Railfest celebrates the 170th birthday of Barnstaple railway line

The railway heritage of Barnstaple and the 170th anniversary of the line to Exeter will be celebrated with at the five day Railfest in the town next week.

The festival begins on Thursday, August 1 and is hosted by Barnstaple Town Council, with lots of things going on at town centre locations including mode; railway exhibitions, a Rail Trail, children’s arts and crafts, films, stalls and much more. It runs until Monday, August 5.

On opening day, August 1, there will be a special re-enactment of the 1854 opening of the Barnstaple to Exeter line and what is now known as the Tarka Line, based on records kept from the day, including speeches by local dignitaries, to showcase what was a momentous milestone in the town’s history.

The event is likely to be at Barnstaple Town Station, but you can check for updates on the council’s Facebook page.

Although the festival is based around what is now the town’s only rail link, there will also be exhibitions and archive displays looking at the history of several North Devon branch lines.

Above: Barnstaple Guildhall will be one of the main locations for the five day Railfest to mark the 170th anniversary of the Barnstaple to Exeter line. Credit: BTC

The Rail Trail has ‘stops’ at Barnstaple Station Cafe, The Quay, the Library, Guildhall and the Pannier Market. Trail walkers can collect stamps at all the locations.

At the Quay there will be opportunities to take photos at the recently erected ‘Barnstaple Town’ station sign. At the Library there will be screenings of railway-inspired films, as well as children’s arts and crafts activities.

At the Mayor’s Parlour in the Guildhall there will be an exhibition delving into the history of local railways in a little more depth.

The main exhibition upstairs in the Guildhall will feature the Dartmoor oo9 group’s active model railway display of Barnstaple Town Station, plus models of Pilton Yard, Parracombe Halt and Lynton Station. There will also be more display boards outlining the histories of various local lines.

Further model railways and stalls can be found in the Pannier Market next door, which will also act as the last stamp on the trail.

Alongside Railfest the Pannier Market is hosting a Victorian Fair on Sunday, August 4 and Monday 5. This will feature various Victorian-themed events including stalls, crafts, games, music and poetry.

North Devon was once home to a host of railway lines, with routes to Bideford, Torrington, Ilfracombe and the historic narrow gauge Lynton to Barnstaple line.

Most were closed during the ‘Beeching axe’ period in the 1960s and the Barnstaple to Exeter line itself has seen a number of changes, with concerns at one stage whether it would survive, with passenger numbers dwindling.

In more recent times, the pendulum has swung back, with the service now seeing an unprecedented numbers of passengers.

Back in the 1980s the opening of Tiverton Parkway station, coupled with the new North Devon Link Road led to concerns over the line’s future.

In response, a working party was formed and the line given a new lease of life by marketing it as the Tarka Line, named after the otter in Henry Williamson’s book.

For more details on the Railfest opening day re-enactment on Thursday, August 1 and other events during the festival, visit the Barnstaple Town Council Facebook page.