Look! No Car!

This BBC Article describes a public transport based day trip round picturesque places in Devon, including the delightful Cockwood. The article claims that "Places like Cockwood are almost impossible to get to without a car". I have to dispute that assertion. I have visited the place on a number of occasions by train or bus without any difficulty whatsoever. The bus (which I'm sure is the 85, not the 185, unless it's changed) runs every 15 minutes, and has always been pretty reliable whenever I've tried to catch it. And I can certainly recommend The Anchor pub mentioned in the article.

For a railway enthusiast, of course, there are other attractions than just the pub.

London-bound FGW HST at Cockwood harbour

You can even watch the trains from the beer garden!

Meanwhile, Ginger Stampley talks about moving from a car-based sprawl to a city where you can actually walk to places.

There's a tradeoff between conveniences and inconveniences in any transportation arrangement. What generally pisses me off about suburbanites (and did even when I lived in a car city) is that so many of them seem to think they shouldn't have to bear up under any of the downsides of car culture. Life isn't like that, though. It�s merely a matter of choosing the pains in your rear, not of dispensing with them altogether.

Posted by TimHall at September 30, 2004 10:04 PM | TrackBack

Comments

Wouldn't these look better in the old First Great Western green and gold?

Posted by: Stephen Karlson on October 4, 2004 03:42 AM

She should have been able to do Bovey Tracey to Cockwood with just one change, as the 85A runs from Newton Abbot all the way to Exeter, there was no real need to take the bus to Teignmouth, train to Starcross and then manage to not find a bus to take you onwards.

The 85A runs half-hourly Newton Abbot-Teignmouth-Dawlish-Exeter and the 85 runs half-hourly Torbay-Shaldon-Teignmouth-Dawlish-Exeter, giving Cockwood it's 15min service Mon-Sat.

It does drop to half-hourly then hourly after 6pm, but there is an hourly service through till 10 or 11 at night.

While lots of places in Devon do have lousy services, Cockwood isn't one of them.

Posted by: Martyn Read on October 4, 2004 11:26 AM

Steve: Yes, it would have done. But my last visit to Cockwood I didn't see an entire set in the old livery; the best I could manage was this one, with just the leading power car in green and gold:
http://kalyr.fotopic.net/p6357391.html

Posted by: Tim Hall on October 4, 2004 09:08 PM


Go to Where Worlds Collide Front Page Previous Entry « More Pendolino Opinions Next Entry Mostly Autumn: Jilly's, Manchester. » Categories Games Memes Miscellaneous Music News Photos Railways SF Recent Entries As Others See Us Terrorists Amongst Us Poll on Musicals Ouch! Your Ideal RPG Group? Torture Manchester Show 2006 Live Review: Porcupine Tree, Manchester Academy, 30 Sep 2006 Story vs. Experience Banger Blue on TV Full text feed for the Railways category Summary aggreate feed for the whole site Powered by 2.661	Look! No Car! This BBC Article describes a public transport based day trip round picturesque places in Devon, including the delightful Cockwood. The article claims that "Places like Cockwood are almost impossible to get to without a car". I have to dispute that assertion. I have visited the place on a number of occasions by train or bus without any difficulty whatsoever. The bus (which I'm sure is the 85, not the 185, unless it's changed) runs every 15 minutes, and has always been pretty reliable whenever I've tried to catch it. And I can certainly recommend The Anchor pub mentioned in the article. For a railway enthusiast, of course, there are other attractions than just the pub. You can even watch the trains from the beer garden! Meanwhile, Ginger Stampley talks about moving from a car-based sprawl to a city where you can actually walk to places. There's a tradeoff between conveniences and inconveniences in any transportation arrangement. What generally pisses me off about suburbanites (and did even when I lived in a car city) is that so many of them seem to think they shouldn't have to bear up under any of the downsides of car culture. Life isn't like that, though. It�s merely a matter of choosing the pains in your rear, not of dispensing with them altogether. Posted by TimHall at September 30, 2004 10:04 PM \| TrackBack Comments Wouldn't these look better in the old First Great Western green and gold? Posted by: Stephen Karlson on October 4, 2004 03:42 AM She should have been able to do Bovey Tracey to Cockwood with just one change, as the 85A runs from Newton Abbot all the way to Exeter, there was no real need to take the bus to Teignmouth, train to Starcross and then manage to not find a bus to take you onwards. The 85A runs half-hourly Newton Abbot-Teignmouth-Dawlish-Exeter and the 85 runs half-hourly Torbay-Shaldon-Teignmouth-Dawlish-Exeter, giving Cockwood it's 15min service Mon-Sat. It does drop to half-hourly then hourly after 6pm, but there is an hourly service through till 10 or 11 at night. While lots of places in Devon do have lousy services, Cockwood isn't one of them. Posted by: Martyn Read on October 4, 2004 11:26 AM Steve: Yes, it would have done. But my last visit to Cockwood I didn't see an entire set in the old livery; the best I could manage was this one, with just the leading power car in green and gold: http://kalyr.fotopic.net/p6357391.html Posted by: Tim Hall on October 4, 2004 09:08 PM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Comments: Remember info?	Links of the day Sixteen Tons Electric Nose talks coal wagons. Ficticious Liveries The AC Loco Group's Ficticious Liveries are back! SWT HSTs, BR Blue 66s and many more. The hell inside carraige 346A A London Firefighter tells of his story of the July 7th bombings. Hatfield Fines 13 million pound fine for Balfour Beatty and Notwork Rail. But the ivory tower moonbats of the Adam Smith Institute who are ultimately to blame get off scot free... The Great Hole of Tescos "There was no light at the end of the tunnel". The Guardian has the 'hole' story. <br />