The Big Appledore

Appledore v Crediton United 

A full day out in the south west meant I couldn't take the normal direct HST, so it was a shuffle across to Bristol Parkway for the first Cross Country service down to Plymouth.

The morning activity was the Preserved Locomotive Enthusiasts Group tour of Plymouth Laira Depot carriage wash plant. A pair of gronks wrapped around a full HST set did Plymouth Station – Friary – Laira Junction (via running sidings) – Plymouth station.

After that excitement was a bus up to Appledore, via Okehampton, taking in Bideford and some more professional imagery of football grounds from passing buses.

Into Appledore and there was this distraction.

So that's what he's up to these days.

I wandered up the hill to the top of town for the main event. 

Appledore 0 v Crediton United 1, South Western Peninsula League Division 1 East

Appledore were founded in 1912, playing in the North Devon league before joining the South Western League in 1978.  In 1995 they dropped down to the newly formed Devon County League,  as a more appropriate competition and were accepted as members.  Up to 1998, they were called Appledore Bideford Amateur Athletics Club, but dropped the latter before becoming part of the South West Peninsula in 2007 when the South Western and Devon County leagues merged.

Credition were established in 1910, and spent most of their life playing in the Devon & Exeter League.  However, in 1990, a move to a new ground saw them step up to the Western League.  Although they rose to the premier division, by 1998 they dropped back down to the Devon County league.  Like Appledore, they became part of the South West Peninsula league in 2007.

Appledore moved to the Marshford ground in 1925, having previously played in the coastal floodplains that surrounded the town.  It is on top of a hill just outside the town. It was fairly clear and you could see across to Saunton Sands and then further on to the Gower.

When I lived in Plymouth, I visited the place quite a few times as the shipyard used to do re-fits on the Cal Mac ferries, so a lot of the Clyde fleet was cleared for sight without leaving Devon. At the time, Appledore were in the Devon County League and the ground was quite Spartan. Revisiting 25 years later and it seems little had changed; still no floodlights or stands, railed on three sides with the side of a house enclosing the far end.

The training ground seems to have become an in-shore marina, with various boats dumped behind the corner flag.

A couple of signs that you probably don’t see in the Premier League. Firstly a warning about retrieving wayward shots…

….and a high value sponsor. Incidentally, this is the second game I’ve been to this season where the match sponsor has been a live bait supplier.

Appledore were top of the league, three points clear of Tavistock with both teams having two games to play. Tavistock had the much better goal difference.

Kicking off at the unexplained time of 1511, Appledore absolutely dominated the game, which was of fair standard, but couldn’t score, but Crediton did manage to early in the second half. With Tavistock tanking Plymstock 5-0, it means they are top going into the last game.

Trip home was via the Appledore – Instow ferry, this cutting about 15 miles off the road journey via Bideford.

There had always been a primitive ferry operating on the route, mainly to take Instow men to work in the Appledore shipyards.  The coming of the railway to Instow meant that demand increased hugely, as well as passengers, the ferry also brought the newspapers over to Appledore.  Demand increased even more when Yelland power station opened just north of Instow, employing a significant number of people from Appledore.

The closure of the railway and the power station saw demand for the ferry drop massively, which stopped operating in 2007.  Instead, it is now operated by volunteers, using a boat purchased through fundraising.

The reason for getting the ferry was the Instow annual scarecrow competition; I managed to clear 14 of the 27 in the two hours before I had to get the bus back to Barnstaple.

Apart from Plymouth – Okehampton, buses had been solid Stagecoach Scania N230UD with ADL Enviro 400 bodies. This was the steed on to Barnstaple, 15895, which is named Winston Coltrane, who apparently is a local juvenile bus spotter.

From Barney down to Exeter, one of the hybrid three-car Sprinters had escaped from Bristol. These were formed by inserting into an existing two car, a spare vehicle whose partner had been written off due to crash damage. Barnstaple has been kitted out in retro Southern Railways signage and colour scheme.

From Exeter, an HST back to the metropolis. 

Cheese from the stall in Butcher’s row; Whalesborough – Cornish Smuggler, Stansfield - Cornish Blue, and a Swiss washed rind who’s name I can’t remember but have e-mailed a request so I can update my records.

Not pictured are some Chevre blue and Sparkenhoe which didn’t last the train journey to Exter. Meat was a black olive Salami from Delabole. Also, a mixed chocolate Appledore surfboard. Ale was a selection from St Ives Brewery, and a Rhymney bitter.