St James Park
Exeter
St James Park Community Partnership Scheme
Website readers may be interested to know how the fence posts at St James Park came to be painted red and white at high level, and why this same colouring does not extend all the way down onto the platforms. Neil Le Milliere explains:
In May 2006, as a local community partnership initiative with the local train company at that time, Exeter City F.C. were invited to maintain St James Park, and a group of volunteers devoted time to tidying up and redecorating the station. We asked permission for the colour scheme and were told this was fine, but that due to Health and Safety (what's new?) the posts at the bottom end had to be all white, as did the brick wall on the platform itself. However, the alternating red and white was fine further up and on the wooden fence at the top of the ''down'' platform.
The partnership has now expired as First Great Western didn't have the same interest or commitment to local communities – they have also recalled some very old trains out of mothballs to serve the line.
1905
Since the earlier map of 1889, there has been significant house building north of the line. New additions are
''Powderham Crescent'' and the high-density housing just before the portal of ''Blackboy Tunnel'', north of
''St Anne's Well''. Click the above image for a larger version. Neil Le Milliere
May 2006
The Exeter City Football Club gang are seen hard at work on the ''down'' platform, repainting the
wall which lines the rear of the platform. Note the alternating red and white posts of the entrance
walkway. As mentioned in the main text, health and safety criteria prevented the same scheme being
continued on the final flight of stairs, and onto the platform. The ''up'' platform has yet to be treated.
Neil Le Milliere
May 2006
Neil is seen with paint brush, putting the finishing touches on the red walkway post, completing a
distinctively-patterned approach to the halt's platforms. Neil Le Milliere
May 2006
Looking up the walkway of the ''down'' platform, we see the completed posts in Exeter City F.C. colours,
and the edge of the football stadium to the right. Work is still ongoing on the platform! Neil Le Milliere
May 2006
A coffee and a doughnut – a well earned rest between painting tasks. Neil Le Milliere
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