Over the weekend we will be selling tickets for Gertrude’s Grand Draw, which will be raising money for The Railway Children charity. If you are visiting the show, please come along and buy ticket to support this great charity.

You can also see photos on Gertrude’s website from her move over the Ffestiniog as part of her journey to the show where she will be joining us on the weekend.

Our thanks to the couple of supporters who have assisted in talking with visitors and explaining what we’ve been doing. EA’s directors were also represented and as well as taking much time to talk with various visitors, the opportunity has been taken to arrange some further meetings with the L&B over the coming weeks to discuss future integrated working.

The gala itself appears to have gone well, with this autumn’s event proving to be pleasingly profitable. The presence of Lilla at the railway undoubtedly made the event and was a great centre attraction for visitors.

We are sure there will be further reports, photos and videos from the weekend elsewhere, especially on the railway’s own site. Again we would like to take the opportunity to thank those that have supported us in the marquee this weekend. If you are one of the many who picked up our leaflets, please do feel free to get in touch and ask us any questions you may have.

These weren’t the only bridges destroyed in the war – bridges were destroyed in the Yeo Valley on the outskirts of Barnstaple, and also around Bratton Fleming. The most well known such example was the five span Lancey Brook Viaduct. The small bridge destroyed above Bratton at Knightacott threw the cast concrete bridge a substantial distance away, to be found many years later.

So was it an exercise or part of something bigger? There were certainly quite a few bridges destroyed and a substantial amount of explosives used – some may argue far more explosives than were probably necessary.

One theory put forward has been that it was part of an operation to cut off potential unprotected easy routes of invasion to the country – although admittedly that was a pretty obscure route that doesn’t really lead anywhere. Perhaps it was an exercise or practice, but if so what exactly for? – in the event of an invasion they would be well practiced in blowing up abandoned narrow gauge railway bridges, but would that have actually been any use in engaging with the invading forces?

Some have suggested the local home guard may have got hold of some ammunition and got a bit carried away with blowing bridges up, after all we would be had to believe that all boys like playing with guns and fire etc. Certainly from the destruction caused in these remote forgotten spots someone had some real fun doing it.

Nobody has provided any solid evidence as to exactly who did it or why. It would certainly be interesting to know if there exists any more solid evidence so the decades of local rumor may one day get laid to rest. If you have any ideas or evidence on the subject, why not leave a comment…