The Devon General Omnibus Trust went ahead with its Exeter Spring Running Day on 19 March as a memorial to the late Philip Platt, even though the original reason for the event — a farewell to the city’s 53-year-old bus and coach station — disappeared in February when the city council delayed redevelopment of the Paris Street site.
The council – which leases the split-level site to Stagecoach – put its plans on hold temporarily, as it says it needs more time to appoint contractors.
The DGOT recast the event in memory of Philip Platt, a founder member of the Devon General Society who had begun preparations for it when he died on 8 December (Buses, February). His widow, daughter, son-in-law and grandsons attended, along with some of the vehicles he helped preserve.
These were among around 30 vehicles that provided departures every 5min from the bus station across 10 routes in close cooperation with Stagecoach South West, which made available all of its preserved vehicles and arranged a static display of examples of its current fleet. Routes covered included Alphington, St Davids railway station, Exeter Airport, Clyst St George, Crossmead, Budlake and Pathfinder Village, with minibuses running to The Quay.
