Sunday 17 April 2011

Seaton Trams.

This morning another motorhome pulled out early so we grabbed the opportunity to secure a more level site for tonight and shifted there before we made any firm plans for today.

IMG_0934Seaton foreshore part of the Jurassic Coast

Some fellow campers had provided us with a bus timetable and told us where to catch the bus so we just had to decide where we would like to go for the day. Exeter was the closest but when you have seen one big city you’ve seen them all. In the end Seaton, with it’s miniature trams got the nod. Forty minutes by bus and we were standing on the sea front at Seaton.

IMG_0937Tram No 10 waiting at the terminus before its next trip to Colyton

There is a massive development going on there where gravel is being extracted from the sea bed to form a base that will be high enough to protect the whole complex of a Tesco store, plus other retail outlets and housing from rising sea levels predicted with global warming. This redevelopment is also going to affect the Seaton Trams but they are unsure as to how at present but do know that some track re-alignment will be required.

IMG_1558Car No 8 built in Eastbourne in 1968, was the first tram to go pink in support of Breast Cancer Care.

The tramway runs on the track bed of the old LSWR line from Seaton Junction on the West of England mainline to Exeter. Unfortunately the section from Seaton Junction to Colyton was ripped up restricting the tramway to the Seaton to Colyton.

IMG_0947Colyton Railway station is still the original LSWR Colyton Station

Naturally we took a ride on the tram out to the rebel town of Colyton. It earned this title from the days of King James II and the Monmouth rebellion among other battles. St Andrew’s church is one of note with it’s six sided lantern bell tower reputed to be one of only three in the country.

St Andrew's, Colyton.St Andrew's, Colyton. The lantern six sided tower. One of only 3 in the UK.

Along with it’s narrow streets and old architecture it is a quaint town. Returning to Seaton after lunch we had enough time to visit the local Cooperative store before catching the bus back to Newton Poppleford and the campsite.

Feoffees Town hall in Colyton. Feoffees dates back to the 1500's basicly meaning Trustee.Feoffees Town hall in Colyton. Feoffees dates back to the 1500's basically meaning Trustee.

Narrow streets of ColytonNarrow streets of ColytonStrange street light in Colyton.Strange street light in ColytonCelebrating the trades and dates of historic events of the town from 86AD.Celebrating the trades and dates of historic events of the town from 86AD.Gone fishing.Gone fishing.

2 comments:

nb Chance said...

Hi Dot and Derek Thoroughly enjoying your blog of your travels in your motorhome, do visit Budleigh Salterton whilst you are there its a lovely seaside town not ruined by commercialism yet! bit biased as we used to live there until 2007, but worth a visit and also has a little thatched museum along from the sea front. Keep up the great blog.

Doug

Derek and Dot said...

Hi Doug
Thanks for the kind words, we received your comment too late to visit Budleigh Salterton and we were so close. A shame as it sounds like we missed something.