81-565: The Seaton Tramway is a 2 ft 9 in ( 838 mm ) narrow gauge electric tramway in the East Devon district of South West England. The 3-mile (4.8 km) route runs alongside the Axe Estuary and the River Coly , running between the coastal resort of Seaton , the village of Colyford , and the ancient town of Colyton . For much of its route, it operates between the estuary and
162-672: A 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) gauge, whereas Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand have metre-gauge railways . Narrow-gauge trams, particularly metre-gauge, are common in Europe. Non-industrial, narrow-gauge mountain railways are (or were) common in the Rocky Mountains of the United States and the Pacific Cordillera of Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia , Greece, and Costa Rica. A narrow-gauge railway
243-656: A contract to front a show, Shut That Door! (1972), and slightly later, the Larry Grayson Show . In 1974 he released the single Just Another Pretty Face on Pye Records . Grayson also made two cameo appearances in the Midlands -based soap opera Crossroads , as a flouncing, difficult customer at the Crossroads Motel and as the chauffeur at the wedding of Meg Richardson, played by his close friend Noele Gordon . In real life Grayson could not drive. He also made
324-489: A couple of years when he became bored and missed his close family and friends. Grayson's final public appearance was on 3 December 1994 at the Royal Variety Performance . During this performance he referred to his hiatus from television by commenting to the audience, "They thought I was dead!". Appropriately, his last words to the audience were his catchphrase, "Shut that door". On New Year's Eve 1994, Grayson
405-425: A curve with standard-gauge rail ( 1435 mm ) can allow speed up to 145 km/h (90 mph), the same curve with narrow-gauge rail ( 1067mm ) can only allow speed up to 130 km/h (81 mph). In Japan and Queensland, recent permanent-way improvements have allowed trains on 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) gauge tracks to exceed 160 km/h (99 mph). Queensland Rail 's Electric Tilt Train ,
486-455: A design speed of 137 km/h (85 mph). Curve radius is also important for high speeds: narrow-gauge railways allow sharper curves, but these limit a vehicle's safe speed. Many narrow gauges, from 15 in ( 381 mm ) gauge to 4 ft 8 in ( 1,422 mm ) gauge, are in present or former use. They fall into several broad categories: 4 ft 6 in ( 1,372 mm ) track gauge (also known as Scotch gauge)
567-416: A diverse variety of birds and mammals such as otters. From 1970 to 1975, when Seaton tram station first opened, the line's southern terminus was located at Riverside, just to the north of Riverside Depot. Riverside temporarily became the terminus again in 2017–2018, whilst the new Seaton station was under construction, during which time booking office facilities were provided through the location of tram 01 to
648-413: A freehold site for a longer line, which would be laid to a wider 2 ft 9in gauge. This was as wide as the 2 ft cars could be regauged, while allowing for larger cars to be built in the future, the first of which was Car 8 in 1968. The Beeching Axe was in full swing and the railway branch line to Seaton was closed in 1966. Negotiations to purchase the site from British Rail , and then to obtain
729-546: A heart attack and died on 2 April 1971, just before the Tramway was due to open for the new season. He died without a will in place, but his nephew Roger persuaded the rest of the Lane family to keep the family money invested, thus allowing the company to continue. Roger Lane joined the Board of Directors, and Claude's long-time assistant Allan Gardner was appointed managing director. In addition,
810-474: A heavy-duty narrow-gauge line is Brazil's EFVM . 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) gauge, it has over-100-pound rail (100 lb/yd or 49.6 kg/m) and a loading gauge almost as large as US non-excess-height lines. The line has a number of 4,000-horsepower (3,000 kW) locomotives and 200-plus-car trains. Narrow gauge's reduced stability means that its trains cannot run at speeds as high as on broader gauges. For example, if
891-508: A large number of volunteers offered their help to complete the tramway, and weekend working parties came to Seaton throughout the 1970s to assist with large-scale work on the track and overhead, and several volunteers gave their expertise to assist with specialist technical projects. The years 1971 to 1980 were a time of swift expansion. The overhead electrical supply was completed in 1973, and in May 1975 an extension from Riverside Depot to Harbour Road
