EPW033219 ENGLAND (1930). The town and Bideford Bridge, East-the-Water, 1930

Well I never knew that! All these years of visiting Bideford and I've learnt something new. Next time I'm on the quay I'll look out for anything at all that relates to it although I suspect all traces will be well and truly paved or concreted over.

Short lived too. Opened in stages 1901-08, requisitioned by military and closed March 1917. Not that it did the army much good, stories vary but it is said that the ship carrying much of the material only got as far as the vicinity of Lundy when it was sunk.

Company incorporated May 1896, in 1900 became a subsidiary of British Electric Traction Company, although it used steam locos. Opened April 1901 to Northam and all the way to Appledore May 1908. Company apparently suffered 'petty injunctions' from the Town Council which drained its finances. Last train ran March 1917. Government only requisitioned the locos. Rolling stock and track was sold off after WW1. (Information from Christopher Awdrey's "Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies") There are no obvious traces left, I understand. A look at maps on the National Library of Scotland website - for example https://maps.nls.uk/view/101442925 from 1905 - indicates that Kingsley Road is built along the line of the railway.

This is the station that holidaymakers would have got off at. My gran owned Avon Road Stores and in the fifties we'd come up on the train from Exeter and as a little kid Clifton Street was a long steep walk up to Avon Road.