Xciting Xeter X30 (1) - But Is It?

Riding The New Route : Double Decker Needed!

The first totally new bus service for Seaton (Devon) for hundreds of yeats started on Monday 3rd April. When, all over the country, lesser used bus services are being withdrawn, the concept of something new needed a detailed investigation.

fbb rode the route on the second day of operation having been busy with the Monday Edition of the fbb's Fellowship Meeting. Much to fbb's seething jealousy, one of the elderly lady clients for the Sunday version of their meeting, Joan by name,  did ride this new route on the first day.

fbb would like to have shown you a map of this new route but, alas, its operator, Stagecoach, offered no clue ...

... neither did the Devon County's on-line map.

fbb had already written about its impending arrival, but a real live ride of a brand new route was undoubtedly necessary. fbb had obediently downloaded the Traveline timetable, having been warned by one of his regular correspondents.

Advance publicity lay between weak and non-existent.

fbb was intrigued that the bus, numbered X30, would terminate in Paris Street in Exeter but depart from Sidwell Street ...

... thus eschewing the new bus station which the City of Exeter has gifted free of charge to Stagecoach, allowing no other operator to enter.

WRONG ROUTE!

At the fbb's Sunday meeting, bus rider Joan informed your author that it would serve the bus station bay 12.

So it was that fbb awaited the 1525 departure on Tuesday afternoon. The bus arrived packed with eight passengers all of whom were riding just for pleasure. Three had set off earlier in the day from Seaton, one of whom was Joan, completing here second day's run on day two. A group of four, two adults and two enprammed young children were staying on board and returning to Exeter. One was advising the driver, but did not appear to be in any official capacity.

It was joyous to see Seaton sea front in glorious sunshine ...

...with Easter school holidays bringing out a good number of visitors to appreciate the solar radiation. 

The X30 leaves Seaton using the same roads as the 9A to Exeter, which includes a run along the Esplanade.

The sky and sea were both richly blue ...

... and the little caff was open and doing a steady trade.

One passenger joined fbb and the homebound foursome family for the trip to Devon's county town. 

The route as far as Honiton is not new. When fbb was a spotty lad it was Devon General's service 20 using double deck buses a bit like this.

In more recent times, the route found its was into the hands of independent Cooks Coaches.

Cooks were bought by Stagecoach, it is thought in order to take back control of Exeter's Park and Ride, so for a while Stagecoach ran service 20 between Seaton and Honiton and onwards to Taunton.

The operator now is Dartline, part of the expanding GoAhead empire.

So the brand new Stagecoach X30 is the same a good old service 20 as far as Honiton. The Devon County map is OK until the outskirts of the former lace-making town, then the 20 wiggles a bit compared with the New X30.

fbb's ride passed through Colyford where, as its name suggests, you will find the prestigious Colyton Grammar School. It is the Easter holds, so there are no hoardes at the appropriate bus stops today ...

... and no stream of contract buses taking the dear kiddies home. Colyford has a nice pub and noshery, The Wheelwright ...

... and its preserved but non operational Petrol Station ...

... once a car museum and now a caff.

And so to Colyton, famous for its determinedly rebellious past.

Colyton has long since been known as the most rebellious in England. Iy gained its moniker all the way back in 1685, when the Catholic James II was crowned king.

Shortly after his coronation, his nephew, the Duke of Monmouth, travelled to the south west to build an army to overthrow the king.

Colyton was becoming increasingly influenced by Catholics, which led to religious dissent in the area, and as a result, 105 Colyton men chose to follow the Duke of Monmouth – more than any other Devon town.

They failed!

The X30 travels through the village that claims it is a town along a selection of quaint roads with not a lot of room.

Notable is the lantern-towered church as he bus passes to the right of the Colcombe Castle Hotel - just!!

Provided than nothing bigger than an electric scooter comes the other way, progress can be made.

But driving skill is essential!

From here to Honiton, the ride is more rural and fbb will guide you thither in tomorrow's blog.

But why run a virtually empty bus along this route?

 Nexr X30 blog : Friday 7th April 

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Is It Thursday Or Friday?

Leonardo da Vinci painted it.

The building is wrong, the scenery out the back is wrong, the diners are far too clean and colourful, they wouldn't have plates, except perhaps centrally placed with food piled high to consume on a self-service basus. They would not sit on chairs but recline on a low bench or stools. And, of course, they would not have western white faces but present swarthy jewish countenances. And they wouldn't all be lined up on one side.

This is better.

The celebratory meal had been eaten for about 1200 years with some gaps when Israel strayed from its faith and worshipped pagan deities.

It was to remember the escape from slavery in Egypt and the start of the long and hesitant journey to "The Promised Land". Unleavened bread was broken and shared, and the blood of a spotless lamb was painted on the doorposts of the escapees' homes.

By Jesus day, this had been replaced with red wine; although lambs were still sacrificed in the Temple.

Jesus gave this Passover meal a new meaning.

While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take it,” he said, “this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and handed it to them; and they all drank from it. Jesus said, “This is my blood which is poured out for many, my blood which seals God's covenant.

Under the old covenant, the blood of a pure and spotless lamb saved the people from the "Angel of Death" that would kill the oldest children and animoasl of the Egyptians.

The new covenant would be revealed later on Friday.

But somebody did not stay for the full meal.

Thursday? Friday? What's going on. The Lsst Supper was eaten on Thursday evening but the Passover should be celebrated on the Friday before the Holy Saturday, the Passover Sabbath.

Well it was. In Jesus' time Thursday started at sunset on Wednesday. The Passover Friday started at sunset on Thursday, So the meal was eaten on Friday.

After all there was a lot to be fitted in before Friday became Sabbath Saturday at sunset!

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