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#1732848954729972-518: A memorial has been established. Grayson was born William Sulley White in Banbury , Oxfordshire , in 1923. His parents were unmarried and he never met his father. When Grayson was ten days old, his mother, Ethel White, arranged for him to be fostered by Alice and Jim Hammonds in Nuneaton , Warwickshire . He had two foster sisters, Flo and Mary. His foster mother Alice died when he was six years old, and he
1053-498: A mine in Bohemia with a railway of about 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge. During the 16th century, railways were primarily restricted to hand-pushed, narrow-gauge lines in mines throughout Europe. In the 17th century, mine railways were extended to provide transportation above ground. These lines were industrial , connecting mines with nearby transportation points (usually canals or other waterways). These railways were usually built to
1134-608: A number of guest appearances in variety shows, chat shows and panel games. Grayson's popularity peaked when he was hired by the BBC to present the Saturday night show The Generation Game in 1978, as the replacement for Bruce Forsyth . The show was successful, once attracting an audience of 25 million (due to a strike at ITV) at its peak. Grayson was assisted by his co-star Isla St Clair , whom he frequently referred to as "my lovely Isla". Despite its popularity, by 1981 The Generation Game
1215-785: A number of large 3 ft ( 914 mm ) railroad systems in North America; notable examples include the Denver & Rio Grande and Rio Grande Southern in Colorado; the Texas and St. Louis Railway in Texas, Arkansas and Missouri; and, the South Pacific Coast , White Pass and Yukon Route and West Side Lumber Co of California. 3 ft was also a common track gauge in South America, Ireland and on
1296-480: A private collector in the US, along with two other early cars, 3 and 238. * 226, built in 1954, rebuilt as a works vehicle in 1960, and finally converted into Tram Shop 01 in 1965 (see car 01 below for more details). It was rebuilt as a 2 ft gauge open topper in 1956 for operation at Eastbourne, based on the ex- Bournemouth open toppers which ran at Llandudno & Colwyn Bay . It initially had open cross bench seats on
1377-628: A range of industrial railways running on 500 mm ( 19 + 3 ⁄ 4 in ) and 400 mm ( 15 + 3 ⁄ 4 in ) tracks, most commonly in restricted environments such as underground mine railways, parks and farms, in France. Several 18 in ( 457 mm ) gauge railways were built in Britain to serve ammunition depots and other military facilities, particularly during World War I . Larry Grayson Larry Grayson (31 August 1923 – 7 January 1995), born William Sulley White ,
1458-487: Is a track gauge of 1,000 mm ( 3 ft 3 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ). It has about 95,000 km (59,000 mi) of track. According to Italian law, track gauges in Italy were defined from the centre of each rail rather than the inside edges of the rails. This gauge, measured 950 mm ( 3 ft 1 + 3 ⁄ 8 in ) between the edges of the rails, is known as Italian metre gauge . There were
1539-657: Is also used to keep drivers in touch with the duty inspector. The scheduled journey time from Seaton to Colyford is 15 minutes, and Colyford to Colyton is a further 12 minutes, making a total journey time of 27 minutes. Prior to the new halts at Riverside and Wetlands opening, the journey time was 23 minutes. Seaton Tramway operates a daily service between Easter and the end of October, with a weekend-only service operating from mid-February until Easter. In addition, there are several out of season events, principally bird watching specials and Polar Express trips during December. As of 2022, trams depart every 20 minutes in all services and
1620-480: Is one where the distance between the inside edges of the rails is less than 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ). Historically, the term was sometimes used to refer to what are now standard-gauge railways , to distinguish them from broad-gauge railways , but this use no longer applies. The earliest recorded railway appears in Georgius Agricola 's 1556 De re metallica , which shows
1701-409: Is operated by a minimum of four trams (up to six in 'red' service). Additional departures are scheduled at peak times according to demand, which can raise the number of cars in service to seven or eight. Prior to 2022, trams would depart every 30 minutes, in 'Orange Service', operated by four cars. It is possible for groups of 30 people or more to book a designated tram, which runs in tandem with one of
