Trains Gone By

Although the last passenger train of the Barnstaple to Ilfracombe line ran through Braunton on 3rd October 1970, its stories live on through the memories of the residents of our village. It is for the collection of these remarkable and ordinary stories of the railway and its place in the village that we have received Historic England funding and hope to produce a lasting legacy for the village which records and celebrates the people who live here through their reminiscences of the line. This will take the form of a booklet containing transcripts of conversations with residents alongside original photographs of the line and through the posting of railway stories online via the blog within this website.

We are hoping to reach out to those who live in Braunton and its locality and have stories to share about the railway. Our project focuses on the personal anecdotal side of the railway rather than the mechanics of how it ran - please see below for how to share stories that you, your relatives or friends have with us.

Historic England, is the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. They protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. They care passionately about the stories they tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists they share their passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all.

About Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class History

Historic England is funding a wide range of projects around the country through its Everyday Heritage Grants: Celebrating Working Class Histories, following an open call for applications in February 2022. These 57 community-led and people-focused projects aim to further the nation’s collective understanding of the past, with a focus on heritage that links people to overlooked local historic places and celebrating working class histories. 

The grants are part of Historic England’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and are part of the organisation’s commitment to help the heritage sector become more inclusive.