Events Archives - Devon General Society

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June 17th, 2026 by Paul Jenkins

Posted in Events

If you would like more information about our events, please contact our Events Officer: events@devongeneral.org.uk

DGS members’ trip ‘An East Devon Tour’ – 14th June 2026

June 17th, 2026 by Paul Jenkins

Posted in Events

36 members, family and friends enjoyed the Society’s 2026 summer outing on Sunday 14th June, touring old Devon General routes in East Devon, with the option of a trip on the Seaton Tramway. Transport for the day was the Devon General Omnibus Trust’s preserved 1957 AEC Reliance VDV 798 (SR798).

A souvenir booklet was produced for the participants, which can be downloaded here:

The tour started at Exeter St Davids Station, and then after pick-ups in the city centre and at Sowton Park & Ride, headed for Honiton via Ottery St Mary, following the Service 4 route (Exeter – Honiton – Axminster). A broken down car blocking the road in Ottery St Mary caused an hour’s delay before the Police arrived to move it, but omitting the planned break at Honiton helped recover some time. From Honiton the tour followed the route of Service 52 (Exeter – Honiton – Seaton), passing the closed Seaton Junction station.

A lunch break was scheduled at the Colyton terminus of the Seaton Tramway, after which many of the participants chose to travel on the tram to Seaton. The line follows much of the trackbed of the Seaton branch, which closed in 1966. The Tramway kindly laid on a relief tram for the 3pm departure so that between the two trams everyone had the opportunity to travel on the upper deck and admire the view on what was a sunny, warm and breezy day. In the meantime, SR798 made its way to Seaton to await the arrival of the tram passengers.

With everyone back on board, the tour resumed by following the Service 48 (Lyme Regis – Seaton – Sidmouth) route to Sidmouth Triangle and then the Service 9 (Sidmouth – Newton Poppleford – Exeter) route back to Exeter.

VDV 798 at Exeter St Davids

VDV 798 at Colyton Station

Seaton Tramway at Colyton Station

VDV 798 at Seaton

VDV 798 at Sidmouth

Thanks to Terry Bennett and Martin White for the photos.

Posted 17th June 2026

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Devon General Remembered at Newton Abbot – 6th September 2026

March 17th, 2026 by Paul Jenkins

Posted in Events

We are returning to Newton Abbot for our 2026 ‘Devon General Remembered’ running day, on Sunday 6th September.

Based at Highweek Way in the town centre, adjacent to the Asda store, our event will feature preserved Devon General buses running free services to local destinations such as Chudleigh, Sandygate, Teignmouth and Torquay (Lawes Bridge). There will also be trips to Combeinteignhead and Ideford and, weather permitting, an open-top bus town tour.

The Devon General Society sales stand will be present, selling bus books, magazines, photos and memorabilia, and our Membership stand will enable you to find out more about the DGS and to join us if you wish.

A souvenir programme will be available in advance and on the day, giving details of the timetables and the buses operating them – look out for further information about this. Vehicle entries are by invitation only and owners will be contacted soon.

Newton Abbot is easy to reach by public transport, with the main town centre bus stops at Sherborne Road just a short walk from Highweek Way. We will run a free shuttle bus service between Newton Abbot railway station and Highweek Way at the start and end of the event, and the free bus service to Lawes Bridge will provide connections to and from the railway station during the day. There is car parking close to Highweek Way and plenty of cafes and shops in Newton Abbot town centre. Public toilets are available nearby.

Please keep Sunday 6th September 2026 free. We look forward to seeing you for a day of Devon General nostalgia at Newton Abbot!

Posted 17th March 2026

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Devon General Remembered at Exmouth – 31st August 2025

September 3rd, 2025 by Paul Jenkins

Posted in Events

Ten Devon General buses and one Exeter City Transport bus brought back memories at Exmouth on Sunday 31st August 2025, at our ‘Devon General Remembered’ running day. The inclusion of an Exeter bus was historically accurate, as the city buses ran on Services 5/85 Crediton – Exeter – Exmouth for many years, under the Joint Services Agreement between Devon General and Exeter Corporation.

Mayor of Exmouth, Councillor Graham Deasy, launches Devon General Remembered at Exmouth

The following vehicles took part:

ETT 995 AEC ‘Light Six’ rebuild, from 1937/1953
MTT 640 Leyland Titan, from 1951
NTT 661 AEC Regent III, from 1952
VDV 798 AEC Reliance, from 1957
VDV 817 AEC Regent V, from 1957
XTA 839, Albion Nimbus, from 1958
974 AFJ Guy Arab IV, from 1960 (Exeter City Transport)
932 GTA Leyland Atlantean convertible open top, from 1961
503 RUO AEC Regent V, from 1964
CTT 513C AEC Regent V, from 1965
A686KDV Leyland Olympian, from 1983

The buses provided free trips from Imperial Road – the site of the former Devon General bus depot in Exmouth – on recreated local routes around the town and out to Budleigh Salterton, Clyst St George, Littleham Village, Lympstone and Woodbury. An open topper ran a circular tour around Exmouth. In all, some 1,977 passenger journeys were made on the services, notwithstanding the wet weather for much of the day. We would like to thank all the bus owners who brought their vehicles along, our enthusiatic team of volunteers that made it all happen, and our sponsors – East Devon District Council, Exmouth Town Council, and Stagecoach South West.

Here are some images from the day, provided by Chris Drew, Paul Jenkins, Richard Nardi and Stephen Wren.