Seaton Tramway Devon

Seaton Tramway, Devon

Ride the Seaton Tramway between Seaton and Colyton

The Seaton Tramway connects Seaton, Colyford and Colyton. Open-top Seaton Trams run 4.8 km past the Axe Estuary and Seaton Marshes to Colyton on a line that was purchased from British Rail after Seaton's rail link was cut in the 1960s.

The line has stations at Seaton tram station, Riverside Depot and Halt, Seaton Wetlands Halt, Colyford tram station and Colyton tram station.

The line came about thanks to the efforts of founder Claude Lane and hundreds of passionate volunteers. — The line came about thanks to the efforts of founder Claude Lane and hundreds of passionate volunteers

History

The tramway is the culmination of the life's work of Claude Lane and the help of hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers.

Lane was the owner of the Lancaster Electrical Company in Barnet, London, a manufacturer of electric vehicles such as milk floats. With a passion for trams, Lane built a copy of a 15-inch gauge tram running in Llandudno and Colwyn Bay.

During the 1950s he ran the tram in the summer tourist season in St. Leonards, Sussex, Rhyl in Wales before settling in Eastbourne on a more permanent basis.

The tram is particular popular in the summer. — The tram is particular popular in the summer

Following the Beeching cuts of the mid-1960s, Lane made a bid to reopen the Seaton to Colyton branch line as a tramway. Permission was granted in 1969.

Lane passed away in 1971 but his dream lived on. The route was expanded and now the tramway carries over 100,000 visitors a year.

Events

The tramway stages special events at Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Halloween etc and at regular times throughout the year. These can include meals at the 80-seater restaurant adjacent to Colyton Station, the Tramstop Café.

See the website below for further details.

Adjacent to Colyton Sation is a restaurant. — Adjacent to Colyton Sation is an 80-seat restaurant

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Access & Contact Information

Harbour Road, Seaton
Devon EX12 2NQ
Tel: (01297) 20375
www: tram.co.uk

Seaton is 25 miles west of Exeter on the A30. Beer, Honiton, and Lyme Regis are all within easy reach.

The nearest mainline railway stations to Seaton are Honiton (11 miles away) and Axminster (7 miles) which both have trains from Exeter St David's Station and Waterloo Station in London.

The 885 bus runs between Beer and Axminster via Seaton and Colyton.

The X51 bus service connects Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster.

The X52 bus service connects Weymouth, Abbotsbury, Swyre, and Bridport.

The X53 bus service connects Weymouth, Abbotsbury, Swyre, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster.

The nearest airport is Exeter International Airport, just 5 miles to the east of Exeter city near Clyst Honiton off the A30.

The airport has regular domestic flights to Aberdeen, Alicante, Belfast, Edinburgh, Guernsey/Jersey, the Isles of Scilly, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.

International destinations include Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Dublin, Faro, Funchal, Geneva, Hannover, Larnaca, Nice, Palma, Paris, Malaga and Salzburg.

The platform of Colyton Station in August. — The platform and gift shop at Colyton Station in August

Accommodation

Exeter, the nearest large city, offers a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes. Choose from a range of hotels and guest houses in Exeter including the four-star Mercure Exeter Southgate Hotel, the four-star Southernhay House Hotel, and Jurys Inn Exeter, also a four-star hotel.

See here for a complete list of accommodation in Exeter.

Lyme Regis also has numerous hotels, B&B's and guest houses available for the tens of thousands who arrive each year. Noted places to stay include the boutique Hotel 1 Lyme, Dorset House on Pound Road, the nearby Mariners Hotel on Silver Street, Westwood Guest House on Woodmead Road, the Fernhill Hotel in Charmouth and a little north of Lyme, The Trinity.

See here for a full listing of hotels, self-catering apartments and guest houses in the Lyme area.

If you wish to stay in or around Colyton itself try the Bear Bread Bakery - a B&B - The White Cottage, with pleasant garden or the Dolphin Hotel - in nearby Beer.