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#17328489547291782-666: The 1967 Sexual Offences Act (when Grayson was 44), and even after that, coming out as gay would have damaged his television career. During his life Grayson was targeted by gay rights campaigners – who picketed his shows calling for him to be open about his sexuality, while the Gay Liberation Front also protested against his stereotypical camp portrayals of gay men for comedic purposes. Grayson's biographer, Tony Nicholson, observes that "many gay people acknowledge how important his contribution to camp culture was, and how his mass popularity did perhaps help spearhead greater acceptance of
1863-483: The Bournemouth Corporation Tramways livery. The car has been withdrawn since 2007, awaiting restoration. Car 8 was the first to be built with consideration to the eventual regauging of the system, with 2 ft 9in chosen to allow for larger trams to be built, without making the existing 2 ft gauge fleet redundant. Initially built with end saloons on the lower deck, a rebuild in 1992 removed
1944-1013: The Isle of Man . 900 mm was a common gauge in Europe. Swedish three-foot-gauge railways ( 891 mm or 2 ft 11 + 3 ⁄ 32 in ) are unique to that country and were once common all over the country. Today the only 891 mm line that remains apart from heritage railways is Roslagsbanan , a commuter line that connects Stockholm to its northeastern suburbs. A few railways and tramways were built to 2 ft 9 in ( 838 mm ) gauge, including Nankai Main Line (later converted to 3 ft 6 in or 1,067 mm ), Ocean Pier Railway at Atlantic City , Seaton Tramway ( converted from 2 ft ) and Waiorongomai Tramway . 800 mm ( 2 ft 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) gauge railways are commonly used for rack railways . Imperial 2 ft 6 in ( 762 mm ) gauge railways were generally constructed in
2025-564: The Polar Express resulted in the conversion of car 17 to a fully enclosed saloon in 2016, and it was re-numbered 15. Between 2004 and 2007, three new cars to a standardised design based on elements from Plymouth and Blackburn tramcars were introduced, carrying numbers 9, 10 and 11. In 2020 the tramway closed during the COVID-19 Lockdown, from 23 March and reopened again on 4 July. New health and safety procedures were introduced to ensure
2106-565: The 500mm gauge tracks of their mine railway ; these locomotives were made by the Deutz Gas Engine Company ( Gasmotorenfabrik Deutz ), now Deutz AG . Another early use of internal combustion was to power a narrow-gauge locomotive was in 1902. F. C. Blake built a 7 hp petrol locomotive for the Richmond Main Sewerage Board sewage plant at Mortlake . This 2 ft 9 in ( 838 mm ) gauge locomotive
2187-471: The Allan Gardner-designed Car 17 was built, and in 1992 ex-Bournemouth car 106 (renumbered 16 for Seaton) came into service. 1998 saw the restoration and relaunch of former Exeter tram 19. With the exception of car 17, these trams are enclosed single deck saloons, aimed at providing comfort during bad weather and also to extend the season. Indeed, the success of out of season special events such as
2268-517: The Crumbles. Lane established Modern Electric Tramways Ltd as the parent company for the new venture. By 1957 it was clear that the new line was a success, and the Rhyl operation was closed in order to concentrate all efforts on Eastbourne. Over the next nine years, cars 6, 7, 4, 2 & 12 were constructed. By the mid-1960s, it became apparent that the lease at Eastbourne would not be renewed, and so Lane sought
2349-464: The LGBT community." Grayson left school at the age of 14 and began working professionally as a supporting drag act on the comedy club circuit. He initially used the stage name Billy Breen, but changed it to Larry Grayson in the 1950s on the advice of his agent. While the origin of the name Larry is unknown, his management at the time felt a two-syllable first name would be more memorable and go better with
2430-928: The Philippines demonstrate that if track is built to a heavy-duty standard, performance almost as good as a standard-gauge line is possible. Two-hundred-car trains operate on the Sishen–Saldanha railway line in South Africa, and high-speed Tilt Trains run in Queensland. In South Africa and New Zealand, the loading gauge is similar to the restricted British loading gauge; in New Zealand, some British Rail Mark 2 carriages have been rebuilt with new bogies for use by Tranz Scenic (Wellington-Palmerston North service), Tranz Metro (Wellington-Masterton service), and Auckland One Rail (Auckland suburban services). Another example of
