Post by Dave on Oct 3, 2011 20:54:28 GMT
Round Robin 11th September 2011
It was so many years ago that I went on the stream train from Paignton to Kingswear and one thing I had never done before was the Round Robin trip. For those that do not know this trip is made up four parts in total. One part is the steam train itself, then a ferry ride from Kingswear over to Dartmouth, followed by a river boat cruse from Dartmouth to Totnes and finally an open top double decker bus ride from Totnes to Paignton.
As my new found friend Lyn lives in Plymouth, we decided to start from Totnes on the bus to Paignton so the river boat cruse would be the last part as we wanted to finish back at Totnes so we could have that famous carvery and a pudding for a fiver at the Dartmouth Inn in Totnes to finish the day off.
As we had planned to do this round robin on the Sunday, I walked into Paignton town centre on the Saturday morning and headed for the steam railway booking office to buy the tickets in advance. Just my luck to get a lady who did not know anything and who then insisted I could only buy tickets from that office if I wanted to start the round robin from Paignton. It all seemed a bit mad to me that I would have to go to Totnes to buy the tickets as the office over there is the same company and as far as I was concerned it should not matter one bit just where you started from.
I decided I would wait until Sunday and buy the tickets in Totnes and when I told the man why I was buying them there and had not bought them the day before in Paignton, he could not believe the Paignton office would not sell me the tickets in the first place.
During the last month Lyn and I have done a good number of walks and things together and sorry but I have to say each and every time she has had a blonde moment that somehow just adds to the whole fun and laughter we both enjoy together and on this day she sure did not let me down.
We were standing together by a railing looking at the river Dart and were watching a number of canoeists paddling along like they do, “they are American “I said to which Lyn replied “how do you know that ““No Lyn the people sat on the table behind us love, they are from America” well we sure laughed about that moment as we boarded the open top bus at 10am and set off for Paignton. The bus sure takes the scenic root and it was good to see Torbay from up high on the top deck of the bus.
We had an hour to kill In Paignton before we could catch the train to Kingswear and so went and had a coffee at Costa’s and then took a short stroll around the town. Time to get to the station and board the train and what I find so sad is seeing other couples together who look so bored with each others company and sit beside each other with out ever saying a word. One thing Lyn has learned is you can’t sit beside me and not expect to get your ears talked off lol.
The train ride itself is wonderful with great views along the way, you go through Goodrington and then over the Broadsands viaduct and after Churston you go through what seemed a very long tunnel, I must confess I did not remember this tunnel was there and would love to pin point its exact location as one day after checking the train timetable, I would love to walk through it.
We arrived at Kingswear station and I wanted to try and find the stone that was laid for a railway dog that died early in the last century, the story of the dog and picture of the stone is up on the TFF somewhere, but I was unable to find it and so Lyn and I headed for the ferry to take up across the river to Dartmouth.
As we had planned to catch the very last river cruise boat at 5pm, it meant we would have a good three or four hours in Dartmouth and so I suggested a walk up to the castle and once there to have some refreshments. This we did only Lyn once again discovered the little boy in me as I sucked up every last drop of my milkshake through the straw making as much noise as possible.
We did go and look at the site of the large fire that destroyed a good number of buildings in Dartmouth last year and while the buildings have had all the rubble etc removed from them, there was no sign or indication any work would be starting anytime soon to restore and rebuild those wonderful old buildings.
Time to go and catch that last river cruise boat and everyone else decided at it was so windy to sit inside, not Lyn or I mind you as we sat on the open top deck and stayed there for a good half of the trip up to Totnes. It takes one hour and fifteen minutes to get to Totnes, but it was getting a bit cold out in the open so we joined the rest and Lyn went and got some hot drinks. She only went as she saw me try and get the coffee to the outside tables at Costa’s, something I did not do without spilling half of them, so she felt I stood no chance on a boat going up and down in the swell.
We got into Totnes around 6.15pm and headed for the Dartmouth Inn and it has to be said the food was once again top quality and such good value. I say that as a week or so later Lyn and I had a carvery in Plymouth that cost £7.95 each and it was utter rubbish and we both told the waitress that was the case.
A cracking day out and the weather while not perfect, did not spoil the day out for us. We are going to Wales next week for seven whole days and plan to visit a number of the castles to be found in South Wales and when we return I’m so looking forward to doing a report on them. Very happy and pleased I will be meeting StuartB and his lovely family this coming Sunday somewhere yet to be decided in South Wales, seeing those dear sweet twins again is something I’m so looking forward
