But green light for freight

Although there seems no hope of the Bideford to Barnstaple line ever carrying passenger trains regularly, it is possibly unique in the economic role it plays.

Depending on circumstances one train make two trips daily, Monday to Friday, between Barnstaple and Peters Marland and Meeth, with stops at Torrington for the Unigate milk factory, before returning to Barnstaple and ending with a trip to Exeter.

Aptly it has been described as ‘a maid of all work.’

One man who refuses to believe that a regular passenger service is ‘not on’ is Mr Roger Joanes, of Filleigh, who has organised a number of trips from Bideford to London and now plans the most ambitious yet – in a reverse direction.

In May he is organising the first combined rail and sea trip from the Metropolis to Lundy.

The full Gazette article dated 17 February 1978