Last steam loco on Barnstable - Ilfracombe route

[sn]

I was wondering what the last ever steam loco to work over this line might have been. If it was a special, then what perhaps was the last ordinary service train worked by a steam loco over the line?

 

Can anyone help?

['CHARD]

From: https://sites.google.com/site/mortehoedevon/history/railways---the-ilfracombe-branch-line

 

"The final era arrived following the transfer of all SR lines west of Wilton to the Western Region from January 1963. At first there was no change, and for all practical purposes the Ilfracombe line still resembled part of the SR until the fateful day of 7th September 1964, when the new Waterloo-Exeter St. Davids Warship-hauled service commenced and everything west of Exeter became a WR dmu operation. Ilfracombe shed closed from this date, with the turntable being removed in October 1964." 

 

"The branch seemed to miss out on the large number of SR steam specials, and only a handful of late-steam-era enthusiast specials were run. The visit of 7317 and 7332 have already been noted. On March 27th 1965, 41206 and 41291 visited Ilfracombe with the five-coach “Exmoor Ranger” tour, with the return working headed by now-preserved GW 0-6-0 3205 and banked to Mortehoe by the two Ivatt tanks.

 

Probably the very last steam ever to operate over the branch were the double workings of the Exeter Flyer, with a four-coach set being worked to Ilfracombe on 12th September 1965 by Standard 4MT tank 80043. The tour, which also used 80039 on a Torrington return working, was then repeated with the same two locomotives on October 3rd. This marked the complete end of steam anywhere in North Devon..."

[Captain Kernow]

There was a steam charter in 1994 with two Standard 4 tanks, of course, but presumably this is about last BR steam...

 

[pedantic mode]

Please also note Barnstaple is spelt with a 'P' 

[/pedantic mode]

[KeithMacdonald]

On 26/01/2014 at 12:46, Captain Kernow said:

There was a steam charter in 1994 with two Standard 4 tanks

 

Must have been a very special charter?

 

Quote

track lifting commenced in June 1975. The distinctive curved steel girder bridge over the River Taw in Barnstaple was demolished in 1977

 

[Captain Kernow]

4 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

Must have been a very special charter?

The two locos were required to top and tail the train, due to there being inadequate run round facilities at Barnstaple.