30/12/16
After a full day's work I head to bishops lydeard station on the West Somerset railway and manage to get there in time to meet railway author Freddie Huxtable who was signing copies of his new book on the history of the long closed Barnstaple to Taunton line. I purchase my copy and head home to read it. Interesting book which brings back memories of my late grandfather who was a signalman on the line and later on the GWML.
31/12/16
I wake up rather later than normal being it's a rest day and slowly make my way to Tiverton Parkway and after parking, head to the ticket office. Before I could speak and ask for a Devon day rover ticket, the man behind the desk says £10. I confirm if this was for day rover ticket and paid my £10. In a rush to get the next train I Head to platform 2, for the next service to Plymouth I start thinking how on earth he knew I wanted a Devon day rover ticket in the first place, I hardly look like a trainspotter. A GWR HST pulls in and I get on and find a seat for the trip to Plymouth as I want to pass Laira and try to photo any other class 43s in the depot.
The train approachs Totnes and I wonder about getting off for a visit to the south Devon railway in the hope of seeing a steam train but with it being a quiet time of the season and winter timetable I decide against it. We head towards Plymouth and I jump out seat and head to a window ready to photo as we pass. I get some good shots of a few HSTs and the resident class 08 on shunting duties.
After a short stay at Plymouth I board another HST intending to head back to Exeter st davids, arriving at Newton abbot I decide to get off and change for the Torbay line, a pacer soon comes in and it's off to Paignton. On arrival to Paignton I head to the Dartmouth steam railway as I wanted to see the standard 4 that had just returned to steam after over haul.
(No idea how to insert pictures??)
After a ice cream and chips, it's back on another pacer this time getting off at dawlish for another Ice cream (well the new year diet starts 2moro). I purchase a take away cream tea for mother and get back on the train back to Exeter, after a short stay on the platforms I head home as it was wanting to get back to see in the new year.