The widow of former Seaton Tramway Chairman Trevor Shears has pledged to donate £1million to the tramway towards the redevelopment of the Seaton terminus. Lyn Shears will be giving the money over several instalments to help fulfil one of Mr Shears’ wishes of a fully modernised terminus at Seaton to welcome passengers ahead of their three mile trip to Colyton.
Plans for a new terminus at Seaton were first unveiled in May 2015 and it had originally been planned that the work would have been completed in time for spring 2016 however at the time of writing work has yet to commence. It is felt that the current Victoria style terminus is now out of place as it is surrounded by a Tesco superstore and the Jurassic Coast Visitor Centre and the plans would see a covered terminus constructed including in-depth interpretation boards of the tramway’s route and history. It is reported in the local press that this would be the start of “A Journey in Time” for passengers starting off from a modern terminus and being transported back to Victorian times at Colyton Station.
Lyn Shears said: “Trevor had a lifelong passion for transport, having worked in the bus industry for most of his career, and loved being involved at Seaton Tramway for its mixture of heritage transport and outstanding scenery and wildlife. Trevor worked hard to help the Tramway fulfil its potential, and at the time of his death, his greatest wish was to see a new, modernised terminus built at Seaton, which would enhance the Tramway and secure its future for decades to come. Trevor was determined to make this project happen and I’m proud to make this donation in his memory in order to make it a reality.”
Trevor Shears started as a volunteer at Seaton in 1977 before becoming a Director in 1991 and was Chairman between 2005 and his death in 2014.
It is not yet known when work will commence on the new terminus.
Anyone who has seen the DVD that was produced to commemorate 40 years of operation at Seaton can be in no doubt about the amount of passion that Trevor Shears had for the tramway. Not to mention his travelling from Newcastle to see the flood damage despite his poor health and only a matter of weeks before he passed away. I hope there will be something within the new terminus to commemorate his contribution to the tramway’s success.
Echo Ken’s comments. If their were more Trevor’s of this world suspect preservation would be in much much healthier & stronger position going forward. Such a kind generous final act. The proposed terminal itself is “interesting” and probably a wee bit controversial but its his money & has the support of decision makers. They have very clear vision for what it needs to be come not always in line with what some enthusiasts want but their numbers and support speak volumes the must be doing something right
I hope Seaton appreciate this bequest and it is used as Mr Shears expressed, unlike the Leeds 602 saga bequest at Crich.
I second K Walkers comment and trust that this Gent’s contribution(s) will be suitably marked.
There is no comparison between the two bequests, and it is about time that the whingeing ended. Had a million pound bequest been made to Crich to improve their infrastructure I do not have the slightest doubt that it would have been gratefully received and used for such a purpose.
Indeed. And considering this news story is about a donation to Seaton and has absolutely nothing to do with Crich I don’t think we need any further discussion on the matter.
The donation in this case is not even a bequest. It is a donation by Trevor Shears’ widow in line with his expression of what he wanted for the tramway before he passed away and is nothing to do with a bequest in a will, so his widow is completely able to ensure that it is spent as stipulated. The tramway itself is desirous of a modern terminus so there is no question of any ‘negative’ outcome. The only question mark is over what the new station will look like. A disply regarding the tramway’s history can only be a good thing. At the end of the day the Seaton tramway is not a preservation item as most of the vehicles have been built from scratch and even most of the rescued tram bodies have been heavily rebuilt for the Seaton loading guage (no. 19 excepted) so I really don’t see a place for any negative views on this completely positive news item.