Narrow Gauge Skip Wagons

 

These two narrow gauge wagons are displayed on a short length of track on the Tarka Trail just south of Bideford station.

 

They were used for underground mine working at Peters Marland, south of Torrington, which supplied much of the ball clay traffic that passed through Bideford until the branch closed in 1982.  Consequently, along with the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, the narrow gauge is very much part of the history of our area. They were discovered in a derelict state at the clay works in 1999 and were minus their wooden bodies. They were kindly donated to the Group by the Ball Clay Company together with a quantity of narrow gauge track.

 

During 2019 the skips were removed off-site for renovation and restoration work.