2511-587: The Regent Cinema) he first used what became his familiar catchphrase "shut that door" when a side door had been left open causing a cold breeze to blow across the stage straight from the sea. During this period, Grayson was briefly managed by Eve Taylor , who renamed him Larry Grayson and is credited with being the source of the phrase, as several of her clients revealed that whenever she wanted to discuss money or personal issues with her clients she would always tell them to "shut that door". Taylor struggled to find him
Seaton Tramway - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-588: The Seaton Wetlands nature reserves, offering views of the wildlife of both. The tramway operates over part of the former Seaton Branch Line , which closed in March 1966. It was established in 1970 by Claude Lane, founder of Modern Electric Tramways Ltd, which had previously operated in Eastbourne between 1954 and 1969. Fourteen tramcars are part of the visitor attraction, which sees over 100,000 visitors per year. All of
2673-844: The US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge . Most narrow-gauge railways are between 600 mm ( 1 ft 11 + 5 ⁄ 8 in ) and 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ). Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves , smaller structure gauges , and lighter rails ; they can be less costly to build, equip, and operate than standard- or broad-gauge railways (particularly in mountainous or difficult terrain). Lower-cost narrow-gauge railways are often used in mountainous terrain, where engineering savings can be substantial. Lower-cost narrow-gauge railways are often built to serve industries as well as sparsely populated communities where
2754-525: The body was narrowed, and then rebuilt in its current form. Launched in to service in 1992. The body was discovered in use as a summerhouse in the Devon village of Rewe in 1984, and donated to Seaton Tramway in 1994. Rebuilt as a single deck saloon, but due to its shorter length it did not have to be narrowed, unlike cars 14 and 16. Launched into service in 1998 by the Mayor of Exeter, whose predecessor had driven both
2835-911: The coal industry. Some sugar cane lines in Cuba were 2 ft 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 699 mm ). 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge railways were generally constructed in the former British colonies. The U.S. had a number of railways of that gauge , including several in the state of Maine such as the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway . 1 ft 11 + 3 ⁄ 4 in ( 603 mm ), 600 mm ( 1 ft 11 + 5 ⁄ 8 in ) and 1 ft 11 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 597 mm ) were used in Europe. Gauges below 1 ft 11 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 597 mm ) were rare. Arthur Percival Heywood developed 15 in ( 381 mm ) gauge estate railways in Britain and Decauville produced
2916-460: The construction of a modern enclosed building suitable for operation all-year round, and which acts as a venue for a range of tramway and community based events. From Seaton tram station to the Riverside tram stop, the tramway follows a route, created in the 1970s, running first north by a number of curves to the marshland that lies inland of Seaton and then tuning east to run between the marshland and
2997-559: The establishment of Seaton Tramway, and the car was not finished until 2 June 1984, when it was launched by the late TV personality Larry Grayson . Seaton Car 2 demonstrates how car 94 looked in 1904. Rebuilt as an enclosed 32-seat single deck saloon in 2016 and renumbered 15. The body was subsequently discovered in use on a Dorset farm, acquired by the Bournemouth Transport Preservation Group and then donated to Seaton Tramway in 1974. As with Car 14 (see above),
3078-533: The fastest train in Australia and the fastest 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) gauge train in the world, set a record of 210 km/h (130 mph). The speed record for 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) narrow-gauge rail is 245 km/h (152 mph), set in South Africa in 1978. A special 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge railcar was built for the Otavi Mining and Railway Company with
3159-461: The first and last Exeter trams. Car 19 is the only known surviving tram from the Exeter system. Then rebuilt as a works vehicle in 1960, and finally converted into Tram Shop 01 in 1965. It remained a self-propelled car at both Eastbourne and Seaton until 1975, when it was regauged to 2 ft 9in and became a trailer. It continued in daily use as the shop and ticket office at Seaton, being towed down by
