Xciting Xeter X30 (2) - But Is It?

To Infinity Honiton And Beyond!

fbb, as a poor replacement for Bus Lightyear, is travelling the new Stagecoach X30 between Seaton, Honiton and Exeter. Between Colyto and the outskirts of Exeter, he route becomes more rural. 

Here is a view from the unclassified road north of Colyton ...

... and a look back towards the Rebel Town itself.

We cross the South Western main line - less main than it once was -  but carrying a better service then ever it did, certainly for the local stops.

We now pass the former Seaton Junction station whence branch line trains trundled back to Colyton, Colyford and Seaton. The station buildings are all intact ...

... as is the former milk concentration depot beyond. Both are "hanging on" and in desperate need of tenants whose businesses can revive these historic buildings. 

Just up the hill is Shute, a picturesque hamlet ...

...which owes its existence to the Pole family and its "country cottage" named Shute Barton.

The house is not normally open to the public but has one of the best front gates in the West!

The X30 now joins the A35 ...

... for the picturesque run into Honiton, passing, on the right, the TV transmitter at Stockland Hill, exuding terrestrial TV in abundance down the valley and into the fbb's living room - and elsewhere in East Devon.

No, it wasn't dark when fbb rode past! Somewhere along here we pass over the railway again ...

... with the track well hidden in the depths of the valley carved out in very ancient times by the Umborne Brook.

The X30 passes through the village of Wilmington ...

... a pleasant community somewhat spoiled by the excesses of the A35!

We are quite high up here with views down into the valley of the now minimalist river Otter.

There in the distance is Honiton, once the bane of any motorist seeking to drive to the West Country for their holidays!

The town is now by-passed. Once famous for its lace ...

Queen Victoria's wedding dress
made from Honiton Lace

... there is little evidence of the trade today.

We no longer have to pay at the toll house as we descend into the town.

As if to celebrate more modern means of transport we also cross the railway yet again.

Beyond Honiton it is a fast non-stop run along the relocated A30 ...

... with little to see apart from trees! The X30 (named, fbb presumes, after this chunk of race-track running) runs non stop. The "normal" bus service from Honiton into Exeter is now the 44/44A. The 44 runs via the old A30, now the B3174 ,,,

... whist the 44A serves West Hill and Aylesbeare.

The X30 is the first and only bus service to thrash down this fast bit if the A30; but very soon we espy planes parked at Exeter Airport ...

... and an innocent joy rider would expect to be serving the passenger terminal.

But the X30 doesn't, surely missing an opportunity for a few passengers from points east. 

But we do pass under the runway ...

... as we leave the A30 and travel north to rejoin the former A30.

Between the tunnel and Clyst Honiton there are large swathes of warehousing businesses, so we might expect the X30 to provide a service for their workforces.

But there a no stops. The first stop after leaving Honiton is Clyst Honiton ...

... already blessed with three buses every two hours on the 44/44A. There is, of course, no mention of the X30 on the bus stop flag following the policy of X30 secrecy at all the bus stops en route.

So, it's no to the airport, it's no to its associated industrial development; so the X30 surely must be designed to get eager employees to the rapidly growing green field business sites to the east of Exeter.

Erm, no! we drive resolutely past the end of the new road!

fbb was really expecting to turn right here - but the X30 pressed on.

fbb will complete the journey as part of tomorrow's Variety blog. 

Don't get too excited!

 Next Variety blog : Saturday 8th April 

===============================

Protecting Your Posterior

Two people had the power to keep Jesus alive. One was the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.

Only he, as the real boss of the Roman Province of Judaea, had the legal power to confer a death sentence. And he conferred plenty in his time.

The other player was Herod Antipas, nominally referred to as "The King of The Jews"; but, in reality, a puppet whose strings were pulled by Rome. He was a Tetrarch, "king" of a fourth part of Judaea so only a nominal legal entity!

But Herod might be a useful escape for Pilate.

It was the religious leaders who wanted Jesus dead and the sentence had been handed down in an overnight farce of an inconclusive and utterly illegal "trial". 

So Luke, in his Gospel, records just part of the to-ing and fro-ing as the Temple bigwigs sought to get the death penalty confirmedkk.

Pilate asked, “Is this man a Galilean?” When he learned that Jesus was from the region ruled by Herod, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was very pleased when he saw Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been wanting to see him for a long time. He was hoping to see Jesus perform some miracle.

But Herod sent him back to Pilate.

Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, “You brought this man to me and said that he was misleading the people. Now, I have examined him here in your presence, and I have not found him guilty of any of the crimes you accuse him of. Nor did Herod find him guilty, for he sent him back to us. There is nothing this man has done to deserve death. So I will have him whipped and let him go.” 

The whole crowd cried out, “Kill him! Set Barabbas free for us!” (Barabbas had been put in prison for a riot that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, so he appealed to the crowd again. But they shouted back, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

And Jesus was crucified ...

... as he himself had predicted repeatedly during the previous two years or so.

Good Friday - eh?

==============================