Added by John Wickens on 17 March 2011
What a sight. So much detail for a railway modeller to get into, plus the bonus of being able to run both Southern and Western locos and stock.
Added by Mike Caird on 18 March 2011
England
The tracks curving towards camera went to Ilfracombe, the tracks to the right led to Torrington with branch onwards to Meldon Junction.