The wild country of North Devon, across Exmoor and farm lands, provide a fascinating backdrop and history to a much loved narrow gauge railway. It existed for only thirty-seven years, and was closed by the Southern Railway long before the axemanship of Dr. Beeching. Today, a dedicated group of enthusiasts across the country are in the process of recreating the line in as near as possible to the original nineteen mile plus route, and at the same twenty-three and a half inch gauge.

Members of the Witley Model Railway Club have been building an '0' gauge model of Mallaig, a fishing village port in the west of Scotland. Most work has to be carried out in the restricted confines of the clubhouse. An alternative layout, which can be largely constructed at home has been embarked upon at the same time, by the same people. The club has another very successful exhibition layout, of a fictitious mining and quarry line in Derbyshire. This '009' diorama is called "Dudleigh Moor".

We came to the conclusion that another '009' would present least problems, and we were aware that several individual models in different scales had been made of various station sites, of the Lynton and Barnstaple line. 0ur ambition was and is to construct the whole railway on twenty five baseboards.

In scale terms the length equates to between one and a quarter and one and a half miles, so our plan is to confine ourselves to the two termini, four intermediate stations, three halts, two viaducts and the depot. All the baseboard frames are complete; Pilton Yard is well advanced; Bratton Fleming and Barnstaple Town have the track down and buildings are nearing completion. Blackmore Gate, Woody Bay and Lancey Brook Viaduct are about to begin construction. Lynton and Chelfham are scheduled for this summer.

The four 2-6-2 tank locomotives are at varying stages of construction. Four coaches have been finished in L and B colours. Several wagons have also been made. We expect to have all five engines, the seventeen coaches and thirty-two wagons in operation on the line, as well as the three service vehicles.

The space occupied by the layout has been designed to fit a twenty-eight feet by eighteen feet area. 0ur aim is to try to simulate the incline from the outskirts of Barnstaple up to Woody Bay and the decline to Lynton. In reality this was largely one in fifty.

This is the situation during the early months of 1999. The dual projects will progress together for the foreseeable future. I have joined the lively Surrey Group of the Lynton and Barnstaple Association, and am trying to persuade my modeling colleagues to join as well. We hope our work on the model will compliment the future publicity of the Association, as well as our own club.

The main members Lynton & Barnstable Team are Eve Everitt, Daniel Gray, Keith 0bee, Terry Potter and Peter Cook.