3240-406: The first tram in the morning, and towed back to the depot by the last departure from Seaton. It finally relinquished this role in 1995, when the first Seaton Terminus building was opened. Since then, it has been used as a staff mess van and ice cream kiosk. During the construction of the new Seaton station in 2017/18, it was once again used as a ticket office and shop at Riverside Depot. As of 2018
3321-564: The former British colonies . 760 mm Bosnian gauge and 750 mm railways are predominantly found in Russia and Eastern Europe. Gauges such as 2 ft 3 in ( 686 mm ), 2 ft 4 in ( 711 mm ) and 2 ft 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 724 mm ) were used in parts of the UK, particularly for railways in Wales and the borders, with some industrial use in
Seaton Tramway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-468: The game show Sweethearts for ITV in 1987. He made a number of other TV appearances and radio broadcasts, including the Tom O'Connor -hosted TV quiz show A Question of Entertainment , where he was one of the team captains in 1988. Grayson moved with his adoptive older sister Flo to Torquay , Devon , where they lived in separate neighbouring bungalows, during his semi-retirement, but moved back to Nuneaton after
3483-612: The government in response to the COVID-19 lockdown. The award was in the amount of £435,100 and went towards wages, maintenance and partners & exhibitions. Seaton tram station is the southern terminus of the Seaton Tramway. The station is situated in the town centre of the town of Seaton in the English county of Devon. The terminus at Seaton opened in 1975, and has since been entirely rebuilt twice. The most recent rebuilding has resulted in
3564-454: The lower deck, but was rebuilt in 1962 with lower deck saloons at either end. It was regauged to 2 ft 9in for operation at Seaton in 1974, and rebuilt again in 1989, reverting to its original cross bench lower deck seating arrangement. The same length as Car 6, and just two inches wider, Car 7 has always featured two lower deck saloons. A late 1980s rebuild featured easier-access staircases, and since then it has sported an approximation of
3645-421: The necessary Light Railway Order, took some time and the latter was not granted until December 1969. Relocation from Eastbourne to Seaton took place over the winter of 1969/70. The new line opened on 28 August 1970, just in time for the end of the holiday season. It was laid to the new 2 ft 9in gauge, with Car 8 operating the first departures. This initial opening was very limited: the line only went as far as
3726-491: The newly christened 'Bobsworth Bridge', named after the inaugural one shilling fare. The overhead electrical supply was yet to be installed, so as a temporary measure each tram was coupled to a battery trailer. Services closed again in September 1970, to allow further work to be completed including the extension to Colyford , erection of overhead traction poles and the gauge conversion of other rolling stock. Claude Lane suffered
3807-480: The north of Colyford, the line crosses the A3052 road on a level crossing . For here the line rises gently, leaving the estuary and wetlands behind and running through farmland. There are two further passing loops, known as Tye Lane and Cownhayne, before Colyton tram station is reached. The station is the northern terminus of the tramway and is situated about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) from the centre of Colyton town . Unlike
3888-409: The opening was postponed until 1 August 2022. From Riverside northwards, the tramway follows the old Seaton railway branch line. As far as Colyford, this ran on an embankment separating the Seaton Wetlands, to the west, and the Axe Estuary , to the east. The nature reserves of Seaton Marshes, Black Hole Marsh, Colyford Common and Stafford Marsh are all visible from the tram, as is the tidal estuary and
3969-488: The other stations on the tramway, Colyton still retains much of the feel of a former railway station. The original high platform and station buildings still exist, with the buildings housing the Tram Stop Restaurant , a shop and toilets, whilst the platform provides access to the buildings and outdoor tables for the restaurant. There is also a children's play area at the northern end of the track. The former track bed of
4050-481: The postman Pop-It-In Pete. A lot of his material was observational. In his early years, Grayson's family had the only telephone in the street, and his inspiration came from overhearing his neighbours using it. The "imaginary friends" were in fact based on local characters: for example, Apricot Lil worked at the local jam factory. While he performed as Billy Breen at the New Pavilion Theatre Redcar (now
