A Few Days in Devon

One Wednesday we went to Paignton in Devon for a few days away. We stayed at a Premier Inn just outside the town which was convenient for Brixham and Totnes. This week had been the 50th anniversary of the South Devon Railway which runs between Buckfastleigh and Totnes and was one of the many small railway connections closed by Dr Beeching in the 1960's.

There was a passenger service using 'auto-train' carriages with driver cabs at each end with a steam engine providing the power in the middle, which means that the engine does not have to be taken off and run around to the front of the train for the return journey.

There was also a diesel loco, called Sea King, which proved useful later when another steam engine service broke down just outside of Totnes station.

The railway runs alongside the River Dart and is a very picturesque ride.

Later when returning to Buckfastleigh and looking at the engines outside the maintenance works there I found the type of DMU (diesel multiple unit) that I would have ridden on when I used to commute from Slough to just outside London, though it was BR blue not GWR green!

Before we went away I heard about a textile exhibition in Totnes, which was held between 7 - 13th April at Birdwood House, a gallery in the High Street.  It was called Dyed and Stitched in Devon and the two textile artists Jan Andrews and Liz Swinbank exhibited there, showing a variety of dyeing methods and stitching through fabric or paper.  The ladies didn't mind that I took photos and there really was some beautiful work

But what really fascinated me also were the fireplaces in the gallery.  I just loved the tiles.

Before finding somewhere for lunch I saw a shop across the road called the Fashion and Textile Museum (sorry I can't link this if there is a website I can't seem to get to it!) which was closed.  In the window was a display of cushions and flowers made by the Machine Encounters group of sewists. I took a few photos, but there is reflection from the glass window.

 I loved the flowers and I found (second picture) that there were some wooden bars on which the flowers were hanging so I wonder if, when working, there is a motor to move them up and down.  As the place was shut I wouldn't ever find out.

After lunch and a short walk back to the station I visited the Rare Breeds Farm near the station.  The train was delayed, as that was the one that broke down, gave me enough time to venture there.

I'll continue with our trip the next day to Greenway in the next post.