In April 2025 the independent
transport videos cameras were invited to join the Southampton &
District Transport Heritage Trust members for a special day out on the Seaton
Tramway in Devon. We were allocated tram
no. 12 for the day with driver Ryan Lamb operating the tram. The route of the tramway travels northbound
from Seaton Station to Colyton Station.
There are intermediate stops at Riverside Halt, where the tram depot is
located, Seaton Wetlands Halt, Colyford Station – it’s here when the trams
cross over the A3052 road, and then on to Colyton Station where the trams
terminate.
Our day begins with our
camera in the lower saloon of tram 12 for the ride to Colyton Station. Here we film some of the action as the
service trams arrive and depart for their return journeys. We then join tram 12 again, this time with a
camera in the cab for the driver’s eye view and one on the upper deck to see
the wonderful scenery along the route travelling southbound to Riverside Halt
where we change ends and place the camera in the cab for a northbound ride to
Colyton Station. Our next location is Riverside Halt where the group enjoy a
guided depot tour. We then take our
final ride into Seaton Station on the top deck of tram 12. A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by
all! To complete our programme we
feature a short film our cameras made in 2021 travelling on tram 2 to Colyton
and retuning on tram 11 back to Seaton Station.
For your information
Tram 12 was built in 1966 at Eastbourne where the tramway originally ran
between Princes Park and the Crumbles.
It was originally an enclosed single-decker and was rebuilt in 1980 as
an open topper and in 1999 it was rebuilt again to resemble the London Feltham
tramcars of the 1930s.