4131-510: The right opportunities and they parted, with Grayson becoming a client of Michael Grade . An early TV appearance in the 1950s had led to complaints about his act being too outrageous, and Grayson had resigned himself to a career off television. Then in the early 1970s his club act was seen by Michael Grade , then an agent, who signed him. Following several successful appearances in ATV variety shows, Grade's uncle, impresario Lew Grade , gave Grayson
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#17328489547294212-465: The saloons and installed open cross bench seats instead. Rebuilt in 1980 as an open-top double-decker , loosely based on the Blackpool Balloon trams, with seats for up to 48 passengers. There was a further modification in 1999, when its cabs were rebuilt to give it an appearance loosely based on a London Feltham-type tram , and it received a London Transport -style repaint and lettering. It
4293-537: The same narrow gauge as the mine railways from which they developed. The world's first steam locomotive , built in 1802 by Richard Trevithick for the Coalbrookdale Company, ran on a 3 ft ( 914 mm ) plateway . The first commercially successful steam locomotive was Matthew Murray 's Salamanca built in 1812 for the 4 ft 1 in ( 1,245 mm ) Middleton Railway in Leeds . Salamanca
4374-458: The service cars. Individuals can also book a tram for a range of tram driving lessons and experiences. A combination of paid and volunteer staff operate the Tramway. A small permanent staff is complemented by a large number of seasonal drivers, shop and cafe staff. * 225, built in 1950 and operated at St Leonards, Rhyl and Eastbourne until the late 1950s, and in November 1963 was sold and shipped to
4455-449: The south of Riverside Depot. Riverside has fully surfaced platforms, and a passing loop , and is sometimes used out of season in connection with special events. In February 2020, a new decked extension was constructed, sited between the track and over the river bank, in preparation for Riverside's use as a permanent halt. Completion was delayed due to the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown , and
4536-426: The station now houses twin tram tracks which are set in block paving. Seaton Tramway is a single line system, with passing loops roughly every half mile. The trams run to a timetable which includes scheduled passes at designated passing loops. A single line token system operates between Seaton and Riverside, because this section contains four sharp curves which restrict the driver's line of sight. A two-way radio system
4617-598: The surname Grayson. Over the next 30 years he toured the UK in male revues and drag shows, as well as in variety shows at venues including working men's clubs , regional theatres and the Metropolitan in London. He also added stand-up comedy to his act and developed a gentle anecdotal style of comedy. It was usually based around his various imaginary friends such as Everard, Apricot Lil, Slack Alice, milkman Sterilised Stan, window cleaner Peek-a-boo Pete with his dirty chamois and
4698-496: The town until it reaches the right of way of the former railway branch. At this point are found the line's depot, and the Riverside tram stop. This first stretch of line gives good views of Seaton Marshes, the most southerly of a string low-level nature reserves , collectively known as Seaton Wetlands and all of which are visible at some stage from the tram. Between them, these reserves include freshwater grazing marshes, intertidal lagoons, scrapes, ditches and bird hides, and are host to
4779-469: The traffic potential would not justify the cost of a standard- or broad-gauge line. Narrow-gauge railways have specialised use in mines and other environments where a small structure gauge necessitates a small loading gauge . In some countries, narrow gauge is the standard: Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Australian states of Queensland , Western Australia and Tasmania have
4860-414: The tram car is stored out of service at Riverside Depot, awaiting plans for its future. In 1968, the body was lengthened and fitted with an overhead inspection gantry, and the four wheel truck was replaced by two standard trucks. It was used intensively throughout the 1970s during the construction of Seaton Tramway. In 1981, the tram was blown over at Colyford during a storm and seriously damaged. The body
4941-504: The tramcars are based on classic British designs, and vary in size between half-scale (1:2) and two thirds-scale (2:3). Most were built from scratch by Claude Lane and/or his successor Allan Gardner, but three were rebuilt from full-size cars which originally ran in London, Bournemouth and Exeter. Claude Lane was the owner of the Lancaster Electrical Company of Barnet , a manufacturer of battery electric vehicles . His hobby
