A scenic ride on the 93 bus to Dartmouth

[grebeman]

This covers the last few miles of this bus service from Plymouth to Dartmouth, arguably one of the most spectacular bus routes. Since it is shot through the upper deck windows of a double decker bus there are some artifacts caused by both dirt and reflections, please excuse those, the bus company don't clean their vehicles that often.

The photographic journey starts as the bus leaves Torcross at the south end of Slapton Line. The DD Sherman tank commemorates the American troops who trained along this beach for the D Day invasion, they trained under live fire and several hundred were lost on the night of 27th/28th April during Operation Tiger when a convoy was intercepted by a flotilla of E boats.

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This is part way along the southern section of the line with the fresh water of Slapton Ley to the left and the English Channel to the right

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This is the northern section of the line

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The bus now climbs from sea level to about 400 feet and the village of Strete

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Now the bus descends again to sea level for Blackpool Sands

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The oncoming bus appears, can they pass one another?

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It's still approaching so I guess the driver is confident

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They got past one another and the bus continues its descent to Blackpool Sands

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Now it has to climb again, does that overhanging tree make you want to duck?

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After passing through the village of Stoke Fleming the town of Dartmouth appears off to the right

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There are still some tight spots to negotiate even in the town, not helped by the parked lorry

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That is just a flavour of a great scenic drive.

All images made using a Panasonic G1 with 20mm, f/1.7 lens, mostly at f/4 or f/5.6 and speeds in excess of 1/1600 sec, iso 200

Barrie

 

[Bill Gordon]

Thanks Barrie for that great series of "home away from home" for me as I love England. What a great idea to get the front seat...most of those windows are not so clean for photography...you appear to have been lucky.

 

[Alanroseman]

Thanks Barrie. it's a lot of work to prepare a post such as this. I appreciate the effort, the photography and the very nice narrative.

Not to mention you were heading to the the town my home town is named after. I was born and raised in Dartmouth, Ma.

Cheers, Alan

 

[grebeman]

Thank you Bill and Alan, your comments are much appreciated. Bill, I think I was lucky with the bus to Dartmouth, the windows were reasonable and of course the sun was mostly to one side, the return bus had dirtier windows and we were facing the sun for much of the journey, so few usable shots from that journey, it would need to be made later in the day.
Alan, I will be returning to your home towns namesake sooner rather than later, more photographic opportunities than my tiny village with it's 30 houses, and it will break me in to the idea of visiting my home city, Plymouth, I'm very much the rural animal these days.

Cheers gentlemen,

Barrie