Barnstaple Branch
This is the station at Newton St Cyres, which is the first station on the Barnstaple branch after leaving Exeter. This section between
Exeter and Crediton remained double track until 1984. In September 1991, a class 108 unit is seen passing with a Barnstaple train.
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On 1st August 1987, a northbound train from Exeter to Barnstaple, hauled by 33 108 is seen arriving at Credition.
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On the same day, A DMU from Barnstaple is seen passing the signal box at Crediton. Looking into the distance, the track on the left is the branch to
Meldon Quarry, whilst the track on the right forms the single line to Barnstaple. The two routes actually diverge at Coleford Junction, about four
miles north of Crediton, but there is no pointwork there.
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This is Lapford station, pictured on 1st August 1987.
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This southbound class 101 unit was photographed about midway between Eggesford and Lapford on 6 September 1991.
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On 1st August 1987, a Barnstaple bound DMU is seen approaching Eggesford, where there is a passing loop. The picture is taken from the level crossing.
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This picture was taken just a few seconds later from the same vantage point, but facing the other direction. The DMU has now stopped in the
station and so has a southbound train hauled by 33 108. Eggesford is situated roughly halfway on the thirty-eight mile single track branch.
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This is the small station at Kings Nympton. On the evening of 5 May 1990, a class 108 is seen
heading northbound up the branch towards Barnstaple.
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A class 108 DMU seen running along beside the river near Kings Nympton on 6 September 1991.
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On 5 may 1990, I drove down to photograph a class 50 hauled railtour which was due to visit the Barnstaple branch. Because
of problems that day, the railtour only visited the nearby Meldon branch. At the time, I remember being a little disappointed.
However I was more than pleased with the pictures of the DMU service that I mangaged to photograph that day, such as this picture
of a class 108 unit crossing the River Taw, just north of Kings Nympton.
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This is another picture taken on 6 September 1991. A class 108 unit is seen just north of Kings Nympton.
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A class 101 unit is seen crossing the River Taw at Portsmouth Arms bridge on 5 May 1990.
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A southbound class 108 DMU seen arriving at Umberleigh station on 6 September 1991.
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Trains on the Exeter to Barnstaple branch were regularly diagrammed to be locomotive-hauled until 1987. The signal box at
Barnstaple closed in November of that year.
This picture, taken on 1st August
1987, shows 33 108 about to depart from Barnstaple station with a mid-afternoon train for Exeter.
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Click here for a short cine film clip featuring Barnstaple and Eggesford in 1984