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#17328489547295022-452: The tramway was 'Covid Secure' and operated on a reduced timetable. During the lockdown the tramway launched its 'Tramathon Live' appeal, hoping to raise money to ensure its future against any losses it made being closed. The appeal included a week of live videos on Facebook, streaming a Q and A, Riverside Depot tour, a line tour and finished the week going live and driving for a full 24 hours from 12 midday 11 June to 12 midday 12 June. The appeal
5103-426: The village of Axmouth on the far bank. Along this stretch there are two passing loops, known as Axmouth and Swans Nest. Work was undertaken to turn Swan's Next loop into a tram stop, known as Wetlands, which allows passengers direct access to the Seaton Wetlands nature reserves. Work was about to get underway when the COVID-19 lockdown came in to force, so work had to be postposed until winter 2021–2022. Wetlands stop
5184-556: The world; 19th-century mountain logging operations often used narrow-gauge railways to transport logs from mill to market. Significant sugarcane railways still operate in Cuba, Fiji, Java, the Philippines, and Queensland, and narrow-gauge railway equipment remains in common use for building tunnels. In 1897, a manganese mine in the Lahn valley in Germany was using two benzine -fueled locomotives with single cylinder internal combustion engines on
5265-519: Was adopted by early 19th-century railways, primarily in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland. 4 ft 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,384 mm ) lines were also constructed, and both were eventually converted to standard gauge. 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) between the inside of the rail heads, its name and classification vary worldwide and it has about 112,000 kilometres (70,000 mi) of track. As its name implies, metre gauge
5346-590: Was again rebuilt, but initially used as a trailer. Eventually it received new motorised trucks in 1992 and returned to service as a self-propelled vehicle. The tramway also operates a number of works cars for transport and engineering functions. These include a number of freight wagons ( flat beds , open drop-sides , and tipper wagons ), and also specialist engineering vehicles such as a hydraulic hoist trailer (with cherry picker ), overhead works trailer, and welding trailer. Narrow gauge railway#2 ft 9 in gauge A narrow-gauge railway ( narrow-gauge railroad in
5427-551: Was also the first rack-and-pinion locomotive. During the 1820s and 1830s, a number of industrial narrow-gauge railways in the United Kingdom used steam locomotives. In 1842, the first narrow-gauge steam locomotive outside the UK was built for the 1,100 mm ( 3 ft 7 + 5 ⁄ 16 in )-gauge Antwerp-Ghent Railway in Belgium. The first use of steam locomotives on a public, passenger-carrying narrow-gauge railway
5508-477: Was an English comedian and television presenter. He hosted the BBC's Saturday-night peak-time TV game show The Generation Game in the late 1970s and early 1980s, employing his high- camp , English music hall humour. His camp stand-up act consisted mainly of anecdotes about a cast of imaginary friends including Everard, Apricot Lil and Slack Alice. A museum in his home town Nuneaton documents his life and work, and
5589-496: Was being overtaken in the ratings by ITV's rival show Game for a Laugh . Grayson decided to leave The Generation Game in 1982 while it was still relatively successful, in the expectation that the BBC would offer him another high-profile Saturday night show; this did not materialise. Grayson went into unintentional semi-retirement, living alone at his house in Nuneaton with his pet dogs, although he did return to television to present
5670-560: Was brought up by his elder foster sister, Flo, with whom he lived for much of his life. It has been reported that his birth mother stayed in touch with the family and was known to Grayson as "Aunt Ethel", until he discovered her true identity when he was eight years old. Larry was never formally adopted. Grayson's sexuality was the subject of much speculation, and while he never publicly came out as gay his unpublished memoirs do discuss his sexuality. He recounted how his "one true love" had been his best friend from school days, Tom Proctor, who
