Lyme Regis Visit - At Last

It was just a week ago when the fbbs took a bus trip from Seaton to Lyme Regi on Axe Valley Travel's route 378, departing at 1035. Upon arriving at Lyme Regis, most visitors would be heding for the beach and its associated grot. But not the fbbs.

They were in search of a Fish and Chip lunch!

Alighting at the main Co-op stop ...

... it was but a short teeter down the hill in search of an entrance on the inland side of the main street.

Drakes Way is one of the many alleys, gennels, snickets and passages that the average visitor does not explore. It offers a few retail outlets ...

... but your intrepid Dorset delving duo are going further into the top end of one of Lyme's well hidden and always full car parks.

Over neat the trees is an iron staircase leading down (apologies for messing up the focus!) from the parking area on high.

At the bottom of the out-of-focus steps you will find ...

... an elderly lady, nearly 80, rushing (!) on ahead down more steps. (Don't tell anyone, but that is Mrs fbb)

At the bottom we find the fast flowing streams (?) of the Lym (or Lim) river from which the town takes its name.

Picture skew is it not?

Then we come to the Town Mill. It is mainly an eatery and boozery ...

... but inside there is plenty of traditional mill stuff.

Much of it is of wheel interest (GROAN) ...

... but as the fbbs have visited about 3,000 water mills (possibly a bit of an exaggeration!) they moved on up a short hill.

And there is the chippy by appointment to the fbbs, who have dined there, probably, twice before!

The advantage of this establishment is that it had a small number of tables for "eat in" customers, which the fbbs intended to patronise. Only they couldn't!

Unless, of course, they were prepared to sit on large vats of chips or piles of chip fat in boxes.

Which they weren't.

So, down to the sea front!

Visitors to Lyme Regis will be well aware that there is a paucity of places to park a portly posterior; but the fbbs found one built as part of the "new" sea wall.

The fbbs had a full view of bits of the old sea wall from their bench, fish and chips for the consumption of.

The "new" construction served two main purposes. It stopped the sea from undermining the Town Hall etc and causing collapse of the surrounding edifices - a noble aim, you must agree.

It also hides a fascinating secret behind two large black doors.

Stepping within, invited guests can then enjoy the fascination of a huge pump roon!

This is designed to pump the nasties away from the bathing water and to somewhere else where the nasties will be dealt with nicely.

But soon it was time to wander back to the Square, the main westbound bus stop which is always in a state  of perpetual chaos as there really isn't enough room for a westbound bus stop AND passengers.

First up was the Lyme Regis town bus service ...

It had a few passengers on board which does suggest the somebody can understand the timetable. 

Of course Lyme is in D*rs*et so neither the local bus nor the Park and Ride appear in the Devon timetable books. 

Dorset do nothing about timetables, leaving it to Traveline, so you can enjoy the times for Damory Route 71.

There are 28 point times all called "Lyme Regis" with no clear indication of where the town centre might be. But you could use a route map - only there isn't one! 

There is another problem. Despite the bus stop flag, Damory Coaches no longer exists as a separate company! It is a More Bus " brand'.

Their web site delivers a large and uninviting blank page! So best of luck with that fot enquiring Lyme Regis residents!

There is a timetable for the Park and Ride ...

... operated by First Bus with double beck buses to cope with the loading, sometimes in double figures each trip.

Now let the fun commence. 

Here is an aerial view of the bus stop at The Square with a yellow vehicle "on stand" and a black coach hoping to pick up its passengers at the same point. There is a small car park and an almost blind junction plus very narrow approach roads on both sides.

So the fbb's 1410 Axe Valley Travel bus arrived to turn "in the road" which needs a reverse into traffic approaching from both directions, But a skilled driver can time it so that traffic travelling west round the blind corner is held by traffic lights at the very narrow bit.

This AVT managed with consummate skill and was just nosing onto the stand (ha ha!) ...

...when what should appear from out of the now released narrow bit but First's Park and Ride overflowing with very few passengers. So AVT jiggles backwards to allow the P&R into the stand (well, nearly?).

This allows for the exchange of the few passengers (two off, one attempting to go to Axminster). The confusion was caused by the buses' beng in Jurassic Coaster livery which normally do go to Axminster.

First's finest departed leaving AVT to move back into pole position and gather itsk load of at least two dozed, all of whom (bar two) were making for Seaton.

That included the fbbs after a very pleasant chip trip.

Next bus trip on the agenda is to Exmouth, where (Whisper it quietly in Mrs fbb's hearing) there is a model railway shop!

Conclusion - A bus ride is much better than going by car - and much cheaper!

Two suggestions for Dorset Council:-

Instead of spending money on empty Park and Ride buses for Lyme Regis, how about using some of that cash to print some timetables to help the passengers.

And how about turning that diddy car park into a small bus station. It would be tight and need careful design but it would remove the shambles that exists at the moment and be safer for the passengers.

Damory P.S.

You can find Damory services on the More Bus web site - which is such an obvious place to find them - NOT! Here you will find a better version of the 71 timetable ...

.. and an amaingly useful route map!

Hmmm?

 Next Weekend Variety blog : Saturday 3rd Aug