North Devon railways

[MarkyT]

Isn't there that huge bridge/ embankment almost at the end of the platform, cutting off the Bideford line from Barnstaple, which would need tunnelling or rerouting ( at great expense I guess) before you could start relaying ?

There's a bridge under the A361 just before the roundabout. Its looks like it has been built long enough to accept a track on the old alignment at a narrow angle of intersection. There's a local road, branching from Station Rd to Sticklepath Hill, the truncated road that used to cross the line on a bridge before the new high level road, that would need removing to make way. There's no similar bridge under the A3125. The coast path curves north before reaching the road so that suggests no underbridge of any size. The local road mentioned earlier might be used for diversions while a new bridge was constructed under the A3125.

Here's a view of the bridge from the station car park, with obligatory gull in flight. I think the road link under the high level carriageway will have to remain in some form, perhaps with a level crossing over the reinstated track. The link avoids pedestrian and cycle use of the fast and busy highway and roundabout above.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Isn't there that huge bridge/ embankment almost at the end of the platform, cutting off the Bideford line from Barnstaple, which would need tunnelling or rerouting ( at great expense I guess) before you could start relaying ?

You'd have to get rid of the bus-only road currently occupying the old railway underbridge that Marky T mentions, but that's not a major barrier.
Yes, you'd need a bridge over the A3125, but the bigger obstacles are further down the line (in the Instow area - unless it was built to light rail standards, I strongly suspect the ORR would go bananas with the proximity of the old trackbed and the road along the quay).

 

[MarkyT]

You'd have to get rid of the bus-only road currently occupying the old railway underbridge that Marky T mentions, but that's not a major barrier.
Yes, you'd need a bridge over the A3125, but the bigger obstacles are further down the line (in the Instow area - unless it was built to light rail standards, I strongly suspect the ORR would go bananas with the proximity of the old trackbed and the road along the quay).

There was no google streetview imagery along that road. I didn't know it was bus-only but that explains it. Makes sense to allow buses to serve the station without having to go in and out via Station Road. I stand by my assertion this needs retention in some form, as pushing buses, walkers, cyclists up onto the roundabout to interact with long-distance traffic makes no sense. They'd be safer over a level crossing.

 

[AlastairFraser]

There was no google streetview imagery along that road. I didn't know it was bus-only but that explains it. Makes sense to allow buses to serve the station without having to go in and out via Station Road. I stand by my assertion this needs retention in some form, as pushing buses, walkers, cyclists up onto the roundabout to interact with long-distance traffic makes no sense. They'd be safer over a level crossing.

Perhaps you could build a southbound-only slip road from the A361 south of the A3125 roundabout linking to the remainder of the station car park and Sticklepath Terrace, then loop round northbound. It's not ideal, and possibly you could squeeze a shared cycle/ped path through the underbridge with the railway too, but it would be tight.

I think this is all hypothetical anyway because of the following 2 factors making a reopening unlikely: 1) the popularity of the Tarka trail and 2) the Instow issue, which would need an expensive diversion or perhaps a bit of compulsory purchase.
Ilfracombe is probably a better target for light/heavy rail improvements in North Devon, but probably not as appetising as it would be more expensive and harder than a short heavy rail extension.