Post by Dave on Aug 7, 2020 17:30:40 GMT
Wray Valley Cycle Ride 7th August 2020
When you think about Lustleigh cream teas and thatched cottages comes to mind, but not maybe The Hounds Of The Baskervilles' but the Lustleigh train station now a private residence was used in the 1931 film. Until recently I had been delivering every day to the Cleave Pub, primrose Tea Rooms and the Lustleigh Dairy Shop.
I was aware work was underway to open up the remaining part of the old railway line from Lustleigh to Moretonhampstead and put it on my must do list. Last week I cycled for the second time the Stover Trail which goes from Town Quay( not far from Newton Abbot train station) to the edge of Bovey Tracey. This trail runs along side some of the old track which is still there as far as Heathfield, there was talk awhile ago that this part of the line might be reopened
Last weeks ride on the Stover Trail
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/826/stover-trail-cycle-sunday-august?page=1&scrollTo=1472
In July 2018 I cycled from Bovey Tracey to Lustleigh, most of this route is along the old railway line, so naturally I wanted to complete the reaming part of the line from Lustleigh to Moretonhampstead.
Link To Ride From Bovey Tracey To Lustleigh.
davesworld.proboards.com/thread/702/bovey-tracey-lustleigh-cycle-ride
I have been looking forward to doing this final part of the line since around last Christmas when it was finally completed, but it was not as enjoyable as I had imagined. Unlike other disused railways lines I have cycled on or walked, it just never rally felt like an old railway line. There was one interesting cutting that had been blasted through a rocky section and one or two old road bridges over the old track bed, but that was it.
Some parts of the surface were smooth; other parts shock me half to death, part of the way you are in a wood, but this part just felt like any other path through a wood. I also found at the Moretonhampstead end a great deal of dog mess to try and avoid. As I had started my ride early in the morning, I only saw a few other people either on a bike or walking their dog.
As a walk for a family it is just perfect, it is also a good bike ride as it is nice and easy, but you do have to peddle all the way to Moretonhampstead as it slowly climbs up hill. Not so coming back and it is a much faster ride heading back towards Lustleigh.
t
It is wonderful to see old lines brought back into use for people to enjoy and I have been on a good few now, just the lack of anything along the way from the time it was an active line was the only real thing that let it down for me.
History Of The Line
In 1861 the Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway company was formed at the Globe Hotel in Exeter, and in 1862 the bill for making the railway was given Royal Assent. Work on the line commenced in 1863. the branch line opened to the public on 4 July 1866 although the directors had a ceremonial opening on 26 June. A public holiday was observed, with people turning out to witness the first journey from Newton Abbot to Moretonhampstead.
The railway brought tourists to the area. Other users of the service were local industries: farmers' produce, nursery plants and blacksmiths' products were sent by train. Traffic grew from 1866 to the 1930s and then went into decline. Despite a significant summer tourist trade, featuring in many contemporary guide books, traffic on the branch over the year was not enough to cover rising costs. In 1957, the possibility of closure was reported in the Mid Devon Advertiser and on 28 February 1959 the last passenger service ran down the line, although a freight operation still ran. The line closed on 6 April 1964.
