in 1896, was opened only as far as Northam by 1901, and finally reached Appledore in 1908. The railway fell into financial difficulties and in the First World War, the War Department requisitioned all of its equipment for use in France. Bideford's 13th-century Long Bridge was temporarily converted into a railway bridge to carry the locomotives and rolling stock onto the main line railway near Bideford Station. Climate Bideford has a wet but mild climate; during the winter Bideford experiences a lot of frosty nights and mornings and also gets some snow. During the summer Bideford can be wet, but also mild. East-the-Water The town of Bideford has grown to cover land on both sides of the River Torridge; the area located east of the river is known as East-the-Water and also spelled East the Water without hyphens. Much of the land that has been built on in recent years is drained marshland. East-the-Water has its own primary school, local shops, a few factories, approximately 3 bars and pubs, a small health centre and a small industrial area consisting largely of locally owned businesses. It is mainly public housing, especially on the Pollyfield estate. The community also has its own community centre and association, both of which are self-funding and run by a committee of local residents. A key historical feature is Chudleigh Fort, built by the Parliamentarian Major-General James Chudleigh during the English Civil War. The area is surrounded by agricultural land. Buried in the now abandoned and neglected East-the-Water Cemetery in adjacent plots are Gerald Graham VC and George Channer VC. Governance Bideford Town Council, which is based at Bideford Town Hall, has 16 seats representing four unequal wards, North, South, East and South Outer. At the May 2011 local elections, seven Conservatives, three independents, two Liberal Democrats, two Labour and one Green were elected (there was one vacant seat). There is a mayor and Town Clerk. The town council received widespread attention in February 2012 when the High Court ruled that prayers as part of meetings were not lawful by the Local Government Act 1972. Torridge District Council is the next level of local government and most decisions are made by Devon County Council. Torridge District Council is responsible for maintaining Bideford Higher Cemetery. The local MP is the Conservative Geoffrey Cox. The two Devon County Council councillors who represent the town are Anthony Inch and Linda