STEAM ‘TRAM’ TO APPLEDORE
The service
Surely one of Britain’s most off-beat railways, the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway ran for seven miles between the towns in its title. As part of its track was on the public highway and along Bideford Quay, its three Hunslet 2-4-2Ts had their cylinders and motion covered by side skirts. A curious compromise with standard gauge track following narrow gauge curves, it was isolated from the rest of the rail system. It was opened in 1901, extended to Appledore in 1908 and closed in 1917 when its equipment and track was requisitioned for the war effort. A service frequency of 30 minutes could be operated at peak times.
The trains
Three Hunslet 2-4-2Ts were painted in dark holly green and lined out, being named Torridge, Kingsley and Grenville and un-numbered. Two types of coach were built by the Bristol Carriage & Wagon Co., third class vehicles being around 40ft long and composites variously quoted as 60ft or even 70ft long. All were North American in styling, with outside verandahs at either end, boarded from ground level by steps and an iron railing.
The models
This is a subject for scratchbuilders as, not surprisingly, nothing this obscure is available - even in kit form. Don Townsley reproduced scale drawings based on the Hunslet originals for the 2-4-2Ts and a proposed steam railbus in Model Railway Constructor during the 1980s. I scratchbuilt a model of Torridge in 4mm:1ft scale at the time.
Best atmosphere
The quay area at Bideford and the curve beside the Kingsley statue retain much of their original character.
Present status
Scarcely any trace remains, other than the carriage shed at Bideford.