5751-555: Was eventually opened on the same day as the Riverside stop (1 August 2022). The station is located at the eastern end of Colyford village, adjacent to the White Hart Inn. There are surfaced platforms, and a passenger waiting shelter. The station includes the Colyford passing loop, and there is also a single siding . The railway station's original gentlemen's lavatory is still in its original position, but no longer in use. Immediately to
5832-552: Was in 1865, when the Ffestiniog Railway introduced passenger service after receiving its first locomotives two years earlier. Many narrow-gauge railways were part of industrial enterprises and served primarily as industrial railways , rather than general carriers. Common uses for these industrial narrow-gauge railways included mining, logging, construction, tunnelling, quarrying, and conveying agricultural products. Extensive narrow-gauge networks were constructed in many parts of
5913-569: Was killed at the age of 21 at the Battle of Monte Cassino during the Second World War. Grayson said that he never got over this loss, and he is not known to have had any other significant relationships (albeit one biographer recalls there was "a brief smokescreen" when he was said to be engaged to Crossroads actress Noele Gordon ). Homosexual acts between men were illegal in England and Wales until
5994-414: Was opened, which gave the Tramway a more visible presence in the centre of the town. Attention then turned towards the extension of the line from Colyford to Colyton. A marathon all-night working party in 1975 excavated the old branch line rail from the level crossing at Colyford, and by the following morning had replaced it with grooved tram rail. Over the next three years, most of the track and overhead wire
6075-582: Was probably the third petrol-engined locomotive built. Extensive narrow-gauge rail systems served the front-line trenches of both sides in World War I . They were a short-lived military application, and after the war the surplus equipment created a small boom in European narrow-gauge railway building. The heavy-duty 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) narrow-gauge railways in Australia (Queensland), New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and
6156-420: Was put in place, but in 1978 a flash flood just to the north of Colyford washed away a considerable amount of the newly laid ballast, and it was not until 1980 that the extension to Colyton was finally opened. In 1984, ex-Metropolitan Tramways car 94 (Seaton car 14) was launched, the first addition to the fleet for 16 years, and the inaugural trip was driven by comedian and TV personality Larry Grayson . In 1988,
6237-552: Was rushed into hospital with a perforated appendix . He was discharged from hospital, but died on 7 January 1995 in Nuneaton, at the age of 71. He was buried alongside other members of his family at Oaston Road Cemetery in his home town of Nuneaton. Journalist Suzi Pritchard wrote in The Guardian : His camp , deliciously naughty humour was never crude or vulgar. The gentle ambivalence of his humour made him attractive to an extraordinarily diverse range of people. But his real appeal
6318-475: Was successful and raised over £30,000. In 2020 the tramway also celebrated their 50th anniversary on 28 August. Planned celebrations were cancelled due to COVID-19 but the occasion was marked with some planned specials on trams 4 & 8. Car 8 recreated its first passenger service at 2:30pm between Riverside Depot and Bobsworth Bridge. The Charity was recipient of the Cultural Recovery Fund, provided by
6399-408: Was that of a valued neighbour perceptively observing the details of everyday life and commenting on it across the garden fence, creating an emotional intimacy in a society starting to fragment." Ken Dodd , a fellow comedian, said of Grayson: He loved everybody and he wanted them to love him in return and yes, they did, they all loved Larry. In the 2023 ITVX miniseries Nolly , which dramatised
6480-402: Was then used as a garden shed at Waltham Cross until it was acquired by a group of enthusiasts, and moved to Eastbourne Tramway in 1961. The intention was to restore it to its original condition, but this fell through and Modern Electric Tramways took ownership. The top deck was removed in 1968 and the body narrowed to make it suitable for eventual operation at Seaton. Major work was delayed by
6561-419: Was trams, and in 1949 he constructed a fully portable 15 in ( 381 mm ) gauge tram system that he initially displayed at garden fetes, and then with semi-permanent sites at St Leonards-on-Sea in 1951 and Rhyl from 1952 to 1957. In 1953 he agreed a lease at Eastbourne for a permanent 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge system, running the 2 ⁄ 3 mile (1.1 km) between Princes Park and
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