TRACKS THROUGH TIME
the Lyme Billy schools pack
The Lyme Billy Schools Pack
The former Axminster to Lyme Regis Railway closed in 1965, but it still offers some significant learning opportunities across a wide area of the national curriculum. The story of the magical little railway on the Devon / Dorset border is particularly relevant to Key Stage 2 studies in history and geography because it involves an era of significant local change. For schools in the area, it offers teachers a primary source of evidence that is so often hard to find. In launching our pack, we are conscious that it can be enlarged and improved, and are very keen to engage with teachers.
This project was created by our volunteers and supported by East Devon National Landscape.
Learning Potential
History & Transport
- Understand how the railway changed life in the local area and beyond
- Appreciate how it boosted tourism in the area and created jobs
- Recognise continuity and change over time
- Allow pupils to make personal links with the past (eg “How would your family have travelled in 1903?”)
Geography
- Develop map skills (scale, direction, landmarks, contour lines)
- Understand how physical geography influences human decisions
- Identify rural and coastal landscapes
Art & Creativity
- Observational drawing and attention to detail
- Graphic communication and persuasive design (poster-making)
- Understanding historic styles and lettering
English & Drama
- Develop descriptive vocabulary and historical imagination
- Structure narratives and diaries
- Build confidence through role play